THE HEALING POWER OF PROPOLIS, AND HOME REMEDY PROTECTION

SUPPORTING HEALTH IN UNCERTAIN TIMES WITH NATURAL REMEDIES

We’re all looking for ways to stay healthy these days.  The best protection is, as always, a healthy lifestyle: diet and good hydration, exercise, sleep, and stress management are profoundly powerful methods of self-care for your body, mind, and immune system.  

But what about other ways to boost immunity during tough times?  

Here’s what we know: this current coronavirus outbreak is transmitted through respiratory droplets that generally begin their infectious process in the mucous membranes of our mouths and sinuses.  It makes sense, then, that regularly flushing out these areas, and applying safe anti-infectious plant-based therapies, may help us stay safe and healthy.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS

Regularly drinking water and herbal teas is a great way to promote throat health and keep your throat clean, moist and healthy (I know a lot of people take issue with the word “moist” but honestly, moist mucous membranes are healthy mucous membranes!  They need that hydration to help them do their jobs well.).   

The job of our mucous membranes, by the way, is critical for immune health.  Our mucous membranes provide a barrier between us and the outside world, shielding us from the many pathogens we normally come into contact with as a consequence of being alive.  They provide a physical barrier, and they strengthen that barrier by regularly secreting mucous.  Mucous, while not pleasant, is actually very important for our immune health: it takes these pathogens and wraps them up so they can’t escape, then moves them out of our bodies via nose, mouth, or digestive system.  The mucous membranes in our bodies also secrete antibodies, which are tiny chemicals made by our immune systems to fight pathogens directly, as well as alerting the deeper layers of our immune system of the presence of a pathogen.  

Amazing, right?!  So please, carry those water bottles with you, and treat yourself to some herbal teas regularly.  Good herbal teas to support mucous membrane health and immunity include those with echinacea, licorice, marshmallow (root, not the candy!), reishi, goldenseal or Oregon grape (not too tasty but an effective antibacterial) and many others.  

SALT GARGLES AND NETI POTS

Gargling with warm salt water a few times a day can be another great way to keep the mucosa of your mouth and throat healthy and clean.  It’s long been a part of traditional medicine that is still recognized and used today for sore throat and minor infections.  Interestingly, the thought is that the salt pulls some of the hydration OUT of the tissues of our mucous membranes, which also encourages viral particles out into the middle of the throat where they are more easily flushed out of the body via the digestive system.  

Mixing 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt into about 8 ounces of warm water is generally a good ratio.  This study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2005, actually showed the efficacy of simple water gargling at least 3 times daily to help prevent upper respiratory tract infections during cold and flu season, and that it even “tended to attenuate bronchial symptoms” in people who got sick.  

On to neti pots: neti pots work to flush the sinuses, usually with salt water.  Neti pots are another old household remedy that have been used for a long time; in Ayurvedic medicine they were a part of the Jala neti practice; “jala” means “water”, and “neti” means “to guide”, meaning that warm salt water guided through the sinuses can help keep the tissues clean and healthy.  When done regularly, they believed it could help not only clear up chronic and acute sinus and upper respiratory conditions but could also help balance the nervous system through allowing for fuller breathing.  In Ayurvedic tradition, breathing increases prana or life force (qi in Chinese medicine).  I think we could all use some of that!  

In Chinese medicine, there are different types of qi.  Our defensive qi, or wei qi, is the qi we think of when we think of our immune system.  According to Chinese medicine, our wei qi must rise to the surface, to an area outside of our physical bodies, where it provides an energetic barrier between us and pathogens.  When our bodies are bogged down with pathogens the wei qi is driven deep inside, and cannot keep us safe from the threat of additional pathogens.  Regular cleansing via throat gargles and neti pots (and a clean diet!) are all important steps to ensure that our wei qi provides a strong defense for us.  

Note: it’s best to use water that is distilled, or otherwise sterile (think boiled water that you then let return to room temperature) in neti pots.  We want to reduce the pathogen burden on our bodies, not increase it!

WHAT ABOUT PROPOLIS? 

Propolis is a flavonoid-rich resin made by bees (flavonoids are those antioxidant, nutrient rich compounds in plants, often those that give fruits and veggies their beautiful colors).  It’s been used for a long time in traditional medicine for its antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-infective properties.  

The big caveat here is that propolis is NOT SAFE for anyone with a bee allergy; people with a history of allergic reactions to bee stings should absolutely avoid internal and topical use of propolis. For people who don’t live with bee allergies, though, propolis can be a great natural preventive therapy and immune support.

It’s been used as a mouth rinse for people with mucositis (inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth, often developed during chemotherapy; propolis has been used to prevent the development of progression of mucositis, and may prevent people from developing secondary infections).  It’s also been used to reduce the outbreaks of cancer sores (and thus increase the self-reported quality of life for these patients).  

Propolis has also been shown to reduce the duration of illness common colds which commonly affect upper respiratory tract tissues (sinuses, mouth, throat) during cold and flu season (1); to reduce the duration of hospital stays in patients with Dengue fever and as a treatment for many other infectious and inflammatory processes.  

Propolis is being used by many naturopathic and functional medicine doctors these days to prevent or minimize viral infection of the throat and oral mucosa, which happens days before we are aware that we’ve been infected.  This use is based on long-time traditional use as well as on modern research which demonstrates that propolis has diverse stimulating effects on the immune system, including protective effects against exposures to herpesvirus (one of several known families of viruses).   Another study showed potent antiviral effects against the varicella zoster virus, including preventive effects.  

Its immunostimulant properties have spurred research around its use as a natural vaccine adjuvant, meaning a natural vaccine additive that would function to stimulate the immune system and provide increased protection against the disease for which the vaccine is intended.

Propolis throat spray has been used to prevent and treat colds during flu season for years.  It may help prevent viral infections and/or decrease the duration of illness, especially along with throat gargles and regular hydration.  

Propolis is one of many amazing natural remedies we have, and we are dependent on bees for our production of propolis. Saving bees, and protecting their natural habitats, is critical to our continued access to medicines like propolis!

Bottom line: with this new strain of an old viral family, the coronavirus family, we are all learning what works and what doesn’t every day.  But we can put the odds of health in our favor by choosing good lifestyle and preventive practices including plant-based medicines and foods.  And, of course, common sense: wash your hands regularly, try hard not to touch your face (It’s a hard one for most of us, as we’re all learning!), cover coughs and sneezes, keep a clean home and work environment.