| Welcome to Jee. We hope you enjoy your visit. |
| The Honey You Should Never Buy -; by Dr Mercola | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 28 2012, 02:03 PM (547 Views) | |
| (ATT) The Rivers Run | Jan 28 2012, 02:03 PM Post #1 |
Advanced Member
  ![]](http://z1.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)
|
Bees have been dying off around the world for a decade now from a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. A third of the U.S. food supply depends on the honeybee The collapse of bee colonies is probably multifactorial, rather than a response to one type of toxic assault; one major factor is the toxicity of systemic pesticides, such as Clothianidin (made by Bayer) One Colorado beekeeper named Tom Theobald exposed the EPA’s complicity with Bayer in allowing Clothianidin to market without honeybee safety studies An average of six different pesticides were found in hives across the country, with one hive testing positive for 31 different pesticides, in one recent study More than 75 percent of the honey on American supermarket shelves is not honey at all, but rather an ultra-processed mixture of sugar-water, malt sweeteners, corn or rice syrup, jaggery, barley malt sweetener and other additives, smuggled in from China and tainted with illegal antibiotics and heavy metals, such as lead By Dr. Mercola Bees have been dying off around the world for more than a decade now, a phenomenon that has been named "Colony Collapse Disorder," or CCD. The U.S. and the U.K. both reported losing a third of their honeybees in 2010. Italy lost half. The die-offs have spread to China and India, in addition to many other countries. A third of the U.S. food supply requires the assistance of the honeybee. The collapse of bee colonies is probably multifactorial, rather than a response to one type of toxic assault. Although experts don't yet understand all of the underlying factors and how they interact to cause our pollinators to disappear, they agree about one thing: if we allow this to continue, our already-limited global food supply is at risk, which means more than 7 billion humans occupying this planet are at risk as well. The common honeybee pollinates 130 different crops in the U.S. alone, including fruits, vegetables and tree nuts. Without our bees, almonds, pumpkins, watermelons and other varieties of melon, and even vanilla, could completely disappear. Haagen-Dazs donated $250,000 to research into bee colony collapse disorder because it says the honeybees are responsible for 24 of its 60 ice cream flavors, including strawberry, toasted pecan and banana split. As usual, at the core of the problem is big industry, which is blinded by greed and enabled by a corrupt governmental system that permits the profit-driven sacrifice of our environment. Unfortunately, this motivation reflects an extreme shortsightedness about the long-term survival of the human race, as well as of our planet. Not only are commercial agricultural practices harming honeybee colonies, but your own health is being compromised by deceptive marketing practices about the "honey" you buy, some of which isn't really honey at all, despite what it says on the label. Honey: Nectar of the Gods Pure, natural, unfiltered raw honey has an abundance of medicinal and nutritional uses, including the following: A bounty of nutrition, including enzymes, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals Promotes the growth of friendly bacteria in your intestinal tract Good for your skin Helps with occasional sleeplessness Promotes heart health by reducing homocysteine levels Tames allergies Can help fight viruses, such as herpes, and bacteria, such as that present in chronic sinusitis Helps sooth a cough Helps prevent tooth decay A special kind of honey that has healing benefits far exceeding that of ordinary honey is called Manuka honey. Manuka honey is made by bees that feed off the flowers of the Manuka bush, a medicinal plant native to New Zealand. Fake honey is unfortunately common in this era of food manipulation and control. Some Chinese brokers sell a mixture of sugar water, malt sweeteners, corn or rice syrup, jaggery, barley malt sweetener or other additives, and label it "honey". A recent report by Food Safety News reveals just how often they get away with this trickery. Is Your Honey Fake? In a new report by Food Safety News, more than 75 percent of the honey on American supermarket shelves may be ultra-processed—to the point that all inherent medicinal properties are completely gone—and then smuggled into the country by the barrel drum. Nearly all of this fake honey is made in China. Some of these brokers will even create bogus country of origin papers. All 60 jars of "honey" tested by FSN came back negative for pollen (including Sue Bee and Winnie the Pooh brands), which is a clear sign of ultra-processing. According to FSN: "The removal of these microscopic particles from deep within a flower would make the nectar flunk the quality standards set by most of the world's food safety agencies. The food safety divisions of the World Health Organization, the European Commission and dozens of others have also ruled that without pollen, there is no way to determine whether the honey came from legitimate and safe sources." Millions of pounds of honey that have been banned by the European Union are being smuggled into the U.S. from China. Much of this honey is tainted with illegal antibiotics, including chloramphenicol, which can cause DNA damage and cancer, and heavy metals like lead. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that any product that's been ultra-filtered and no longer contains pollen IS NOT honey. In their investigation, FSN discovered the following: 76 percent of honey samples bought at grocery stores (such as TOP Food, Safeway, QFC, Kroger, Harris Teeter, etc.) were absent of pollen 77 percent of the honey from big box stores (like Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, and Target) were absent of pollen 100 percent of the honey sampled from drug stores (like Walgreens, Rite-Aid, and CVS Pharmacy) were absent of pollen The good news is, all of the samples from farmers markets, co-ops, and natural stores like Trader Joe's had the full, proper compliment of pollen, as did organic brands from common grocery stores. But fake honey—the sorry substitute that it is—might be the ONLY thing even remotely resembling honey that you'll be able to get if we don't find a way to save our honeybees from total global collapse. HUMANS are Casing the Demise of the Bees Each year, commercial beekeepers have reported unprecedented losses. Steve Ellis, secretary of the National Honey Bee Advisory Board and a beekeeper for 35 years, had so many abnormal bee die-offs that he'll qualify for disaster relief from the USDA. The main theories are the following: Malnutrition of the bees due to destruction of their food supply, causing irreparable damage to their immune systems, which makes them more vulnerable to toxic exposures and pathogens, like viruses and fungi Toxic pesticides, especially the newer systemic pesticides, insecticides, and genetically engineered crops, are a massive source of toxic exposure to the bees Microwaves from cellular phones have been shown to cause CCD within 10 days, apparently by affecting the bees' communication with the hive and disrupting their navigational ability Changing global climate, drought, and migratory stress brought about by moving bee colonies long distances to provide pollination services The EPA claims that new systemic pesticides are safer for humans because farmers can use less of them. However, experiments show that agricultural chemicals that are safe for bees when used alone are lethal in combination. Farmers increasingly combine sprays. They also destroy nearly all flowering weeds, depriving bees of essential nutrients from different kinds of pollen. Bee Very Afraid... While much has been made over the "mystery" surrounding CCD, the problem began shortly after neurotoxic pesticides, which are known to be particularly toxic to honeybees, took over the global insecticide market. These relatively new pesticides are called neonicotinoids. Two prominent examples, Imidacloprid and Clothianidin, are used as seed treatments in hundreds of crops. Virtually all of today's genetically engineered Bt corn is treated with neonicotinoids. A Purdue University study found multiple sources of pesticide exposure for honeybees living near agricultural fields, including high levels of Clothianidin in agricultural machinery exhaust, in the soil of unplanted fields near those planted with Bt corn, and on dandelions growing in those fields. The chemicals were also found in dead bees near hive entrances and in pollen stored in the hives. Bee colonies began disappearing in the U.S. shortly after EPA allowed these new, toxic insecticides to be used. Even the EPA itself admits that "pesticide poisoning" is a likely cause of the collapse of bee colonies. These insecticides are highly toxic to bees because they are systemic, water soluble, and very pervasive. They get into the soil and groundwater where they can accumulate and remain for many years and present long-term toxicity to the hive. They enter the vascular system of the plant and are carried to all parts of it, as well as to the pollen and nectar. These chemicals affect insects' central nervous systems in ways that are cumulative and irreversible. Even minute amounts can have profound effects over time. Foraging insects may become disoriented and unable to find their way back to the hive. Jim Frazier from Penn State sampled hives from across the U.S. and found an average of six different pesticides in each hive, with one hive testing positive for 31 different pesticides, some of which are of the systemic varieties. Beekeepers everywhere are concerned for their own livelihood, in addition to being fearful of the broader implications of CCD. But one small Colorado beekeeper has served as a one-man sting operation in exposing the EPA's negligence on this issue. Bee Aware from Greg Stanley on Vimeo. Courageous Beekeeper Battles Negligent Regulators on Behalf of Bees Colorado beekeeper Tom Theobald became concerned about the effects systemic pesticides were having on his bee colonies. Theobald discovered that EPA allowed Bayer Crop Science, manufacturer of Clothianidin, to market its pesticide for public use without safety studies. Clothianidin has been used commercially for eight years now, with no good safety studies to back it up. Theobald uncovered the documents proving that Congress gave Bayer a thumbs-up to market their product while awaiting the results of a safety study, promised to be complete within 18 months. And guess who conducts and funds honeybee studies? The pesticide companies themselves… the fox is again guarding the henhouse. The EPA merely receives the report from the pesticide company, has its scientists make a recommendation, and then EPA administrators make a decision about product safety, supposedly based on good science. In this case, there is NO good science to be found—at least coming from Bayer. The supposedly scientific research by Bayer proved to be woefully inadequate. Bayer performed the study on one 2.5-acre plot of land planted with canola seed. However, this is a mere fraction of the area foraged by a typical bee colony. In fact, the average area foraged by such a colony is 28,000 acres! Theobald called Bayer's study a "mockery of science" because it was nowhere near an accurate representation of the bees' natural habitat. So, Theobald wrote an article for the July 2010 issue of Bee Culture, which created quite the buzz. The EPA changed their tone in response to his article, admitting the Bayer study was deficient. Nevertheless, they haven't pulled Clothianidin from the market. According to the Pesticide Action Network: "Governments in Italy, Germany, France and elsewhere have already taken action against neonicotinoids to protect their pollinators. And beekeepers there are reporting recovery. Yet regulators in the U.S. remain paralyzed, apparently captive to industry-funded science and a regulatory framework that finds chemicals innocent until proven guilty." No Simple Answers—Persistence is Key Saving the honeybee will require much more than removing one or two pesticides from the market. It will require a complete change in the mindset and values of industry, and the regulators they hold captive. There is no force for change greater than that fueled by public outrage, so I encourage you to spread the word. Educate your friends, your family… your grocery bagger! If the goal of pesticides is to increase food yield to more easily feed 7 billion human beings, this goal falls flat on its face if it leads to the collapse of our food chain. As Tom Theobald says, we can eliminate this one product, maybe, but that won't solve the problem. In a year or two, there will just be another equally dangerous chemical, unless we can change the conditions that lead to the problem. And this means we must yell loud enough to awaken our government from its stupor. Some folks are doing just that. Honeybee sanctuaries are springing up everywhere, as the award-winning documentary Queen of the Sun shows. Many city dwellers are becoming smalltime backyard beekeepers. If you are interested in supporting the cause, you can check out some of the following websites to guide you in how you can help. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/28/bees-death-destroy-food-supply.aspx?e_cid=20120128_DNL_art_1 |
 |
 
|
| yass | Jan 28 2012, 11:22 PM Post #2 |
Administrator
|
Talk about synchronicity! I've just been looking into raw honey and discovered Manuka honey from New Zealand. It is purported to be of extreme health value!!! Unfortunately it costs a bundle to buy, so what is one to do? I was reading that Japanese Knotweed Honey also known a Bamboo Honey is very beneficial as well (and very good tasting). It might be more economically feasible.
Edited by yass, Jan 29 2012, 03:56 PM.
|
| -Love will lead | |
|
|
|
| Sewing Light | Jan 29 2012, 12:19 PM Post #3 |
Advanced Member
|
Thanks for posting this ATT. Had no idea they were actually selling FAKE honey! Who would've ever suspected that honey could ever be faked!!! So, a new group of pesticides..... And I notice it says neonicotinoids! Another reason they don't want ppl to smoke....so they can poison you better! |
|
|
|
| (ATT) The Rivers Run | Feb 12 2012, 05:20 AM Post #4 |
|
Advanced Member
|
a shame my husband is allergic to bees, I would be cultivating those bee hives now... Edited by (ATT) The Rivers Run, Feb 13 2012, 08:34 AM.
|
|
|
|
| Sewing Light | Feb 16 2012, 05:23 PM Post #5 |
|
Advanced Member
|
Came across something interesting on the web about how wasps and bees structure their hives differently. Wasps do their odd paper nest of a conglomerated add-on type structure, no regularity. Bees do the hexagonal shaped chambers that forms their honeycomb. Some long ago energy researcher (like back in the 1800s) figured out if you sit someone under a large honeycomb shaped structure, they feel better, but if you sit them below a wasp nest shaped structure, they feel very uncomfortable. Thought that was really neat. Maybe that's the wasp personality showing in their chosen environmental shape and why humans and honeybees have a decent relationship. Reminds me of the fact that ppl living in square roomed homes (as in....most all of us) vs ppl living in kivas or adobe structures. I have read that ppl really like the rounded edges. |
|
|
|
| (ATT) The Rivers Run | Feb 19 2012, 01:05 AM Post #6 |
|
Advanced Member
|
That's really interesting, I had a dream the other day where I was making mud bricks! (very random, strange dream), but have always wanted to design my own place, no matter how small, & will keep the hexagonal shape in mind if my place ever eventuates.... |
|
|
|
| (ATT) The Rivers Run | Feb 20 2012, 05:28 PM Post #7 |
|
Advanced Member
|
When Antibiotics Fail, Nurses Turn to Maggots And Manuka Honey to Beat Superbugs Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/027470_maggots_superbugs.html#ixzz1myXykllE (NaturalNews) Faced with a growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, hospitals in the United Kingdom are adopting traditional medicinal techniques to fight infection, such as maggots and honey. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other drug-resistant infections kill or hasten the death of 8,000 British patients per year, while MRSA now kills more people in the United States annually than AIDS. At the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England, many wounds are now being disinfected with Manuka honey rather than pharmaceutical antibiotics. "Honey has been used in healing for centuries, but now new products have overcome the problems associated with using conventional honey and bring it into a modern healthcare setting," said the hospital's Kate Purser. Honey is one of the oldest forms of medicine known, and was employed both as food and antibiotic by the ancient Egyptians and, more recently, by German doctors during World War I. Its high sugar content means that the water in honey is almost chemically inert, making it unavailable for the growth of bacteria, fungi or viruses. A naturally occurring enzyme known as glucose oxidase also makes honey acidic enough to create a hostile environment for most bacteria. The honey used by Royal United Hospital is not the same as the honey found on supermarket shelves, however. The honey is a variety known as Manuka honey, which is produced from the manuka plant, native to New Zealand. This honey is then irradiated to kill any trace bacterial spores. According to Manuka honey products company Honeymark, the honey has proven effective at killing MRSA in scientific trials. While honey already contains a variety of chemicals that can be beneficial to the body -- such as the antioxidant pinocembrin, which only occurs in honey -- Honeymark claims that Manuka honey contains even more of these beneficial compounds, which are derived from the manuka flower. "These medicinal compounds, in most cases, outperform many pharmaceuticals and traditional forms of medicine," the company said in a press release. Honeymark claims that Manuka honey can be use both topically and internally to treat conditions caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, including infected wounds, acne, eczema, stomach ulcers or other gastrointestinal conditions, ringworm and upper respiratory infections. No side effects have been reported, and in contrast to pharmaceutical antibiotics, bacteria appear unable to develop resistance to Manuka honey. Manuka has a further benefit over pharmaceuticals, according to Honeymark. "Antibiotics are indiscriminate killers. When taken orally, antibiotics kill all bacteria, both good and bad," the company said. "For reasons that are currently unknown, Manuka Honey does not effect good bacteria in the body and only destroys harmful, infectious bacteria. This is something that pharmaceuticals have not been able to accomplish." Dorothy Yeo of Bath said that honey dressings led to drastic improvement in her ulcer. "I felt I wasn't getting anywhere and the pain made it hard to sleep," she said. "But now I'm able to sleep without tablets, and new skin is forming over my ulcer. I'm very pleased and I'd recommend it to anyone." While honey can kill the bacteria that cause infection, sometimes other measures are required to remove the dead tissue left by infection or injury. At Royal United Hospital, one such technique is the application of sterilized greenbottle fly larvae, more commonly known as maggots. "We may use maggots when conventional dressings have not been successful or if a wound needs a more rapid form of treatment," Purser said. "There is something of the 'yuck' factor, but once the maggots are applied some people may feel a tickling sensation while most don't feel a thing." Maggots consume rotting flesh while ignoring healthy tissue, thereby both cleaning out and disinfecting necrotic wounds. "Someone explained the maggots were bred for this purpose only and I felt reassured," said Jack Foster of Keynsham, England. "After one treatment, there has already been some improvement and my second starts tomorrow." Sources for this story include: www.dailymail.co.uk; www.bignews.biz. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/027470_maggots_superbugs.html#ixzz1myXpQZQ8 |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Garden and Healing Herbs · Next Topic » |
8:51 AM Jul 13