Beekeeping & Apitherapy

Our gratitude goes to the bees and beekeepers – without them there is no Apitherapy. With the current threat to the health and survival of the honeybees in many parts of the world,
we realize that our food supply and the availability of the hive products for Apitherapy are in danger.

HONEYBEES and BEEKEEPING

While this site is dedicated to Apitherapy, we provide some information on beekeeping – i.e. Apiculture.

If you are interested in keeping bees yourself, we recommend that you find a local bee club in your area; most clubs either give courses in basic beekeeping or can direct you to such courses. These are often given at the beginning of the year, in order to prepare people to start their hives in the Spring.

You will find on the websites of many beekeeping clubs information about beekeeping, classes, sources of materials to construct your hives and obtain necessary equipment, and dates of their meetings.

APITHERAPY and BEEKEEPING

Specific bee products for health care have been used for centuries in different cultures.. For instance, Hippocrates, in the fourth century BC, used bee venom to treat join pain and arthritis; ancient Greek athletes used honey to boost their energy. The Roman scholar, Pliny, wrote about the healing properties of propolis, claiming that it reduces swelling, soothes pain, and heals sores.

The American Apitherapy Society has taken as part of its mission the development of Apitherapy as a comprehensive and organized approach to health maintenance and care with all the products of the beehive. These products are often used in combination, and act in synergy

The preparation of the beehive products for Apitherapy should follow specific protocols, including a systematic control of quality. Currently this strict preparation control rarely happens.

In reaction to Colony Collapse Disorder, some beekeepers are looking into organic beekeeping, without the use of drugs, chemicals, essential oils, herbs, FGMO, acids, fungicides, bacterial/viral inhibitants, micro-organism stimuli, and feeds other than honey, and are managing their hives differently. By using organic beekeeping, and thus minimizing stress on the bees, it is hoped that these beekeepers will not lose their hives.

In very recent years, with the recognition of the many threats to the health and survival of the honeybee, more and more beekeepers are rethinking the management of their hives, turning to natural, organic, or biodynamic beekeeping. You may want to consider keeping your bees organically. Read more:

http://www.themelissagarden.com

http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/info/info/enviro/the-need-for-organic-beek.shtml

COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER

For more information on the current threat to honeybees, identified as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), visit:

http://www.vanishingbees.com

http://www.spikenardfarm.org/articles.shtml

Disclaimer:

The information contained on these Web pages is not intended to be a substitute for medical evaluation and treatment by a competent, licensed personal health care professional. The American Apitherapy Society, Inc. specifically disclaims any liability

arising directly or indirectly from information contained on these Web pages. Varying and even conflicting views are held by other segments of the medical profession. The information presented on these Web pages is intended to be educational and is not intended as a basis for diagnosis or treatment.

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