Bees – Lectures by Rudolf Steiner

November 26th 1923

Honey has an extraordinarily beneficial effect on humans, particularly when we grow old - with a child, it is milk that acts in this way. Honey assists in maintaining the form of our bodies. For this reason the consumption of honey is highly recommended for older people. However, it is important not to eat too much of it. If you overeat honey and don't use it to simply garnish other foods, then you will develop too much form. Then the body form will become brittle, and you will contract many diseases. Well, a healthy person senses how much should be eaten. Particularly for older people, honey is an extraordinarily healthy form of nourishment, because it actually gives the body a solidness, a real power of resistance.

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Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:938574. doi: 10.1155/2012/938574. Epub 2012 Aug 29.

The effects of tualang honey on bone metabolism of postmenopausal women.

Mohd Effendy N1, Mohamed N, Muhammad N, Mohamad IN, Shuid AN.

• 1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Campus, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Abstract

Osteoporosis which is characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration with a consequent increase in bone fragility can be associated with various stimuli such as oxidative stress and inflammation. Postmenopausal women are more prone to osteoporosis due to reduction in estrogen which may further lead to elevation of oxidative stress and lipid accumulation which will promote osteoblasts apoptosis. Proinflammatory cytokines are elevated following estrogen deficiency. These cytokines are important determinants of osteoclasts differentiation and its bone resorption activity. The main treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis is estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). Despite its effectiveness, ERT, however, can cause many adverse effects. Therefore, alternative treatment that is rich in antioxidant and can exert an anti-inflammatory effect can be given to replace the conventional ERT. Tualang honey is one of the best options available as it contains antioxidant as well as exerting anti-inflammatory effect which can act as a free radical scavenger, reducing the oxidative stress level as well as inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine. This will result in survival of osteoblasts, reduced osteoclastogenic activity, and consequently, reduce bone loss. Hence, Tualang honey can be used as an alternative treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with minimal side effects.

PMID:  22973408