Bees are quite valuable when it comes to beauty and health. They are amazing little creatures that do so much for us in their short, 2 month lifespan. First of all they create are really cool byproduct called honey can last thousands of years without ever going bad. Archeologists found this out when they opened old Egyptian tombs. Bee pollen, another byproduct of the bees is so chemically complex that scientists are still unable to duplicate it, yet it apparently contains every vitamin or nutrient needed for us to survive! Bee venom has even been used in other countries to help prevent arthritis (apparently no beekeeper has arthritis). You can read more about it all HERE. And how about those cool hexagons of wax? We used them as chewing gum as a kid.
HYDRATING HONEY MASK
A wonderful winter mask my clients do when they run around the house is a simple hour honey mask on clean skin. It hydrates, calms breakouts and nourishes the skin with tons of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Just make sure you're getting the raw stuff. The honey bear usually comes from China and is processed, not raw. For those of you who can't do honey a good avocado + yogurt mask (equal parts) is still very hydrating. Yogurt contains lactic acid so limit your mask time to 10 mins.
SAVE THE BEES!
Back to saving the bees- many, many moons ago I used to be very involved in the beekeeping world (as a teenager in Kentucky). We used to try to figure out how to solve the problems bees had with Tracheal and Varroa mite infestations. It was wiping out the colonies and there were big debates about how to solve it. There were also threats of bees breeding with killer bees from South America. Little did we know that pesticides would be our biggest problem. According to an old friend and fellow Beekeeper Pank Mattingly in Kentucky the Universities have proven Neonicotinoids (pesticides) are basically giving the bees alzheimers causing the bees to lose their way back to the hives resulting in colony collapse.
What is really sad is Pank is one of the only Beekeepers left in the State of Kentucky because it has become too expensive to raise bees! We depend on bees to pollinate.
There are really cool groups out there actively trying to make a difference and save our food and beauty supply. Don't let this amazing creature go extinct!
LINKS TO VISIT:
http://www.opensourcebeehives.net/
http://www.newyorkbeesanctuary.org/index.html
http://www.backyardbeekeepers.com/facts.html
http://honeylove.org/list-of-food/
SUPPORT PANK MATTINGLY:
Fern Creek Honey
9709 Independence School Rd.
Fern Creek, KY 40291
Phone: (502) 239-1325
Now it's time for me to go do that honey mask!
