By Bobby Lynch 3 February 2014
Bees may be annoying, especially when they sting, but did you know that bees produce some of the most health beneficial products in the world? It’s true! The life longevity of royal jelly, allergy and digestion benefits of raw honey, the super strong antibacterial and antiviral properties of bee propolis, paw and skin protection of bees’ wax, bee pollens natural energizer and the arthritis reduction of bee venom are the many health benefits made from bees. These properties have been proven to help humans and those same results are also shown in pets.
Remember to always buy organic raw honey instead of just raw honey. Organic beekeepers do not use any chemicals so the honey their bees produce is safer. There is a very small chance of contaminated honey from an organic beekeeper. That is the main reason why most common store bought honey has been cooked. It assures a safe product, especially when the source of honey is unknown. A common issue is botulism.
Feeding your pet raw honey is not a new radical trend. Juliette de Bairacli Levy has practiced such alternatives to conventional treatments with her Natural Rearing philosophy for the past 60 years. Her love for this product is evident in every one of her published animal care books.
“I believe I could not successfully rear domestic dogs without this remarkable antiseptic food” she says in The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat. Her important mention in that very same book is that “while honey is not a normal item of diet for carnivores, lions in the wild enjoy honey and it is considered a staple food of the omnivorous bear.”
She continues to write: “Honey is the greatest of the natural energizers, a nerve tonic and a supreme heart tonic. Pre-digested by its makers, the bees, it is absorbed immediately into the bloodstream of the consumer. A diet of only milk and honey can sustain life for months in humans and animals. It has been well and long-time proved that honey is also highly medicinal and will inhibit growth of harmful bacteria in the entire digestive tract and destroy those of a toxic nature.”
Levy has taught many of the Raw To The Bones® team members with her literature. One of her main thoughts of pet health is the importance of a weekly pet detoxification. This is especially important for ill pets so their digestive organs rest, allowing a pet’s body to heal quickly. This is very true, given the consideration that 70% of the immune system is within the digestive tract. In addition to water, the only food she recommends for fasting animals is honey.
Bees derive their honey by harvesting pollen from a wide verity of flowers. These variances give honey a wide selection of colour and taste. This can range from light to dark and its taste from delicate to complex. Raw honey contains vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E, and K, plus calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, sulphur, potassium, manganese, copper, and iodine. Darker varieties such as buckwheat contain higher mineral levels. Vitamin C levels vary; some honey contains up to 300 milligrams of Vitamin C per 100 grams (about 3½ ounces or 7 tablespoons).
The medicinal properties of honey have been used since the dawn of man. Ancient Greek, Assyrian, Chinese, and Roman physicians religiously prescribed it for health and life longevity. Its component benefits did not stop there. It was also used for conditions such as indigestion, diarrhoea, fevers, coughs, colds, flu, asthma, allergies, and ulcers. It is also a revitalizing food for athletes, soldiers, and those recovering from illness or injury. It does not stop there! Honey is said to help increase calcium when consumed at the same time. It helps treat or prevent anaemia, reduce arthritis pain, and work as a gentle laxative to help prevent constipation. Its topical remedies are amazing in treating open wounds, burns, cuts, abrasions, and skin infections
Raw Honey For Dogs
Dogs contain sweet receptors in their taste buds so honey is favoured by almost all dogs and is easy to feed. It can be used in homemade treats or in their main meals. If your pet is a picky eater then a ¼ teaspoon mixed with their food will encourage the most food brazen of dogs.
If your dog has environmental allergies, then feeding them raw honey will help relieve them. Just like humans, a high pollen count can stimulate severe allergy issues in dogs. The most common of these are season changes. The most positive results are from feeding them one tablespoon of raw honey twice a day 2-3 weeks before an allergy season hits. Continue to feed them that recommended amount until that allergy season is over. The allergy benefits from the minute amounts of local pollen. This builds up your pets’ immune system and allows them to be in contact with larger amounts without negative effects.
All honey, especially organic raw honey, has medicinal benefits, but the honey best known for its antimicrobial properties is Manuka honey from New Zealand. More than 20 years of research have shown it to naturally destroy harmful bacteria such as Staphaureus and Streptococcus (including drug-resistant strains); Helicobacter pylori bacteria associated with stomach ulcers; vancomycin-resistant Enterococci; and Pseudomonas. The veterinary use of Manuka honey includes its application as a dressing for burns, amputations, and wounds, and its internal use for gastrointestinal and digestive problems.
Raw Honey For Cats
Cats benefit from raw honey too! Just as mentioned before, raw honey is considered a staple food of many omnivorous. Cats systems are very finicky though and it should not be used as a tonic. It does have a great effect on relieving cats of hairballs, so if you see your cat coughing one up, just offer them a way to lick at least a teaspoon. This should be the only ingestible use for any type of honey. Its benefits for cats are mainly for a topical ointment. Asians have known for centuries of the many skin conditions raw honey can treat: acne, eczema, rashes and ring worm are a few. Scrapes, cuts and/or burns are a great use for raw honey’s anti-bacterial properties. Since cats lick themselves, it is much safer to use raw honey than it is chemical ointments.
Raw organic honey has been proven to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria which occurs in wounds. Its adhering texture also acts as a bandage, which means cuts and sores can be covered with it for a period of time. Its amazing combinations of enzymes that bees add to the honey generate Hydrogen peroxide. What is most impressive is the treatment of burns. While most topical medications dry out the injured area, honey does not. It also does not stick to a wound when removing a bandage.
To keep cats from licking it off during their love for cleaning themselves, it is advised to use an ‘Elizabeth collar’.
- Stabilizes blood sugar
- Anti-bacterial
- Anti-fungal
- Strengthens pets’ immune system
- Powerful antioxidant
- Support good bacteria
- Lose weight
- Indigestion
- Immune system
http://www.rawtothebones.com/health-benefits-bee-products-dogs-cats/
MORE HEALTH BENFITS of RAW HONEY for CATS and DOGS
By Sally Swope 8 August 2013
Honey is pre-digested by its makers, bees, and is absorbed immediately into the bloodstream. Honey will inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the entire digestive tract and destroy those bacteria of a toxic nature. Honey is an invert sugar containing glucose and fructose which are monosaccharides or simple sugars. They are more easily absorbed into the body.
Raw honey contains vitamins A, B-Complex, C, D, E, and K. It also contains calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, silicon, sulphur, potassium, manganese, copper, and iodine. Darker varieties tend to have higher mineral levels than lighter varieties. Honey increases absorption of calcium consumed at the same time.
Honey can also be used topically to treat open wounds, burns, cuts, skin abrasions, and skin infections. Honey can be used successfully to treat allergies in dogs. Rubbing of face, licking of feet and inside of thighs and scratching are all signs of allergies. When your dog eats the honey, they are ingesting small amounts of pollen. The body adjusts so it does not react to external pollens. Make sure to buy LOCAL honey to treat allergies specific to your area!
The high sugar content of honey is one of the factors that make it an excellent infection fighter and wound healer. Glucose oxidase, an enzyme in honey, produces hydrogen peroxide which kills harmful bacteria. Using honey as a wound dressing rapidly clears infection, inflammation, swelling and pain while speeding the sloughing of dead skin and the growth of new skin cells. It remains moist, seals wounds, and protects from exposure to air. It absorbs pus from infections, reduces scarring, and prevents wounds from sticking to bandages. Honey can also be used to treat wart-like growths. Applied daily, they eventually soften and disappear. When applying topically, try to distract your dog for at least twenty minutes to give the honey time to be absorbed before they lick it off!!
Raw honey eventually crystallizes. To liquefy crystallized honey, stand it in hot water until it can be stirred or poured. Microwaving is NOT recommended because it can destroy good enzymes and other nutrients.
Take advantage of honey’s wonderful benefits for your dog by offering a tablespoon daily – and next time your dog has a wound, try honey’s remarkable external healing properties!!
Benefits of Royal Jelly for Dogs and Cats
By Bobby Lynch 3 February 2014
We have found the fountain of youth! Well, at least the fountain of jelly. Yes it’s true, if you consider that all bees are born as workers and only live a maximum of 4 weeks, but one bee is favoured at birth and is fed royal jelly and she lives a total of 6 years. During her life she will lay 2,000 eggs a day while staying in top shape, all because of royal jelly’s miraculous rejuvenation and energizer properties. These same health factors can be utilized by humans and even our most athletic of pets!
If we look a little deeper into this nurturing jelly, we now know through modern research that has substantiated royal jelly as a metabolic catalyst, a substance that combats fatigue, increases energy, and supports the adrenal glands. Some of royal jelly’s components are natural antidepressants. Its ability to protect your pet from free radicals is outstanding. Free radical particles occur for humans and pets during physical activities. Free radicals one of the causes for aging and cancer. That is why worker bees have the shortest lives. Antioxidants work best when they are present during metabolic reactions so, feed your dog royal jelly one hour before any type of activity.
Royal jelly has been shown in studies to have immune enhancing/modulating properties as well as skin healing properties. It has even been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties which would help your pet as well, as there is sure to be some inflammation on the skin.
Royal jelly also has benefits when it comes to pets with arthritis and obesity. When our pets over eat and become overweight, it causes free radical damage and adds stress on our pets joints. Royal jelly should be considered to avoid or if your pet has issues with obesity, arthritis osteoarthritis, congenital joint disorders or the inevitable fate of old age.
Infertility is a problem that can affect female pets. Royal Jelly can help boost a female pet’s fertility by increasing the quality of her eggs and improving her overall reproductive health.
Antibiotics are a class of medication that is commonly prescribed to treat bacterial infections. Royal Jelly contains 10-Hydroxy-Dgr2-decenoic acid, which is a natural antibiotic. Additionally, royal jelly has also been shown to boost inflammation.
Everyone wants their pet to live longer. Royal Jelly can help slow down a pet’s aging process. It has been shown to boost collagen production and promote healthier skin. Royal jelly can also help wounds on the skin heal faster when it is applied topically.
Royal jelly is a milky secretion produced by worker honey bees. It typically contains about 60%-70% water, 12%-15% proteins, 10%-16% sugar, 3%-6% fats, and 2%-3% vitamins, salts, and amino acids. Please consult a vet before giving royal jelly if your pet is taking any type of medication.
Jelly Dosage
Because of its slightly sharp, bitter, biting taste, dogs may not care for royal jelly. Blends of royal jelly and honey, which are also popular, may be more to their liking. Try mixing your own by blending 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) organic royal jelly with 6 ounces (¾ cup) of local raw honey. Keep refrigerated. Give your dog ½ to 1 teaspoon of this blend twice per day, morning and night.
