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Better Nutrition, July, 1998 by Tamra B. Orr
Who would turn down the chance to live a life "fit for
a queen?" There is one way you can live like royalty and
improve your health at the same time -- by adding royal
jelly to your life!
In the hive
Royal jelly is a creamy-white substance
that special nursing bees secrete for one purpose only -- to feed
their queen, the "boss" of the hive. She commands the
worker bees to keep the hive growing and thriving, but most importantly,
she alone is the one who is able to lay eggs and keep the hive
population increasing.
With this much responsibility on her figurative shoulders, the
queen bee is well taken care of, especially through her exclusive
diet of royal jelly. It's what
gives her the ability to reproduce but, more importantly, it is
also what allows her to live up to 50 times longer than the worker
bees (6 to 8 years versus 6 to 8 weeks) and to grow at least two
times bigger.
In the home
So what does the main dish of the queen bee have to do with humans?
The list of royal jelly's ingredients
reads like a recipe for immortality. It includes:
- all of the essential amino acids our bodies need but
cannot produce on their own;
- vitamins A, C, D, E and many of the B vitamins;
- trace minerals, calcium, and iron;
- natural hormones;
- acetylcholine (for transmitting nerve messages);
- nucleic acids like RNA and DNA (the very code of
life);
- gelatin (anti-aging);
- ecanoic acid (antibiotic abilities);
- gamma globulin (fights infection and stimulates the
immune system).
Researchers J.R. Lamberti and L.G. Cornejo, in their
recent study entitled "In Presence of Gamma Globulin in
Injectable Royal Jelly and Its Use in Revitalizing
Processes" have documented important elements in royal jelly
which slow down the aging process and which appear to lower
blood and liver fats and cholesterol levels in animals and
normalize LDL and HDL levels in humans. The benefits don't
end there, however.
Other research has shown royal jelly's positive effects
on conditions as diverse as hair loss, fading eyesight, and
different types of cancer. Research has been published on
the effects of royal jelly and varicose veins, malnutrition,
sexual deficiencies, arthritis, and skin conditions (like
acne or psoriasis).
For the mind and spirit
Some have even speculated that royal jelly also seems to be
able to help with psychological conditions such as anorexia
nervosa, severe anxiety, depression, and shock. In fact,
some people taking royal jelly have reported a feeling of
mood elevation.
In The Bee Pollen Bible, the late Royden Brown writes,
"The natural high that royal jelly brings travels through
the body like a jolt of electricity. Even someone taking
royal jelly for the first time will usually feel a dynamic
energy and well-being pulsing through his entire body."
Nevertheless, at this date, the mood/anxiety-modulating
effects have not yet been clinically verified.
Royal jelly stimulates the adrenal glands and the metabolism
which, in turn, creates more energy and unlike sugar or
caffeine, there isn't a rebounding effect hours later.
From babies to grandparents
Royal jelly is something that people of all ages can use
without worry about negative side effects. Surprisingly
enough, people who are allergic to bee stings can still
benefit from royal jelly without any allergic responses.
Most physicians in this country are not familiar with
royal jelly, although it has been used for centuries in the
Orient and Europe. However, the word is slowly spreading and
so is the demand.
Royal jelly can be a real challenge for beekeepers to
harvest. "Imagine trying to "milk" a nurse bee and you will
have some idea of why royal jelly is so expensive," said
Brown. It takes patience and skill from the keeper -- and
thousands of nursing bees!
Adding royal jelly to your diet may not put a crown on
your head, but it may add years to your life and make you at
least feel like royalty! |
