Did you know that propolis is used so extensively in Russia that it has been labelled the ‘Russian Penicillin’? I certainly didn’t, until very recently. But I was aware that knowledge about the antibiotic and healing properties of propolis dates back over 2000 years.
Apitoxin from Russia
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used it as a salve to treat wounds, while during the days of Aristotle propolis was taken internally to relieve ulcers. In his classic ‘Natural History’, Pliny wrote about the healing powers of propolis.

So what is propolis? It’s a resinous substance that bees gather from leaf buds and the bark of trees such as poplars. After adding their own glandular substance, they use it as a kind of cement to seal and tighten the hive to protect it. Any invader that wanders in is encased in the resin, so the bees avoid contamination.

Perhaps this insight seems uninspiring in terms of how it might help our health! Yet propolis has been revealed to be a natural antibiotic for man – and beneficial to the immune system against the onslaught of infectious disorders.

To quote Dr Arnold Pike D.C, Director of the Academy of Nutritional Sciences and member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Task Force on Nutrition:

‘Nature has given bees a natural antibacterial substance in the form of the sap-like propolis to keep their hives free of infection. No strain of bacteria has developed immunity to it. Propolis is resistant even to bacteria that are immune to antibiotic drugs.’

And Soviet doctors A.I. Tichonov and D.P. Salvo, in ‘The Healing Properties of Propolis’ reported on their successful use of propolis in more than 70 different studies over 20 years in Russia.

Highlighting the beneficial effects of propolis on the thymus gland, they stated: ‘When propolis is taken internally, the rate of metabolism is increased and the resistance of the organism is raised. Propolis, in contrast to antibiotics, intensifies the whole immunological reactive capability of the macro-organism.’

Dr Reny Chauvin, of the Sorbonne in Paris, a European researcher studying propolis, had this final word to say on the subject:

‘Scientists have long believed that nature has an answer for every disease. It is just a matter of finding it. Bee propolis boosts your powers of resistance and even immunity against such problems as viral infections, colds, flu, coughs, tonsillitis and cystitis. It works by a unique method, raising your body’s natural resistance to infection by stimulating your own immune system.’

The vitamin gets carried to he liver by the bloodstream. In the liver it gets modified and hydroxilated. The easiest way to explain hydroxilating is explaining it as activating. So, now the vitamin is activated and has become 25-hydroxy vitamin D.

The bloodstream will now carry it to the kidneys. There it gets modified again and reactivated. It has now become 125-di-hydroxy vitamin D. This is the active form of the vitamin. and it is now ready to help the intestines to absorb calcium more easily, keep the blood calcium level normal and make sure the bones receive the needed calcium.

Dr.Michael Holick and a colleague were the first to isolate and identify this active form of vitamin D. They chemically synthesized it and it’s now used for bone disease. Especially bone disease associated with kidney failure.

The synthesized form of this vitamin is only available by prescription and can be taken orally or by injection.

So, what has all this to do with our exposure to the Sun?
That’s not very hard to explain. The sun is really the only way to get sufficient vitamin D.
It is extremely hard to get this vitamin through our diet. Some fatty fish like salmon and Mackerel can give us a limited amount. But we would have to eat these fish between three and five times a week.

We need 1000 IU per day. Of course milk and orange juice contain this vitamin. But there might be about 100 IU in an 8oz glass. That would mean drinking 10 glasses a day.

The only way to get plenty of vitamin D…enough to even store some for the winter months…is by exposing our skin to the sun.

White people would need to expose approximately 10% of their body to the sun for about 6 minutes three times a week. Now, that would be doable, wouldn’t it? Just 6 minutes. After that you can slap on all the sunscreen you wish.

African Americans have deeper skin pigmentation and would have to expose themselves to the sun for a longer time. On the other hand, because of this deep pigmentation they would also be protected much better than Caucasians.

Of course there are people that are darker skinned than Caucasians but not as dark as African Americans and their exposure time would differ. As a matter of fact even Caucasians as a group might have different pigmentation. Fair people would need less exposure and have less protection. Of course the same is true for African Americans too.

Dr. Michael Holick wrote a book: The UV Advantage. It’s about how we can use the UV rays safely and to our advantage. In the end of the book he has a table or list that people can check to find out what time of exposure they need. It’s all based on their complexion and where in the world they live.
I will give you the website where you can purchase the book. And no, I do not have an affiliate for this and will not be making money. But I suspect there might be readers that would be interested in reading more about Vitamin D. I suspect we all want to be good to our bones so we can use them for a long time.

All of us react to anger differently. The way you respond to a particular situation can be the difference between the maturity level in you and the level of maturity of the other person. When you are able to control your anger, it shows your strength and courage and not weakness as people often perceive.
Scott Gillespie

Count to 10 when you are getting upset. This is a normal way that we have all heard. We have heard it because it works if you practice it. Count to 10 and you may solve many of your outbursts before they happen.

It’s perfectly normal for you to get angry, just as long as you know how to control your anger. If you don’t, your anger will get you into a great deal of trouble. If you are unable to control your anger in the workplace, you can lose your job. If you don’t know how to control your anger in your relationships with others – with your family, with your friends or with your partner in life – as well as causing them much pain and grief, soon you will find yourself alone and isolated.

Breathe Deep!

Breathing deeply with your diaphragm helps to lower the adrenaline level and calm you. Inhale deeply and then hold your breath for a couple of seconds, and then exhale. Repeat this procedure until you have calmed yourself down. Keep repeating yourself: “Take it easy! Relax! Take it easy!”

Recall An Anger Quote!

In the course of time human experience has piled up lots of observations on anger and some sage people have tried to summarize it in interesting thoughts and sayings. Memorizing them and recalling them in the critical situation might help you to manage your anger – to control it completely. So don’t forget about this anger management free tip.

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