Stop Chasing Skinny Episode #3
Everything You Didn’t Know You WANTED to Know About Honey and Bees with Alice Sommers
BEElieve it or not, some bee keepers never even put one of these suits on! Just one interesting fact I learned during my interview with Alice Sommers during our interview for the Stop Chasing Skinny Podcast.
Alice and I go way back… to the day I was born. Alice is my aunt. She came to visit me during the 4th of July holiday week and we spent about an hour talking about bees so naturally I asked her to be a guest on the show!
We initially started talking about her transition from her corporate/suburb lifestyle to getting back to nature and what she has been learning about how we can live more sustainably, why we should start to care NOW, and how just a few simple different decisions can create a positive impact on our lives and our environment.
Show Notes
Bees… Talk about your experience. How you got into bee keeping.
Alice cares for 10 bee hives these days and did you know you could own a hive without ever having to put on a bee suit? What a fascinating bunch these bees are. I learned so much during this interview. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
From unhealthy living and 90-hour work weeks just to support their large-house-in-the-suburbs lifestyle of eating out and TV-watching to enjoying a more sustainable and less-stressful life where getting back to nature and enjoying the simple things in life are a priority. Bee keeping has been on Alice’s bucket list and she finally went for it.
The many health benefits of eating local honey. The difference between local honey and the other stuff. How to recognize the other stuff.
Guess what… most of the honey you see in grocery stores are NOT local honey even though the label says “Local Honey”. Anytime honey has been heated, it essentially cooks all of the good stuff out of the honey. Sorry, but that Honey Bear is a fake. Seek out your local CSA or bee keeping association. They will tell you EXACTLY where to get your local honey.
I have included this list of health benefits of having local honey from http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-benefits-of-organic-locally-grown-raw-honey/:
- Organic, raw honey can provide an energy boost. Its carbohydrates supply energy and strength and it can boost your endurance and reduce muscle fatigue.
- Honey is a great aid in relieving morning sickness, reportedly even more effective than traditional soda crackers.
- Honey is good for sore throats, laryngitis and pharyngitis.
- Honey and cinnamon can help in many areas including relief from bladder infections, arthritis, upset stomach and bad breath. It’s even supposed to be able to slow downhair loss.
- Raw honey can be used as a medication for issues related to male impotence and female infertility. Warm raw goat milk and raw honey is believed to increase sperm count considerably.
- A salve made of honey, for diabetic ulcers, has been proven effective when other topical ointments are not well tolerated. It can be applied to eczema, canker sores or bleeding gums.
- Honey and apple cider vinegar can be used for many ailments like stomach aches,constipation and even migraines.
- Honey and lemon goes to work in the body shifting the extra fat stores, thus making it usable energy for regular body functions. Honey is cholesterol-free and can reportedly help keep cholesterol levels in check
- Raw honey has a viscous texture due to its low water content. It is a poor environment for bad bacteria to grow and is a good natural preservative.
WHY do we need to care about the bees? What happens if the bees keep dying off?
Bees pollinate plants so plants can continue to grow. Without the pollination process, plants would eventually die off and then where would we be?
A natural alternative to chemical pesticides
1 Gallon of White Vinegar
1 Cup Table Salt
1 Tablespoon Dish Washer Soap
Things that seem common to us (buying plants at big box stores)… how this is harming the bees and what our alternatives are.
Interesting study from Penn State http://ento.psu.edu/publications/are-neonicotinoids-killing-bees
- “Exposure of bees to neonicotinoids
- Neonicotinoid residues found in pollen and nectar are consumed by flower-visiting insects such as bees. Concentrations of residues can reach lethal levels in some situations.
- Neonicotinoids can persist in soil for months or years after a single application. Measurable amounts of res- idues were found in woody plants up to six years after application.
- Untreated plants may absorb chemical residues in the soil from the previous year.
- Products approved for home and garden use may be applied to ornamental and landscape plants, as well as turf, at significantly higher rates (potentially 120 times higher) than those approved for agricultural crops.
- Direct contact with foliar neonicotinoid sprays is hazardous to pollinators, and foliar residues on plant surfaces remain toxic to bees for several days.
- Neonicotinoids applied to crops can contaminate ad- jacent weeds and wildflowers.”
Yummy Recipe Ideas for Honey
- Yogurt
- Protein Shake
- Steel-Cut Oats and Bananas
- Honey and PB Sandwich
- Green Tea
Top 8 Things You Can do to Help the Bees
- Buy plants from a local nursery.
- Ask if they use neonicotinoids/neonicotine/”neonics”
- Don’t use chemical pesticides. A natural alternative is the recipe listed above.
- Get involved when you see petitions related to saving the bees circulating.
- Eat organic which supports all the people who are supporting the bees.
- Plant flowers that bees like. Google “Plants Bees Like” and ask your local nursery.
- Connect with the local bee keepers through your local farmer’s markets.
- Charleston Area Residents, visit: http://lowcountrylocalfirst.org
Where you can find more information
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sommersweet-Honey/302510259897861
BONUS
Get to listen to Alice’s personal experience as an SKFitLife Challenge client and how it has helped her to build self-confidence and strength from the inside out.
