Did you know that honey has medicinal and health benefits? So before you swat that bee at your next summer picnic, think of Jeannie and Steve Saum and Peter and Laurie Dotson, the founders of BEEpothecary. The company creates an extensive line of natural health and beauty products that contain beeswax, honey or propolis.
While honey is known to help heal wounds with its antibacterial properties, another product of honey production – propolis – also shows many health benefits.
“There is over 70 years of research in modern times about propolis,” Jeannie says. Propolis, also known as bee glue, is the sticky resin that bees collect from tree buds and bark that covers a beehive to make it sterile. Propolis kills viruses, molds and yeasts, has anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants.
The couples were already interested in beekeeping when they started to dig into the health benefits of honey and propolis. When Jeannie’s daughter with asthma started getting sick – an event that normally led to bronchitis – taking propolis-infused olive oil  helped her get better in two days. Products also helped clear up her son’s ear infection. In addition, they found research that showed propolis products could cure colds two-and-a-half times faster, and ointments that made for a better shingles treatment that over-the-counter medicine.
“We were just so amazed by this we just decided to start producing some of the things,” Jeannie says. “This is what we are totally enamored with and believe [in], and we put it in all of our products now.”
BEEpothecary’s line includes a propolis tincture, propolis infused olive and coconut oils, throat spray, nose drops and wound salve. They also carry lip balm, shaving soap for men and women, after shave balm for men, bead and wax balm and soap. The newest addition to the line is bee bread. While it contains no bread (or bees!), the product mimics something bees make in the hive to feed their young. A mixture of honey and pollen allows the hard coat of the pollen to breakdown so it’s superfood properties are digestible. The bee bread is great for athletes and comparable in calories and carbs to energy goo, expect it’s all-natural.
BEEpothecary hopes to change people’s perception of the benefits of honeybees.
“We just think it’s an incredible resource that’s not well known in this country,” Jeannie says. While bees are in danger here because of lawn chemicals, honey and propolis have long been natural medicinal resources in other countries.
Jeannie says their typical customer is, “People that are looking for more natural things for their health.” BEEpothecary’s products can offer a more natural alternative for people frustrated with traditional medicine. Jeannie points out that that pharmaceutical medicines are always the same and as living organisms, humans are figuring out how to become immune. However, every batch of honey and propolis is different because of factors like the soil, water and plants.
BEEpothecary has a retail location in Groveport, an online presence and frequents events like the Moonlight Market.
“Moonlight market has been fabulous,” Jeannie says. With a varied crowd, she says they have found many people that are interested in learning more about the products.
For more information, visit BEEpothecary’s website.
