Journal of the American Apitherapy Society from the Editor
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OURNAL Volume 19, Number 4 OURNAL October-December 2012 J OF THE AMERICAN JA PITHERAPY SOCIETY Apitherapy embraced by the next generation! CMACC in Portland welcomes attendees of all ages, professional backgrounds etirees, baby boomers, construction manager, and young and middle-aged financial, administrative, R people: all were well educational, religious, and represented at this year’s cultural professionals. Charles Mraz Apitherapy The 54 participants Course and Conference, held represented 12 states, with a October 5-7 in Portland, majority from Oregon, Oregon. And in a pure Washington, and California. coincidence, also represented One person each came from were members of the next Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, generation of apitherapists. and Saudi Arabia. Twelve Two 11-year-old girls from the participants had attended one Portland area, who did not or more prior CMACCs. know each other before the Eleven-year-old Nadiya AAS president Frederique Keller and board member event, came with a parent to Scratchley, who participated Jim Higgins demonstrating bee venom therapy CMACC. with her mother, Tanya, has As broad as the ages of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. participants was the range of Despite consultations with professions. In addition to local doctors and hospitals, beekeepers, attendees included Nadiya was unable to find members of the health care relief. It was only while doing field—nurses, apitherapists, research about honeybees that massage therapists, a Tanya met AAS board member naturopath, and a practitioner Kate McWiggins, who has of Oriental medicine. Also begun stinging Nadiya. The attending were farmers, a results are promising. retired biologist, an engineer, a Continued on page 4 small business owner, a AAS board member Chris Kleronomos with a ALSO IN THIS ISSUE patient, Jennifer, from his Portland clinic Research roundup 5 Notes from the field 6-9 Testimonials 10 AAS news briefs 11 Journal of the American Apitherapy Society From the Editor The American Apitherapy Society, Inc. Contact: 15 Heights Road, Northport, NY 11768 [email protected] Phone: (631) 470-9446 Email: [email protected] his year environmentalists Website: www.apitherapy.org T across the country have been observing the 50th anniversary of the publication of EDITOR Patsy McCook Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. MEDICAL ADVISORS Andrew Kochan, M.D., Theo Cherbuliez, M.D. Her book explained how PUBLICATION INFORMATION The Journal of the American Apitherapy pesticides—notably DDT—were accumulating in the Society is published quarterly by the American Apitherapy Society food chain and as a result were damaging the natural (AAS). Readers are encouraged to submit articles and personal environment and threatening several bird species. accounts related to apitherapy; the AAS reserves the right to select, In a recent parallel to Silent Spring, concerns have edit, and condense these for publication. The AAS owns the rights been mounting about the effects on honeybees of to articles and original scientific research first published here. certain pesticides that are used in the United States but ADVERTISING Rate sheets and insertion orders may be obtained banned in France, Germany, Italy, and Slovenia. from the AAS office. Rates are available to nonprofit and for-profit Neonicotinoids (insecticides containing nicotine- groups. related chemicals), a relatively new but now popular AMERICAN APITHERAPY SOCIETY, INC. The AAS is a tax-exempt, agricultural insecticide, are believed to attack nonprofit membership corporation that educates the public and the individual bees’ brains, where they create neurological health care community about the traditional and the scientifically disorders and change the bees’ food preferences. valid uses of apitherapy for maintaining and enhancing well-being in According to a growing consensus, there is not illness and injury. The AAS: one single cause but a combination of explanations for Assembles information on apitherapy and collects data on the administration of and reactions to hive products disappearing colonies. The unifying factor seems to be Advises the medical and scientific communities and the general modern agricultural practices, a “perfect storm” of public, both national and international, about apitherapy through environmental factors. Among them are monocultural this Journal, a website, and courses, conferences, and workshops (one-crop) planting, which denudes the ground of Maintains a network of people involved with apitherapy as competing and alternative sources of pollen for honey apitherapists, beekeepers, and patients bees; genetically engineered crops; and thousands of Establishes guidelines for the professional conduct of miles of bee travel. These practices, along with the apitherapists Trains apitherapists. presence of mites, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens, The efficacy of honeybee products for medical conditions has are linked to declining bee populations. not been adequately evaluated in the United States, and bee venom Even so, pesticides are seen as a huge problem, therapy has been approved in the U.S. only for the desensitization of especially since certain classes accumulate in the soil persons allergic to bee stings. Thus, the AAS makes no claims about and saturate the environment. Bees have been called the safety or efficacy of honeybee products, nor does it endorse any “an indicator species,” signaling the well-being (or lack form of apitherapy. thereof) of the broader environment. The AAS does not certify individual practitioners or therapists. A recent report from Oregon—site of our most Articles appearing in this Journal and on the AAS website, as well as private or public representations, are the personal opinion of recent CMACC—reveals that the Willamette Valley the author and do not necessarily represent that of the AAS. suffers fewer honeybee losses than the rest of the nation. This fertile region, which extends from AAS OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS Portland to Eugene, has a diversity of pollen resources President Frederique Keller, DOM, L.Ac. Secretary Kate McWiggins and good nutrition that helps honeybees. Particularly Vice President Theo Cherbuliez, M.D. Treasurer Susan Cherbuliez helpful are certain plants normally considered weeds, Craig Byer, Jim Higgins, Kristine Jacobson including Himalayan blackberries, fireweed, and vetch. Chris Kleronomos, DAOM, F.N.P., Andrew Kochan, M.D. From these findings can be drawn some common- Glenn Perry, Vetaley Stashenko, N.D. sense conclusions: HONORARY BOARD MEMBER Pat Wagner Buying organic produce supports the food systems ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Sam Kearing, Esq., Fountain Odom, Esq. that take care of bees and the environment. Using natural pest remedies is preferable to relying DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Priscilla Coe on pesticides. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marilyn Graham City gardens are a good idea. According to one theory, bees survive well in urban areas because of Copyright © 2012 American Apitherapy Society. All rights reserved. the diversity of flowers and plants they can visit. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. With my good wishes, Patsy McCook 2 Journal of the American Apitherapy Society October-December 2012 From the President add the rosemary CO2 extract as a preservative, because the formula is quite stable and does not spoil or mold. Contact: [email protected] All that being said, as my gift to the CMACC Portland, Oregon, participants, here is the exact formula Dear AAS members, used that day. I’m sure all AAS members and past CMACC attendees will enjoy it, too. And please nother new year is upon us experiment! with much to accomplish in A Propolis salve/chap stick spreading the word about apitherapy. Please keep an eye on 8 oz. organic extra virgin olive oil 3 oz. pure beeswax our website to see where members 1 TBSP propolis extract, lowest alcohol content or of the AAS community will be speaking in 2013. Please alcohol free come visit if we are in your state, or near it! 1TBSP raw honey This year’s CMACC was a magnificent success; it 1/4 tsp lavender EO seems as though these events keep getting better and 1/4 tsp tea tree EO better. This is entirely due to the participants who bring 1/4 tsp thyme EO or eucalyptus EO with them their own unique backgrounds and special Heat olive oil and beeswax in a double boiler or energy to share with others. This year, in addition to our microwave until melted. Let cool so temperature is a own teaching staff, we welcomed three new speakers, who low as possible without wax re-solidifying; add propolis, were very well received. Many thanks to Frank Yurasek honey, and essential oils last. Beat with a wand stick L.Ac, Michael Gurevich MD, and Eric Yarnell ND for blender until all ingredients are incorporated evenly (about 1 minute); quickly pour into 0.15-oz chap stick your participation. container tray (50 chap sticks) or into 1/2-oz or 1-oz I also want to extend my appreciation to the entire pots. AAS board (vice president Theo Cherbuliez, treasurer Actions: antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal Susan Cherbuliez, secretary Kate McWiggins, past president Andrew Kochan, Craig Byer, Jim Higgins, Indications: chapped/cracked lips, cold sores, wind Kristine Jacobson, Chris Kleronomos, Glenn Perry, and burn, cuts, scrapes, scratches, bug bites, chafing, Vetaley Stashenko) and, last but not least, executive burning, vaginal irritation, hemorrhoids, toe fungus, eczema, psoriasis director Marilyn Keller-Graham. You all came together