Bee Stings: First-hand Solutions to Second-hand Reactions, Naturally – Your Health Detective

Honeybees are indeed disappearing at alarming rates – no one is exactly sure what is causing the hive’s inhabitants to desert their colonies, known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). In the past few years, bee populations have declined as much as 60 percent on the West Coast of the U.S. and 70 percent on the U.S. East Coast. This decline poses a HUGE threat to food production – bees are needed to pollinate plants and are extensively used in agriculture for this purpose.

Stinging Behavior:

It surely can’t hurt to take a few minutes to understand bee-stinging behaviour. The following is important information to prevent a bee sting AND the death of a valuable insert to our global food survival.

If a single bee is pestering you, remain still and cover your face, or lie face down on the ground. (The face is the most likely place for a bee or wasp to sting.)
Most bees will not attack if left alone, but swatting at a bee may cause it to sting.
If you are attacked by several bees at once your best bet is to run, or jump in water. Bees release a chemical when they sting which alerts other bees to come to their defence – the more bees that have stung you, the stronger the “alarm” will be.

Reduce the chance of getting stung (and save a bee!):

Wear light-colored clothing.
Don’t use perfume or soaps, shampoos, hair products and deodorants with fragrance.
Avoid bananas and banana-scented products.
Wear clean clothing and be clean—our sweat makes bees angry.
Stay clear of flowering plants.
Keep your outside areas clean. Bees and wasps thrive in places with food trash: Picnic tables, grills and other outdoor eating areas.

How to treat a sting:

Scrape the stinger out as quickly as possible—do not pull or squeeze the stinger out as that may release more venom.
Clean with soap and water to prevent infection.
Apply a natural silver hydrosol to affected area to both prevent infection as well as reduce swelling and pain.

To reduce pain, itching and swelling

Over- the-counter sting remedies vary in efficacy and may contain toxic ingredients as harmful as the bee venom! Instead try:

Ice: Ice lessens swelling by constricting vessels and reducing the flow of venom in the blood. And the numbing effect soothes pain and itching.

Baking soda: Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to the sting site. The alkaline nature of the baking soda helps to neutralize the acidity in the venom. You can also mix in a natural full-spectrum digestive enzyme which contains a naturally occurring enzyme (papain, from papaya) that helps to break down the protein in the venom.

Vinegar: When stung by a wasp, vinegar is the soother of choice. Use this trick to remember: Baking soda for bees (both at the beginning of the alphabet), vinegar for wasps (both at the end of the alphabet).

Toothpaste: Believe it or not, this is a great remedy which works on the same alkaline/acidity premise as baking soda. The presence of small amounts of glycerin in toothpaste may also add to its soothing properties. Also, a small tube of toothpaste is handy to pack in a travel first aid kit or picnic basket.

Homeopathic Remedy: Take a homeopathic allergic reaction rescue remedy specifically for swelling, redness, skin heat, and pain. This is the same proprietary complex that I use and recommend for those who experience allergic responses to food or environmental chemicals, not available over-the-counter.

WHEN TO CALL 911

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 40 to 50 people in the U.S. die each year from allergic reactions to bee stings. Persons with severe reactions to insect stings should wear a medical ID bracelet and carry an insect allergy kit.

There are several signs of an allergic reaction to bee stings. Look for swelling that moves to other parts of the body, especially the face or neck.

Check for difficulty in breathing, wheezing, dizziness or a drop in blood pressure. Get the person immediate medical care if any of these signs are present. Also seek emergency treatment if a person has been stung in the nose, mouth or throat—swelling in these areas may interfere with breathing and are usually quite serious.

Your Health Detective:

Uncovering Clues to Add LIFE to Your Years…NOT Merely Years to Your Life, Naturally

Dr. Gloria Gilbère (aka Dr. G), N.D., D.A.Hom., Ph.D., D.S.C.,

EcoErgonomist, Wholistic Rejuvenist

Dr. Gilbère is renowned worldwide for her work in identifying and finding natural solutions to chemically-induced and inflammatory disorders, multiple chemical sensitivities, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, Gulf War Syndrome, and digestive disorders that defy conventional diagnosis and treatment. She consults worldwide via telephone and at her Institute in north Idaho. Visit her website at www.gloriagilbere.com for details about consulting with her.

Creator of certificated courses to become a Wholistic Rejuvenist™ (CWR) and for post-graduate education for health and spa professionals. Go to www.gloriagilbere.com and click on Wholistic Skin & Body Rejuvenation (WSBR™) for course outline. Available on-site at worldwide locations, and via distance-learning at your convenience globally.

Information in this newsletter is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by medical professionals, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease or disorder. The FDA has not reviewed or endorsed the contents of this educational publication.

Copyright is held by Gloria E. Gilbère, to which all rights are reserved. Other than personal, non-commercial use or forwarding, no material in this newsletter may be copied, distributed, or published without the expressed written permission of its author and copyright holder.