I began my journey to recovery from the illness I had suffered from for years more than half a decade ago.
The first thing that got me started was the realization that it is possible to recover from illnesses (almost all illnesses, apparently) and the second step was to discover potential and unconventional ways, and I discovered that there were quite a few.
One of the first was the ancient healing method called apitherapy
Apitherapy is a healing method that is thousands of years old that uses various bee products, from honey, propolis, pollen, royal jelly to bee venom to cure a variety of illnesses.
The name comes from the Greek language: the word apis means bee and the word therapy means healing.
The use of venom for healing is included under a term called hormesis
Hormesis (from Greek: hórmēsis – rapid movement) is a term in toxicology that indicates a phenomenon in which a small amount of poison or toxin actually has a beneficial biological effect.
It can be assumed that the toxin causes the activation of defense and repair mechanisms that manage to overcome the negative effect and even benefit, “what does not kill, strengthens”.
The first doctor to treat with bee venom was Hippocrates, the “father of modern medicine” (377-460 BC). Since then and throughout history, many doctors have treated with the venom and have even conducted studies and written articles and books describing their successes in treating a variety of diseases with the venom.
Bee venom treatment helps to cure and alleviate diseases that are considered incurable, diseases for which modern medicine has not found a solution
The main component of bee venom is melittin – which constitutes 40%-50% of the venom. Melittin causes irritation in the nervous system and activates it. It is an anti-inflammatory substance four times stronger than cortisone. It also has a protective effect on proteins in the blood plasma and affects blood clotting. Melittin suppresses the formation of free radicals that are considered to contribute to the formation of damage to health.
Other substances in venom include nerve conductors (neurotransmitters) such as dopamine, Noradrenaline and serotonin, substances that affect the heart and blood (cardiopeptide, histamine) anti-inflammatory substances (edolphin, melittin) and more.
The venom stimulates the immune system to act and thereby cure inflammation. The venom acts directly by introducing anti-inflammatory substances that suppress inflammation throughout the body, and indirectly by innervating the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the autonomic nervous system, the endocrine system, response to stimuli, regulation of processes in the body, and more. The venom stimulates many systems in the body, which is why it is effective in treating so many diseases and symptoms.
I first experienced apitherapy in Israel, with a woman named Orit Kader, who cured herself of a severe autoimmune disease with the help of bees. Meeting her filled me with inspiration. But since I was living in New York at the time, I found a therapist in upstate New York. Who guided me through the process. Meeting the bees in this way was a way to reconnect with nature, to how I perceive nature and animals, a new understanding that everything that happens in nature has a reason and everything connects to us humans.
This connection was so exciting that I was not concerned about my body’s reaction. The stings are painful but not too much, and in the first few weeks the body reacts to the stings with redness, localized heat in the sting area, and itching. After a few weeks the body began to get used to it. Every time I stung myself, my body received energy and I was filled with the belief that I was going to heal myself this way.
For most of my life, I was used to the idea that healing was something you get at a pharmacy, and suddenly for the first time in my life I understand my connection to nature, and it changes me completely.
During the months that I used bees and the substances they produce, I completely changed and became stronger. And in the end, I also completely healed myself.
Is it thanks to the bees? I don’t know how to say, but I assume that there were many beneficial effects on my system. As someone who took medications for many years that damaged his immune system, and as someone who Western medicine told him would be sick all his life, faith also has a tremendously significant power.
However, every person who wants to heal themselves, who takes responsibility for their life, takes action and begins to do acts of self-care, is already doing something great for their health and development. When these things happen, a person cannot help but change other levels in their life. Mainly changes in lifestyle and nutrition. They have a tremendous ability to improve our health to the point of recovery.
