Product of the Beehive: Kill That Sore Throat!

This is the best sore throat remedy you will ever NOT have to buy. I promise that if you gargle with a spoonful of propolis tincture at the first sign of sore throat, it will feel much better, and after about 2 days of gargling 2-3 times daily, that sore throat will be a thing of the past.

It is very easy to make, but you will have to seek out the active ingredient, bee propolis, from a beekeeper. Ask the person who sells honey at your local farmer’s market or contact your local beekeeper’s guild.

If you can’t find propolis, the next best thing is to make herbal tea and add good quality honey. Heat the tea and then add the honey, because heating destroys the antibacterial/antimicrobial properties of honey. Always buy raw unfiltered honey, organic if you can find it, because it contains bee-processed pollen grains (good for fighting allergies). Forget mass produced supermarket honey, which was super-filtered to remove pollen, over-heated, and maybe even adulterated with corn syrup overseas.

But even better, make this propolis tincture.

Propolis is a waxy resin, the gummy stuff that honeybees manufacture to close off their hive. The bees collect sap and mix it with their magical antibacterial and antimicrobial ingredients. I got my propolis from a beekeeper who collects it at the entrance to his hives.

To make your tincture you will need either high quality drinking alcohol or food grade propylene glycol. Use 80 proof (or higher) alcohol; vodka works well, but choose your favorite. I personally am allergic to alcohol, so I use food grade propylene glycol, available at the pharmacy.

Simply add 1 part propolis to 4 parts alcohol/propylene glycol...I use 1 cup propolis to a quart of propylene glycol. The put in a cool dark place, e.g., your cupboard, and let it do its extracting. Give it a shake every day or so, and wait 2 weeks or longer, if you can. I tend to leave mine soaking til I need it. Then strain it with a fine mesh filter, Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect...a few bits of propolis is good for you.

At the first sign of sore throat, take a teaspoon of tincture and gargle for about 30 seconds-1 minute. Then slowly swallow the tincture, coating the back of your throat. Do this several times a day, as often as your throat starts to hurt. When you first start using this, it may taste awful to you, but I have grown to like it, knowing how good it is for my health. The tincture will store on your shelf forever, til you use it up. No need to worry about mold or bacteria...the bees have solved that problem with their magical anti-bacterial, antimicrobial propolis!