TEAM HONEY BEES

Over the past decade, the bee population has been dropping drastically. A 40% loss of honeybees happened in the USA and U.K, and we have lost 45% of commercial honeybees since 2010. This is due to a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in which worker bees from a beehive abruptly disappear in an abbreviated time.  

   

There is an ever-increasing demand for food security in the face of global challenges such as climate change, habitat transformation etc. Pollination can improve the quantity and quality of fruits, nuts, oils, and other crops. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nation, 80% of all flowering plants are specialized for pollination by animals, mostly insects like bees. Pollination is crucial because many of our vegetables, fruits and crops that feed our livestock rely on bees. This later yields fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Cultivated plants are usually pollinated by animals. Animal-based pollination accounts for 30% of global food production, and bee-pollinated crops contribute to one-third of the total dietary supply. According to studies, UK would cost UK farmers 1.8bn Euros a year to manually pollinate their crops    

   Bees do not just help us produce food, but also help produce plant–derived medicines such as aspirin and morphine. Bees' venom is an ingredient derived from bees which is a natural treatment for a variety of ailments. Bee's venom is a colorless acidic liquid that bees excrete through their stingers into a target they feel threatened by. It contains peptides, apamin and adapalene which can act as toxins but have been shown to possess pain-relieving properties. Bees venom is also used in multiple skincare companies in products like moisturizers and serums. This ingredient helps reduce inflammation in the skin and provides antibacterial effects and reduces wrinkles. it also helps in reducing acne, participants with mild to moderate acne who used a serum containing purified bee venom twice a day have experienced improvements in acne, compared with a placebo

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Bee venom is not the only product bees produce that can help us medically, even honey has a role in treating medical illnesses. Honey is a sweet fluid made by honeybees, mostly sugary and a mix of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, iron, zinc, and antioxidants. Honey is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial agent, which can help treat coughs and promote wound healing. Raw honey is also packed with components beneficial for your skin, especially if you have acne or autoimmune skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Raw honey helps balance the bacteria present on your skin, it helps speed up your skin cell's healing processes. If you have blemishes or an eczema outbreak, unpasteurized honey can speed up the healing process and reduce inflammation.  

   

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Manuka honey in specific is extremely effective in the management and healing of wounds. Manuka honey is made in Australia and New Zealand by bees that pollinate native tea trees. This honey has been used since ancient times to treat multiple conditions, now The USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the usage of manuka honey for wound treatment. Studies show that Manuka honey can enhance wound healing, amplify the regeneration of tissues, and even decrease pain in patients suffering from burns. Manuka honey has promoted oral health, studies have shown that they attack harmful oral bacteria associated with plaque formation, gum inflammation and tooth decay. Manuka honey has anti-inflammatory properties which can reduce bloating and inflammation in the gut especially if taken orally. Manuka honey is packed with antioxidants which reduce oxidants in our body, this can have a positive impact on the treatment of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or irritable bowel disease (IBD)

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