Way back in ancient times, someone, somewhere, found a beehive, cut it open, and found a sticky, resinous substance which we call propolis.

One reason or another led those distant people to go on to use it as a medicine and healing aid for all kinds of ailments over thousands of years.

The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans harvested propolis, and we’re still using it today as a traditional medicine and in supplements.

Of course, there are more claims about what propolis can do for your immunity than there are grounded scientific facts, such is the nature of a natural product, but we can confidently say it’s worth considering over the winter months.

Immunity, winter, and propolis

Winter peppers your body with nasties, even when you’re chugging through and feel alright despite that lower sunlight, shorter days, and colder temps.

Uphill battle? Bank on it, but propolis could give you an edge, just like it did our ancestors and continues to do for the bees.

Bees make propolis as a lining and additive for their hives for too many intricate reasons to list, but we’ll give it a fair go: seal it, ventilate it, provide structure, keep predators at bay.

Our buzzy friends know that propolis is fantastic for these things, but what they don’t know is what we know, and that’s a bit of science.

Multiple studies and research papers have shown that propolis is a complementary product to immunomodulation. There is no consensus, and no fact, but its antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects we do have confirmation about.

Propolis is shown in research to dampen viruses and reduce inflammation, so consuming propolis when these peak (ahem, winter) makes sense.

What could propolis do for you?

It honestly depends on how you take it, since a tablet or capsule is best for supporting your winter health in general, while a throat spray, liquid, or syrup is a tastier alternative that provides some relief for seasonal ailments.

A portion of people who use propolis products say it improves immunity and helps heal wounds. You’ll need to be the judge of that, but if there are so many people saying so, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be positive about it.

Here are some of the things people say propolis helps with:

·       Fending off the common cold

·       Recovering from illness faster

·       Feeling more energetic

·       Detoxing

Popular delivery formats for propolis

You can start your winter immunity journey with propolis with these products:

Propolis Winter Mixture

It’s a syrup that you take with a teaspoon (not a swig!) up to three times per day for coughs, sore throats, and winter wellness.

Some customers report experiencing less illness taking our Propolis Winter Mixture, and you could experience the same.

Capsules and tablets

A 1,000mg dose is typical across both supplements, the only difference being that capsules break down faster, but are slightly larger, which you might find more difficult to take.

Products:

·       Propolis Capsules (90)

·       Propolis Tablets (365)

Lozenges

A propolis lozenge will coat your throat in a soothing substance that eventually makes its way down into your tummy for absorption.

Our Aniseed, Honey & Eucalyptus, and Turmeric & Ginger lozenges taste fantastic and have additional soothing properties from their ingredients.

Propolis liquid

Putting a few drops of propolis into your morning brew, afternoon shake, or even neat onto your tongue is the easiest way to take it.

Most propolis liquids use glycol as the carrier, as is the case with our Propolis Liquid, which imparts a sweet, pleasant taste.

Propolis throat spray

Another liquid format, this time designed to hit the back of your throat with additional ingredients that soothe soreness.

It’s easy enough to carry Propolis Throat Spray in your bag, and it doesn’t have any artificial flavours that make some sprays sickly.

Propolis cream

Dry and itchy skin, rashes, and skin tightness do best with creams, with propolis providing an anti-inflammatory effect for many people.

Our Propolis Cream goes on smooth and absorbs into your skin quickly, with no greasiness or harsh chemical smells ruining the experience.

Summing up

As hard as it may be to imagine a bee’s resinous hive additive improving your immunity, there’s definitely something in it. Our ancestors thought the same, and thanks to science, we now have a picture of propolis’s antiviral properties.

Staying well, fending off whatever bug is in the room, and emerging from winter without more sick days than you can count is possible with the right supplements, and there’s no big reason why propolis can’t be one of them.