Propolis or pollen?

by Teresa
(Baltimore)

I am recovering from a digestive problem lasting about a month during which time I was able to eat very little, mostly carbohydrates, so I lost a lot of weight. I still cannot digest protein or fat very well, so I thought of taking propolis (bought raw from my local honey guy at the farmer's market). The reason I thought about propolis was that since my nutritional intake hasn't been very varied during the last two months, I may have lowered immunity, so taking propolis might provide me with some energy boost with added immune system strengthening. However, after reading your articles about both propolis and pollen, maybe I should just concentrate on bee pollen? I am going to be traveling in Asia for six weeks starting about a month from now, and I would like to recover my energy and protect my immune system a best as I can before leaving.

I would greatly appreciate your opinion.

Teresa from Baltimore

Angela's Comments:

Hi Teresa,
Great question. You bring up several interesting issues here. Normally for your condition I'd suggest bee pollen for the added nutrition and its ability to balance the immune system. But if you are having issues digesting proteins and fats, pollen may cause you some trouble as it is primarily made up of protein and good fats. You would be a good candidate to pre-soak your bee pollen. Soak it in water for 8 - 12 hours before you eat it. This will make it more easily digestible for you. Overall, if you're only going to take one, I think pollen is the product for you but you'd need to try it first to determine your ability to digest it.

If you are travelling abroad, propolis is an amazing supplement. It has very strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and supports the immune system. I always travel with a small bottle to avoid food poisoning or traveller's diarhea. You might be smart to start using it right now in order to build up your immune system. Taking both might not be an option for you but you'd certainly cover all your bases by taking both.

Here is a $5.00 off coupon for you if you'd like to try both. Enter promo1 in the coupon box upon checkout. Hope that helps!

Angela