This past weekend, my girlfriend (Jenny) and I attended the Yoga Conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. I had been complaining all morning of a sore throat. Seasonal allergies and a change in weather had made the back of my throat feel a bit raw. I was yearning for something that would just make the itch go away!

In the past I’ve used a teaspoon of honey to calm down a sore throat and it normally does a decent job…for about an hour. One of the booths on the Trade Show floor that caught my eye was an exhibitor by the name of Beekeeper’s Naturals. With a vibrant yellow booth, and a stellar logo, I was naturally curious. As I approached closer, the friendly exhibitor and company co-founder, Daniel, inquired if I had ever experienced the benefits of Propolis before. To be perfectly honest, I had never even heard of the word. (What’s propolis?!)

He quite simply explained that Propolis is a versatile, naturally occurring substance that bees make, with a wealth of reported health benefits – including sore throat relief. YAY!! I was saved. After sampling the Beekeeper’s Naturals Throat Relief Spray using a tester, I immediately began to feel relief from the itching and pain, but unlike a teaspoon of honey, my mouth didn’t feel goopy and sticky afterward, nor did I feel the stinging burn of many sprays that contain alcohol.

UPDATE: Jennybeaned has researched and written an article providing a more detailed scientific explanation into the chemical make up and historical health benefits of Propolis.

Daniel explained to me that the reason their product didn’t burn, or feel sticky, is that they use 95% pure Propolis extract from Canadian bees, and instead of cutting the product with alcohol, they use non-GMO vegetable glycerin and purified water!

I like the spray because it is compact, and convenient for people like me, always on the go. It also tasted great! I immediately purchase a single bottle to carry with me. The product was well priced at $11.99 + HST for a 30ml spray bottle.

Jenny and I left the show to meet up with family members for lunch. After 2 hours, and about 3 plates of spicy food later, my throat still felt great, and wasn’t sore in the least. There was no unpleasant after-taste either. We later decided to return to the show, and walked the 2km trek back to the Metro Toronto Convention Center. I was so impressed with the Propolis Throat Spray, that I decided to return to the booth, and purchase another.When I returned, Daniel and his other co-founder, Carly, took a few minutes to chat with Jenny and I about my experience. It turns out that their Propolis spray has many other health benefits such as:

Antioxidant Support

Sore Throat Relief

Antibacterial and Antiviral

Canker Sore Relief

Antifungal and Antibiotic

Carly, even went into as much detail as to sharing that she has used Canadian bee Propolis extract to treat a bad case of chronic psoriasis. It seems the uses for this product are endless, but from a sore-throat perspective, it is a sound investment. 1 bottle should last quite a while, with the recommended 4 sprays 3-6 times per day for optimal treatment of a sore throat.

What impressed me the most about this product though, is not just the fact that it works great, but also the story behind it. Beekeeper’s Naturals is a 100% Canadian company, using non-GMO, all natural ingredients, with Propolis hand harvested from experienced beekeepers through a partnership with the Canadian Honey Council.

Beekeeper’s Naturals has even gone on to support the Canadian Honey Council and their “Save our Bees” Initiative. All money raised will go to the Canadian Bee Research Fund, providing funding for bee research in Canada. Click here to learn more about their “Bee-Cause” Charity initiatives.

The bottom line…

I think this is a great product, made by a responsible Canadian start-up with a hive of activity going for them (they were featured in Spring 2015 Edition of Roots “The Source” magazine), and huge potential to have their business explode further into the Canadian market. Buying their products will help keep you healthy, and do your bit to help save just one part of our environment.

To check out their website and learn what all the “buzz” is about, click the link below:

http://www.beekeepersnaturals.com/

Happy buzzing,

Erik