Subject: None Of Your Beewax. 
Sept 18, 2011.

  This talks about the use of candles made of beeswax to get better
health.

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  Beeswax Benefits � Beat Nagging Allergies and Sinus Problems

by Dr. Jonathan V. Wright MD

http://tahomaclinicblog.com/beeswax-benefits/

    (Reprinted From �Nutrition and Healing�)

It�s not everyday you see nuns in full religious garb anymore, so when
two walked into the Tahoma Clinic recently, they attracted a bit of
attention from both the staff and patients. But that wasn�t what I
remember most about their visit. Before they left the Clinic that day,
the nuns taught me an approach to respiratory health I�d never even
heard of before.

Like many monastic orders, these nuns support themselves and their
convent by making and selling products. Their specialty is 100 percent
beeswax candles, which, Mother Thecla told me, actually clean the air,
helping to reduce the pollutant and allergen load.

Technology actually made candles worse for your health

She went on to explain that hundreds of years ago, most candles were
made of beeswax. But over the centuries, beeswax candles were gradually
replaced by tallow (animal fat) candles, and then in the last century by
paraffin candles, which are probably the kind you have in your home
right now. It sounds innocent enough, but paraffin is made from the
sludge at the bottom of barrels of crude oil, which is then treated and
bleached with benzene and other chemical solvents to �clean it up� for
use in candles. Paraffin candles put out soot and smoke when you burn
them (I thought all candles did that) along with toxins and carcinogens.
Since burning petrochemical paraffin smells bad, synthetic fragrance
oils are added, many of which are irritating and even toxic themselves
when they�re burned. Breathing what paraffin candles give off has been
compared to breathing diesel fumes.

And, to make matters worse, the soot, smoke, and chemical residue from
�regular� candles can stick to walls, ceilings, and ventilation ducts
and gets re-circulated whenever the heating/cooling system is in action,
exposing you to these pollutants even when the paraffin candles aren�t
burning.

Allergy, sinus, and asthma relief just from lighting a candle

But beeswax candles don�t cause any of those problems. In fact, Mother
Thecla told me people with allergies, sinus problems, and asthma have
reported significant improvement in their symptoms, breathing better and
sleeping better after burning the 100 percent beeswax candles in their
bedrooms for three to four hours before bedtime. One person who burned a
beeswax candle all day when she was home reported that her asthma
gradually went away completely.

After the nuns left, I did a bit of my own research to see if I could
turn up any scientific evidence on bees-wax�s effects. Although
scientists still don�t know all the intricacies of the complex molecules
in beeswax, there�s at least a partial explanation for the healthful
action of burning beeswax candles. According to entomologist Bill Reno,
burning beeswax produces negative ions.1 Negative ions are nature�s air
purifiers, cleaning the air of dust, mold, bacteria, viruses, and other
pollutants.

Make sure you�re getting the real deal

Here�s the catch: to get any of these benefits, the candle has to be 100
percent beeswax. And, unfortunately, a candle only needs to contain 51
percent beeswax to be labeled as a beeswax candle. The rest can be
paraffin (or anything else burnable), so it may not be as easy as
picking one up the next time you�re at the mall.

One way to find out is to ask the store clerk to light the candle: 100
percent beeswax candles have a uniquely fresh smell�which is distinctly
different from paraffin. (The nuns even showed us the difference, so I
can vouch for the fact that it�s a noticeable one.)

If you can�t find 100 percent beeswax candles near you, the nuns have
made theirs available through the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary
<http://www.tahomadispensary.com/>, with which I�m of course affiliated.

Beeswax candles can be on the expensive side�at least in comparison to
�regular� paraffin candles. But beeswax actually burns slower, so you�ll
get more for your money than if you opted for the cheaper versions.
Plus, the potential for better respiratory health is well worth the few
extra cents.

There�s not much hard evidence on beeswax�s health benefits, but if it�s
possible that something as simple as burning a candle might be able to
help your respiratory problems, it�s at least worth a try.

If you�ve used beeswax candles, please take a minute to share your
experience on the Nutrition & Healing website Forum. (Go to
www.wrightnewsletter.com <http://www.wrightnewsletter.com/> and look for
the tab labeled �Forum� at the top of the web page. Click on it, then on
the �New Thread� button that will appear to the right of the page.)

JVW

John Winston.   johnfw@mlode.com