Natural throat spray is a sweet, soothing start to the day
File this under ‘most original stocking-stuffer’
Throat spray is an odd thing to feel strongly about, but here I am. I’ve only had it for a short time and already I’m dreading the moment I’ll run out. As soon as my alarm sounds, I stretch out an arm toward my bedside table, eyes still sticky with sleep, and grab the little bottle.
I’ve found it provides a sweet start to the day and not just because it tastes like honey (its headlining ingredient is bee propolis sourced from Canadian apiaries). Rather, I love how it instantly soothes a scratchy throat, something I often wake up with. (Google tells me I’m likely a mouth-breather — how delightful.) It’s a godsend when you’re feeling under the weather, but even if your throat is fine, a few spritzes daily can actually have a preventative effect.
It’s all thanks to the propolis. Bees produce the resin-like substance from the sap of evergreens and use it to line and repair their hive and keep out germs. The ancient Egyptians used it in the mummification process (interestingly, if an intruder weasels its way into a hive, bees will wrap it in propolis, essentially mummifying it — both neat and creepy). It’s also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which could explain why the famous
Greek physician Hippocrates swore by it to heal sores and Roman soldiers carried it in their first-aid pouch (I’m imagining a sort of leather fannypack situation) to treat wounds.
In more modern times, fans have included Kourtney Kardashian and Lily Collins. (Insert a “What do Kourtney Kardashian and Hippocrates have in common?” riddle here.) I recently clicked on a video of Collins’s beauty routine and was shocked to see the Emily in Paris star start her day the same way I do: with three sprays of Beekeeper’s Naturals Throat Relief. “Two is just never enough for me,” she explained, praising its immune-boosting powers. Indeed, it’s been reported that propolis could increase the cellular immune response, though further studies are needed.
I’ll take all the help I can get. I’m also planning on spreading the love and slipping a bottle in everyone’s stocking come Christmas (or shipping it to their doorstep). Because not only is it kind of fun to spray your throat with this stuff (there’s a kids’ version, too), but it feels amazing and doesn’t contain any added sugar, unlike many cough drops and lozenges. It’s also made in Canada. So yes, I feel pretty strongly about this throat spray. Since I’ve started writing this story, I’ve already paused twice to savour its sweet relief. I promised myself a third spritz as soon as I was done, so I’ll be going now.