Podcast Summary: “You’ll Never Look at Honey the Same Way”

Podcast: Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark
Guest: Carly Kremer — Founder of Beekeepers Naturals
Date: February 3, 2026
Theme: Exposing myths and sharing science-based truths about honey, bee products, immunity, and the role bees play in human health and culture.

Episode Overview

Alex Clark welcomes Carly Kremer, founder of Beekeepers Naturals, to discuss the hidden realities of the honey industry, the underestimated power of bee products (propolis, royal jelly, bee pollen), and the impact of pesticides on both bees and human immunity. Carly’s personal journey—from chronic tonsillitis to beekeeping entrepreneur—frames a conversation on holistic health, immune “hygiene” routines, the limitations of local and “organic” labeling, and why modern approaches to illness fall short.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Local “Organic” Honey is Largely a Myth

• Issue: Local organic honey is unreliable due to bees’ range and exposure to pesticides outside the hive’s plot.
  • Carly: “You buy organic blueberries, those blueberries are staying put, the bees are flying. The bees are going to forage, so they're going to move around and they're going to get exposed to whatever is around them.” [00:02]
  • Alex: “So when we're buying bee pollen or honey from a local beekeeper and it says local organic honey, that might be true for the plot of land it's sitting on. But...they could be going and picking up stuff from some other plot of land that's...glyphosate.” [06:06]
• Practical Result: Carly won’t give her family local bee products due to contamination risk. [06:27]

2. Bee Products as Immune System Tools

• Propolis: Act as the "immune system" of the beehive, made from plant resins with potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Key Use: Daily oral and nasal sprays to create a barrier and support “immune hygiene.” [00:20][07:05][09:25]
  • Quote: “Spraying propolis in our nose, spraying propolis in our mouth, we're creating a barrier, we're creating a defense system and we don't have to get sick.” [00:20]
• Immune System Hygiene: Routine support versus reactive treatment.
  • Carly: “You need [an immune hygiene routine] the same way you brush your teeth and wash your hands.” [09:17]

3. Modern Health vs. Holistic Remedies

• Critical of Overmedication: Modern medicine often merely suppresses symptoms instead of supporting immunity.
  • Quote: “A lot of things are engineered not necessarily to heal you, but to help you feel better...” [10:28]
• Proactive Healing: Propolis, probiotics, vitamin C (especially liposomal for absorption), and dietary choices as daily preventive measures. [11:41][19:33]

4. Pesticides, Monoculture, and Honey Fraud

• U.S. Pesticide Problem: Pesticide-saturated environments make truly clean bee products nearly impossible to produce locally.
  • “Local” Allergy Benefit Outdated: Modern monocultures limit the pollen diversity needed to help allergies the old way. [47:26]
• Honey Adulteration: Many honeys—especially proprietary blends—are cut with agave or corn syrup.
  • Carly: “A lot of the honey on the market is counterfeit...find a brand that has pure, high quality honey.” [36:32]

5. The True Power & Risks of Bee Products

• Royal Jelly (“liquid Adderall”): Shown to support brain health, memory, potentially hormone/fertility balance, and is the diet that turns a bee into a queen. [22:23][23:47]
  • Quote: “Royal jelly is the colostrum of the beehive.” [22:23]
• Bee Pollen: A multivitamin-like food, packed with amino acids, B vitamins, energy. [45:13]
  • Warning: Start small; bee pollen allergies possible. [46:11]
• Propolis & Antibiotics: Propolis as nature’s original antibiotic. Unlike pharmaceuticals, it doesn’t kill beneficial gut flora. [17:36]
  • “Propolis...will kill the bacteria, but it's not going to disrupt the microbiome in the same way.” [17:36]

6. Children’s Immunity & Environmental Exposures

• Diet Matters: High sugar diets suppress immunity.
  • Carly: “Sugar is a major immune system suppressor. And so starting there, I mean, I think so much can be solved with dietary changes.” [16:24]
• Routine for Kids: Daily use of propolis spray can help protect against illness, even with robust germ exposure (e.g., daycare). [16:18]
• Antibiotics Over-prescribed: Damaging to the microbiome—a focus on restorative/supportive measures is urged. [17:36]

7. Environmental Toxins & Broader Impact

• Bees as Environmental Sentinels: Collapse in bee populations signals broad ecological crises.
  • Quote: “If we lose the bees, we are losing all of our natural food.” [38:23]
• Pesticides in Food Chain: Linked with increased rates of neurodegenerative disease, cancer.
• Consumer Takeaways: Use glass (not plastic) for honey when possible; try to source products from areas with stricter regulations (Europe).

8. Quality, Transparency, & Standards

• Regenerative Practices: Beekeepers Naturals sources from remote, pristine environments with a five-mile pesticide buffer, batch-testing for toxins beyond standard organic practice. [48:47]
  • Quote: “We're not certified organic simply because I don't believe in certified organic for bee products...we have sustainable regenerative practices which go beyond organic.” [48:47]
• Drugstore Deceptions: Many “natural” or “immune” products for kids are loaded with sugar, artificial ingredients, or even non-functional actives.
  • Quote: “You’re basically giving your kid a Kit Kat bar and they have a sore throat.” [32:36]
• Honey vs. Cough Syrup: Studies show honey is as effective as common chemical suppressants for children’s coughs. [34:36]

9. Rituals & Recommendations

• Carly’s Regimen: Daily propolis spray (oral and nasal), liposomal vitamin C, royal jelly for focus (“liquid Adderall”), and bee pollen for nutrition/endurance. [21:40][45:13]
  • Air and water quality, clean candles, natural self-care also featured.
• Cultural/Spiritual Reflection: Bee products revered since antiquity for their healing/longevity properties. [44:33]
• Fun Fact: Beekeepers have among the lowest cancer rates, possibly due to lifelong exposure to beneficial bee compounds. [52:32]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Local organic honey in the United States is kind of a scam." — Alex [00:00]
• "The bees are going to forage...and get exposed to whatever is around them. So I will not give my family local bee products." — Carly [00:02/06:27]
• "Propolis...is like the bee’s immune system...We can really use it in the same way to protect our body." — Carly [07:05]
• "The entire ethos of getting sick is kind of garbage. Because you don't have to get sick if you're treating your body the right way." — Carly [11:24]
• "A lot of the honey on the market is counterfeit...companies to take the cost down will cut it with other things." — Carly [36:32]
• "If we lose the bees, we are losing all of our natural food...we're creating a food desert." — Carly [38:23]
• "Every beekeeper I know is getting high on their own supply." — Carly [52:38]
• "Love and kindness is number one. If we’re acting with loving kindness, we’re not going to spray pesticides that are hurting people..." — Carly [54:31]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 06:27: The local honey myth, bee flight range, pesticide exposure.
• 07:05 – 09:17: What is propolis? Immune hygiene routines.
• 09:25 – 11:19: How to respond at onset of illness; modern medicine’s limitations.
• 16:18 – 17:32: Kids’ immunity and daily routines.
• 17:36 – 19:27: Propolis vs. antibiotics; bee products for holistic gut health.
• 21:15 – 22:22: On the go — Carly’s propolis/nutrition travel essentials.
• 22:23 – 24:57: Royal jelly explained, brain and hormone support.
• 32:36 – 35:42: How drugstore "natural" products and labels often mislead.
• 36:07 – 36:32: What to do if overwhelmed by honey industry truths.
• 38:23 – 39:58: How pesticides harm bees/humans, and why it matters.
• 48:47 – 50:53: Why Beekeepers Naturals chooses regenerative, not just organic, standards.
• 51:06 – 51:47: The ecological/economic consequences of bee collapse.
• 52:32 – 52:54: Lowest incidence of cancer among beekeepers.
• 53:29 – 53:47: Where to start with bee products.

Recommendations

• Where to Start: Beekeepers Naturals Propolis Spray (four sprays a day). [53:29]
• Find Clean Products: Prioritize sustainably-sourced, toxin-tested, ideally non-North American bee products.
• For Kids: Avoid sugar-laden immune products—use propolis spray daily, plus bee pollen (begin gradually). Adhere to the no-honey-before-one guideline for infants. [51:50]
• For Immunity: Adopt a daily “immune system hygiene routine” featuring propolis, vitamin C, and probiotics.

Memorable Moments

• “Liquid Adderall” nickname for royal jelly as a natural cognitive enhancer. [23:47]
• Beekeepers have among the lowest cancer rates. [52:32]
• Hearing that most “organic” US honey is likely contaminated—and so is much of the supply sold as "pure." [00:00 – 06:27]

Takeaway

This episode is a deep dive into the little-known truths (and hidden deceptions) behind honey and bee products, offering actionable routines for better immunity, an honest look at “organic” labeling, and a passionate argument for regenerative, nature-aligned medicine. Carly Kremer's story and expertise highlight why bees are not only vital for our food supply but could also be the missing remedy for healing both our bodies and our culture.

Where to find Beekeepers Naturals: Major retailers (Target, Walmart, Whole Foods), Amazon, and their website. Use code ALEX CLARK for a discount. [53:49]

Remedy to Heal a Sick Culture:
“Love and kindness is number one. If we're acting with loving kindness, we're not going to spray pesticides that are hurting people and causing all kinds of illnesses...” — Carly [54:31]