Can't get pregnant? Bee stings may help

Can't get pregnant? Bee stings may help

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Ida Ismiadah, 33, felt a pang of sorrow when her only son begged
her for a little brother or sister. In fact Ida had desperately
been trying to get pregnant and she felt that time was running
out.

"I was anxious because I didn't get pregnant, even though my
husband and I didn't use contraception. What's more, I had heard
that as you get older the risk of complications in pregnancy is
higher," said Ida, a resident of Rejodadi village in Sariharjo
district, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta.

She later learned that her cervix was narrow.

Thanks to apitherapist Hendro Wardoyo, her womb returned to
normal, after six sessions of bee sting therapy, or apitherapy.

"I am so grateful as finally our greatest wish has been
granted," said the six-month-pregnant Ida as she put her hands on
her belly.

Ida is just one of Hendro's thousands of patients. The
apitherapist opened two practices in Sumber Rahayu subdistrict,
Moyudan district, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta, and in Klender,
East Jakarta.

According to Hendro, bee stings can be greatly therapeutic.
They were used in ancient Greece for a variety of purposes.

"But at that time, bee therapy was only performed by the royal
family," said the man who earned a honorary doctorate degree from
the Northern California Global University in the U.S. in 2002.

Hendro believes that basically any disease can be cured.
People are often sick because they suffer from nerve dysfunction
due to a lack of exercises or unbalanced diet.

The toxin contained in the bee sting, in this case, has the
function to normalize the function of the nerves.

"If the nerves work normally, the disease will be healed," he
said.

The way the toxin works in the human body is quite simple.
When it is "stung" into the patient, the poison becomes part of
the bloodstream and travels through the patient's whole body. In
this way, the dysfunctional nerves are gradually normalized.

"God willing, the disease will be cured, or at least
alleviated. But this depends on God's blessing. I am only the
medium." said Hendro, the father of three children.

Quoting a 1993 World Health Organization report, Hendro
explained that the benefit of the toxin depended on its potency.
The more powerful the sting the better. Honey bees from Australia
apparently have the most powerful stings, Hendro says they are
four times stronger than those of local bees.

"That's why I use honey bees from Australia for my therapy,"
he said.

To achieve optimum results, the patient's skin should be
pierced at certain points and a specific dose of poison released,
depending on the disease. The more serious the disease is, Hendro
claims, the more powerful the sting needed.

According to Hendro, only people who really understand the
anatomy of the human body can accurately locate the places to
sting.

"It is similar to acupuncture. The difference is, acupuncture
stimulate the nerves, while bee therapy normalizes their
function," he told The Jakarta Post.

Born in Yogyakarta on Oct.1, 1954, Hendro said that his
interest in bees begun in 1983. At that time he was selected to
represent Yogyakarta at a bee workshop in Jakarta.

"I was not selected because I was particularly knowledgeable
about bees. At that time I was afraid of being stung. When I was
a kid, I always ran away when I saw a bee, or any other insect
with a sting," he said.

From learning about bees at the workshop, Hendro widened his
knowledge by attending informal forums and reading anything he
could on the subject. His enthusiasm for bees took him to China,
Japan, America and Australia.

After five years, Hendro, who once taught at Muhamadiyah
Junior High School in Moyudan, understood the nature of different
types of bees, their characteristics and the power of their
stings.

Even though he graduated from Yogyakarta Teachers' Training
Institute (IKIP), now Yogyakarta State University (UNY), Hendro
says he has a good grasp of the anatomy of the human body and is
one of a handful of Indonesians who really understand bees.

"Indeed, there are other people who practice bee therapy, but
they do not specialize in it." he said.

Because of his rare expertise, Hendro is often overwhelmed by
his great number of patients. He practices only three times a
week, on Wednesday and Friday in Yogyakarta, and on Sunday in
East Jakarta.

At least 180 patients visit his practice every day. On Sunday
or on holidays, the number of visitors could reach as high as
250.

His patients come from all over the country, from Central Java
to West Nusa Tenggara. They also come from all walks of life.
Some arrive by public transportation, others in luxury cars.

Hendro claims he has cured various diseases. Salma Maheswari,
6, from Magelang, Central Java, contracted cytomegalo virus
(CMV), which affected her growth. Now, he says, her growth rate
is normal and she has regained her strength, exhibiting a
cheerful disposition and a good appetite.

Darmadi, 54, who previously suffered from asam urat (gout) and
other problems, said he owed his health to bee-sting therapy.

"I have had 25 treatment sessions, I think. The treatment
agrees with me," he said.