Our Story
Helena Health was originally inspired by the story of Helena Bay. Now, we’re working hard to unlock and share the health secrets of natural New Zealand.
The story of New Zealand’s Helena Bay
On the east coast of New Zealand’s Northland region lies a jewel – Helena Bay.
Nestled amongst many golden beaches lined by native forests, Helena Bay is the inspiration for the genesis of Helena Health.
Helena Hutchison in the 1860’s arrived in today’s Helena Bay. A kind woman who worked in kinship with local Maori, enriching the community through teaching and nursing.
Early Maori had named the bay “Mimiha” after black fish found there.
Such was Helena’s contribution to their wellbeing and as a mark of respect, they renamed it Helena Bay.
Helena has provided the inspiration for taking the natural gifts found in the region to the
world through Helena Health.
Today the Hutchison presence remains in Helena Bay. Dr Paul Hutchison, Chairperson
Helena Health, is a medical specialist who with brother Alistair cultivates large areas of
native forest on their properties in the region. From this natural source, Helena Health
provides natural solutions to improve people’s lives. Working with scientists, the Helena
Health team combines scientific data with the region’s natural products to deliver solutions
to people worldwide.
Helena Health combine nature with science
Inspired by Helena Bay’s history, at Helena Health, we’re working to repeat it.
Just like early Maori, we accept with gratitude natural New Zealand’s gifts. Just like Helena Hutchison, we use science to support and advance health and wellness.
Unlocking the benefits of natural New Zealand
At Helena Health, we use natural New Zealand’s bioactive gifts to create unique, innovative and 100% natural products that would otherwise never come to light. Specifically, we focus on unlocking the benefits of New Zealand bees' natural gifts.
Our range of bee products includes genuine Manuka honey and pure New Zealand propolis. Everything we source is a sustainable gift from New Zealand’s natural environment.
New Zealand’s environment
is unlike any other
New Zealand’s remoteness and its temperate climate has led to the evolution of distinctive groups of flora (and fauna). Of the country’s 2000 indigenous plant species, an estimated 1500 are found nowhere else in the world. To meet the challenges of isolation, many New Zealand plant species evolved to produce high concentrations of bioactive compounds with wide ranging health properties. These natural defence systems not only ensured the species’ flourished, they also enhanced the health of those who depend on the plants.
Many elements of these plants produce products containing bioactive compounds, examples include:
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From the nectar of Leptospermum scoparium, Manuka honey is produced, containing uniquely high levels of naturally occurring methylglyoxal
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New Zealand’s unique flora provides building materials for bees to make propolis rich in CAPE and other bioflavanoids providing health benefits for immune support
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New Zealand Kiwifruit is rich in Actinidin - natural enzyme proven to support digestive health by breaking down proteins
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Manuka oil, produced from the leaves of the manuka plant, contains exceptionally high levels of natural triketones, proven to be beneficial for human well-being
Everything we do is grounded in science
Nature can be life-affirming, but it can also be treacherous. That’s where our scientific focus comes in.
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At Helena Health, we’re not content to believe stories without data. We use scientific analyses to test and verify the properties of all our natural products.
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We believe our scientific focus sets us apart. As well as making New Zealand’s natural gifts available to all, we’re also discovering more and more of them through our scientific research.
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In recent years, society has come to accept nature isn’t something we can plunder without consequence. So at Helena Health, we’re combining nature with science to – sustainably – unlock the health benefits of natural New Zealand.