I just read an article on sub lethal exposures to natural toxins which have no trace nutrient value and low levels of X-rays which show mammalian examples of improved health as a result.  The current thought is that such exposures result in stimulating select genes to produce antioxidants althou I would consider that claim highly speculative and likely very incomplete.

The article is in Scientific American, July 2015, pg 41

This article proposes reasons why consumed antioxidants are ineffective but gene produced antioxidants are important.  From clinical trials we know that things like the dietary supplements vitamin E and carotenoids are, if anything, harmful even thou they are potent antioxidants in test tube tests. Yet those antioxidants produced genetically promote health.  This is simply another example of nature telling us that stress is an essential part of health.  If it is important in mammals it likely is important in insects as genetic pathways are highly conserved across wide ranges of species.  Bees clearly are exposed to many natural pesticides such as essential oils, caffeine, nicotine and opioids produced by plants.

A supporting example in human medicine would be use of fairly massive doses of DDT to stimulate genes in the liver to produce detox enzymes as an antidote to some specific types of acute poisons.  

Dick


" Any discovery made by the human mind can be explained in its essentials to the curious learner."  Professor Benjamin Schumacher talking about teaching quantum mechanics to non scientists.   "For every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong."  H. L. Mencken

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