I had heard, many times, of the healing power of honey, but it wasn't until about 3 years ago that I really began to use honey for more than just sweetening my tea. I didn't realize that I wasn't even using honey correctly to do THAT! I think too often in America we take the gifts given to us by mother nature to treat ailments as a farce because there isn't an astronomical price tag on it nor is it forced down our throats by pharmaceutical companies. We have been trained to believe that it won't work unless it's been created in a lab and presented in pill form. One thing is for certain... Since I have started using honey on a daily basis I have not needed a prescription for antibiotics in over three years. I truly believe it's all about prevention, and the power of healthy eating habits combined with the use of honey will significantly decrease your medical bills. This I can promise you. At a price of $5-$10 for a pound of honey vs a $125 medi-merge bill plus the cost of medicines and possible additional testings, how can you afford NOT to use honey as a medicine and preventative.But let's get down to the nitty gritty of WHY honey is such a powerful super-food. I would like to share with you two Excerpts from Joe Traynor's book Honey, The Gourmet Medicine.That plants and nectar from plants should have medicinal value is not just a fortuitous happenstance. In order for a plant species to survive, it has had to acquire, over eons, properties to render the plant immune from, or at least resistant to, attack from microbes, as well as from insects and animals. Honeybees enhance these pre-existing medicinal properties of plant nectar by adding beneficial enzymes to the nectar and condensing it into a form-honey-that maintains its medicinal properties for prolonged periods of time. (Page 6)And how do honeybees do this?Honeybees add the enzyme glucose oxidase to nectar. This important enzyme oxidizes, or reacts with, small amounts of glucose to produce gluconic acid, which in turn lowers the pH, increasing the acidity of the resulting honey. This lower pH stabilizes the honey, making it resistant to fermentation. This conversion of small amounts of glucose to gluconic acid produces small amounts of hydrogen peroxide as a by-product. The combination of a very low moisture content, low pH, and hydrogen peroxide not only makes honey resistant to spoilage, which is cause by microbes, but accounts for much of honey's antibacterial properties. (Page 1-2)"So what are the health benefits of honey? And how exactly does one really USE honey?Well, for starters I drink honey throughout the day, everyday, and so does my son. (I do have to stress that it is not recommended to give a child under 12 months raw honey. I waited until Leo was 1 year old to the day, and after he had his cake, he got his first taste of raw honey.) I personally use it as a natural energy booster. The fact that it is a natural immune system booster is just another perk! I do believe that my son and my own lack of acquiring colds and the flu over the last few years has been directly related to our honey consumption. I don't have a scientific study on it, I can only speak from personal experience, but I have to tell you, it works as a preventative. Now when I say I drink honey, most look at me like I'm crazy... All I do it take a bottle of water, take a few swigs out to make room at the top, then pour in about 3-4 Tablespoons of local honey. Sometimes I'll add a little lemon juice for a little more taste. I have actually heard that vitamin C helps the body adsorb the honey more quickly. So it's forever a win win! I'll also bring bottles of this with me when I work out. It's so much more beneficial to you and your body than sugary sports drinks and actually helps your body repair its muscles more quickly as honey has anti-inflammatory properties.I also use honey to dress wounds. As stated earlier, honey slowly releases hydrogen peroxide which is more beneficial than straight hydrogen peroxide. Honey's slow release of Hydrogen Peroxide makes it ideal for dressing wounds because you are constantly getting small releases of its Antibacterial properties. You're guaranteed to have less of a chance of acquiring an infection and due to honey's ability to stimulate new cell growth, you're wound will heal in less time and with less scarring. I've seen this with my own eyes.Let's not forget about the number one thing most of us already know... Honey is AMAZING for sore throats and coughs. I mix equal parts honey and lemon juice for soothing relief from these ailments. I typically use Buckwheat honey because it has some of the highest antioxidant counts, however, I tend to use Wildflower honey more in the spring because it helps me more with my seasonal allergies, although it has a lower antioxidant count. I tend to like the flavor of Buckwheat honey more as well. I find Wildflower to be a little too sweet for me. But that's what's fun about honey. Just like a wine tasting, there are different scents and tastes that come with each variety. I was in Saratoga Springs , NY this past August and fell over when I came across The Saratoga Tea and Honey Company. You can enjoy tasting and learning about different types of teas from around the world as well as sample exquisite varietal and infused honeys from around the United States. You want to talk about feeling like a kid in a candy store? I can't wait to go back next year, specifically to revisit this shop.Joe Traynor also discusses, in depth, how and why honey is good for burns, stomach problems, the eyes, the skin, hangovers, cramps, liver problems, dental health, and even touches upon honey and cancer. I highly recommend his book and have put a link in the final paragraph below.Now let's talk about honey's antioxidant properties! Well, I'll let WebMD do the talking. Here is an article titled Honey Sweetens Your Health.Honey boosts antioxidants - your body's natural defense against diseaseMarch 30, 2004 - Reaching for a spoonful of honey rather than sugar to sweeten your favorite food and drinks may help boost your body's natural defenses.A new study shows that a daily dose of honey does more than just satisfy your sweet-tooth, it also raises levels of disease-fighting antioxidants in the blood.Researchers say honey contains varying concentrations of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that are thought to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Polyphenols are also found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and olive oil.Although a previous study shows that a dose of honey can deliver a surge of antioxidants, researchers say this is the first study to look at the effects of long-term honey consumption.The findings were presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, Calif.Honey for HealthIn the study, researchers fed 25 participants about 4 tablespoons of buckwheat honey per day for 29 days in addition to their regular diets. Two types of honey containing different amounts of polyphenols were tested.Blood samples taken at the beginning and end of the study showed a direct link between honey consumption and levels of disease-fighting polyphenols. The more polyphenol-containing honey they ate, the higher the levels of antioxidants were in their blood.Researchers Heidrun Gross of the University of California-Davis and colleagues say that antioxidants are thought to protect humans from disease by slowing potentially dangerous disease processes in the body. The compounds work by scavenging free radicals - unstable compounds that can damage healthy cells and compromise their function.Researchers say that given the fact that the average person consumes more than 150 pounds of sweetener per year, substituting honey in some foods for traditional sweeteners may be a healthier option.One thing I MUST tell you... do NOT put honey into a piping hot cup of coffee or tea if you are looking to benefit from its awesome healing properties. The heat will kill all the good stuff in it and at that point, it will just become more of a sugar. So yes, sweeten away!! Just be mindful of the heat (wait until it's a little warmer than room temperature). Honey should never be boiled or microwaved if the desire to heal yourself is the primary purpose.Anyways... So that's a little look at honey and what it can do for you, and a little glimpse into how I use it daily. I think the BEST side effect is that it's been proven that people who use honey on a regular basis are generally happier. I have yet to come across a bad side effect or a reason to not use it!I highly recommend Joe Traynor's book Honey: The Gourmet Medicine which can be found online for as little as $5. If you are in the Hudson Valley, NY area, you can purchase local honey from Moore Dairy, The Greenwood Lake Garden Center, or Hummingbird Ranch. There are also countless resources online to educate yourselves further on the healing power of honey as well as which honeys are more healing than others. I know a lot of beekeepers now offer to ship honey as well. But always try to buy local. This will also help you if you want to use honey to help with your seasonal allergies. Wildflower honey from California will most likely NOT help you if you live in Maine as the bees are not gathering pollen from the same plants. But as a sidenote, I AM looking to try some Manuka honey from New Zealand because I hear it has the highest antioxidant count of all the honeys out there today. Ok, I'll stop, LOL! I can talk about honey all day!!Why I Go Through 3 Lbs of Honey in One Week
