Seven Ways Honey is Good For You

1:  Skin Treatment - Dry Skin

Honey absorbs moisture when open to the air. If applied to dry skin anywhere on the body, it will naturally hydrate.  Dry skin is caused generally by a lack of moisture in the tissues and cells, not the lack of oil.  Properly hydrated, the skin will naturally heal all sorts of ills such as psoriasis and eczema. Or just dry skin.  Use as a facial, just for general conditioning.  One can blend with something like coconut oil.  Apply gently to the face, it is safe around the eyes so will not irritate.  Leave on for 15-20 minutes and gently wash off.  Doing this periodically can help with a myriad of things from wrinkles to eczema.  The antioxidants in the honey help promote new tissue growth.  

2: Wounds and Burns

The equine world has used honey on cuts, scrapes and bite on horses for years.  It is known for its antibacterial and healing properties. Honey releases small amounts of hydrogen peroxide very slowly when exposed to air. This, in part is what kills off bacterial and prevents infection.

The Greeks and Romans used honey in this way, for wounds and burns thousands of years before ‘modern’ medicine started to figure out that it might be helpful.

There are numerous studies showing how honey is much more effective. Here is a lengthy and technical article at the US National Library of Medicine

3: Hair

I have a friend that uses Thentix skin cream as a hair conditioner.  Honey makes for a great natural conditioner. If you want try using honey instead of that in Thentix, blend a small amount of a natural oil (coconut for example works well( with quarter to half a cup of honey.  Warm slightly to help blend if you need and work this into your hair and scalp.  It works great as a conditioner for your hair and hydrates the scalp at the same time.  Most shampoos and hair conditioners will dry out your hair and scalp.  That is one of the reasons so many people suffer with dandruff or eczema on their heads.  Be sure to rinse it out once you have let it soak in for a bit.

4: Digestive System

Taking a teaspoon to a tablespoon of honey morning and night can help ease and improve your whole digestive tract.  Honey will add good bacteria and tends kill off bad bacteria.  (Don’t ask me how it ‘knows’ one from the other.) Eating local honey from different sources can adds good bacteria to your system and take a load off your immune system.  Giving you a much better defence against disease.

5: Halitosis, Gingivitis and Tooth Decay

The digestive system starts in your mouth. Don’t be shy of using natural, unpasteurized honey in your mouth to kill bacteria.  It can help slow down or prevent things like gingivitis because of its antibacterial properties. It is also great to gargle with.  A teaspoon each of honey and lemon juice in water.  Gargle with this once a day and see what happens.

6: Nutrition

Health benefits of honey include:

  1. Some may think that because of the high sugar content of honey that is has the same effect: Sugar high!  Not so.  You can get the energy without it affecting the insulin levels in your body.  But use moderately!
  2. Taken on its own or even better in conjunction with  natural apple cider vinegar, it can have curative properties for arthritic joints.  Partly due to its ability to absorb calcium. 
  3. Honey has a pH between 3.2. and 4.5, so along with natural apple cider vinegar, helps with digestion and this pH environment helps prevent the growth of bacteria.
  4. Loads of trace minerals.
  5. Small amounts of B vitamins, A, C, D and K.
  6. Live enzymes so good to take with food. 

7: Allergies

There is debate about this one but I have proven it to myself. You can see my article on Poison Oak honey here.

My motto generally is that the best honey for you eat is local honey.  For example if you have wildflower allergies in the spring or summer, then find some local wildflower honey and take a teaspoon once or twice a day.  Start this a few weeks, or more, before the season and continue on through the season.  There is a very comprehensive article by Dr Mercola here on the whys and the wherefores regarding honey and allergies. Dr Mercola and Honey

Another honey/allergies reference here:

Karger.com

For handling allergies, don’t take huge amounts of the honey.  You only need a teaspoon once or twice a day but do this over a long period of time. 

So, find some good local honey that you like and take a little bit every day.  They all taste a little different. There are other great benefits not listed here but you can look through this website and others to find out more.  There is no shortage of good research information out there on honey. 

If you want some more information on honey and vinegar look here.  Great book on the benefits of both by Dr. D. C. Jarvis

Article: Three Anti Virals

#dryskin #wounds #burns #honey 

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