One of nature's best all-around remedies is honey, according to many holistic medicine practitioners. Honey has been proven to be effective in treating wounds/cuts, providing relief for sore throats, cough suppression, and helping insomniacs to sleep, in addition to helping prevent chronic illnesses such as cancer and dementia.
Using honey to treat wounds dates back to the Ancient Egyptians who used it to dress wounds. In 2007 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Medihoney as a treatment for wounds and skin ulcers. Honey has three properties that make it effective in wound care: antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. Its antiseptic and antibacterial properties help prevent wounds from getting infected by stopping certain bacteria from growing and spreading. Honey's anti-inflammatory properties aid in the reduction of swelling, pain, and scarring.
Honey As A Minor Ailment Aid
We have all awakened to the discomfort of a scratchy sore throat. Honey can provide the needed comfort for this condition. It not only serves as a soothing agent, but can kill the bacteria that resulted in the infection as well. You can take a tablespoon of the honey by itself or turn it into a gargling agent, mixing it with lemon juice and salt or with warm water.
In a study reported on WebMD involving 139 children, honey, a cough suppressant dextromethorphan, and an antihistamine diphenhydramine were used to treat the cold symptoms of night time cough and sleeplessness in the participants. The honey given as a syrup, was most effective in cough suppression and improving the children's sleep.
Honey As A Sleep Aid
Are you or your loved one having trouble catching some z's? Honey can help you with that. A spoonful of honey, a glass of milk and honey, or a cup of chamomile tea with honey before bedtime will help you get a good night's rest.
Honey As a Preventative for Chronic Disease
While honey is not a cure for cancer, it has been shown to aid in the fight to prevent cancer. Honey has both carcinogen and tumor preventing properties. In particular, it contains antioxidants which help protect against cancer when ingested daily. A five-year study of 2893 subjects conducted by the University of Babylon concluded that people who ate honey daily greatly decreased their chances of developing dementia.
Shopping For Honey
If this article makes you want to stock the pantry with honey, here are a couple of tips to use when shopping for it. Choose the darker shades, the darker the shading the more antibacterial power it has. The grades on the jars of honey are given by the USDA, and they reflect the clarity, aroma, flavor, and lack of sediments such as honeycomb particles. The higher the grade, the higher the quality of the honey.
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