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Grandma's Benefits of Honey Guide
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Bee's are Natures Biological Filter Honey contains only slight traces of residues from industrial emissions, car exhaust and agricultural chemicals because bees act as a biological filter: they die if they come into contact with toxins and thus do not bring pollutants into the hive.
Bees filter out environmental toxins!
Therapeutic Effect: Honey helps restore energy, has a general calming effect and helps to dissolve mucus. Applied externally to the skin, it disinfects and heals minor wounds.
More and more health benefits of honey are being discovered and used as a natural home remedy. I've been reading numerous reports of honey healing external wounds that antibiotics, creams and ointments weren't able to heal.
Components: The principle constituents of honey are the simple sugars fructose and glucose. Other ingredients include water, pollen, organic acids, enzymes and various proteins. Honey nutrition is a simple, healthy and convenient way to give your family sweet snacks and boost their energy level.
Honey and Fitness: Honey provides a healthful pick-me-up. The glucose and fructose in honey have been predigested by the bees that produced it. These simple sugars are quickly and easily absorbed in the human digestive tract and they have an overall soothing effect. Honey may be a healthy treat, but take care when using it as a sweetener. Just 1 tablespoon of honey has 64 calories, compared to 46 calories in 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. But the health benefits of honey are well worth a the risk of adding a few calories.
Shopping Tip: Many kinds of honey are available. The consistency, fragrance and taste depend on the types of flowers from which bees collect nectar.
Look for honey that has been produced by beekeepers who do not feed their bees refined sugars or use harmful pesticides.
My personal favorite kind of honey is Alfalfa. I have rarely seen it for sale in stores, I buy a large supply of Alfalfa honey while visiting the Annual Penn State Insect Fair every September in State College, PA.
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Honey Health Comes in Many Forms
The benefits of honey no longer stop with nutritional or medicinal benefits. Today you will find honey in many different areas of your health food store and also at many homemade craft shows and festivals. It seems every time I attend a craft show or festival someone comes up with new ideas for different ways to create unique home remedies made from honey.
Here are a handful of things I bought, used and loved:
- honey candles
- honey soap
- honey snack sticks in various colors and flavors
- honey lip balm
- honey lotions
- honey shampoo and conditioner
- honey salves to sooth and heal
The History and Benefits of Honey
HONEY The name of this familiar and time-tested household remedy comes from ancient Hebrew and means "enchant." Long used as a culinary sweetener, honey is valued for it many healing properties as well.
Treatment with honey is referred to as apitherapy and includes replenishing energy, enhancing physical stamina and strengthening those weakened by illness or stress. Here is the famous Vinegar and Honey Cocktail Recipe.
The benefits of honey can also help calm the mind and promote rejuvenating sleep. In addition, honey relieves indigestion and is used to treat cardiovascular disease and respiratory complaints.
A thin coat of honey can be applied to the skin to disinfect and heal minor skin wounds and chapped lips.
Relaxing Honey Bath: Put 2 ounces of honey in a glass with 5 drops of lavender oil. If the honey is too thick, heat it by placing the glass in warm water. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of honey-lavender mixture to your bathwater to help you relax and combat insomnia. Any leftover mixture can be stored in covered glass container for later use.
Honey as a Dressing for Wounds: Applied externally, honey is useful for healing minor cuts and abrasions by drawing excess water from the tissues and reducing swelling. In addition, honey contains a germ-killing substance called "Inhibine", which helps prevent infections. Spread the honey directly on the wound and cover with a sterile bandage.
Help for Hay Fever: Honey contains grains of pollen that over time, may have a desensitizing effect, making it useful for the relief of allergies. Hay fever sufferers are advised to eat honey that has been harvested locally.
For Relief of Asthma, Bronchitis and other Respiratory Ailments: Honey is an outstanding household home remedy that can be used in combination with various medicinal herbs. For relief of coughs and wheezing associated with bronchitis, whopping cough and other minor respiratory aliments, mix 1 teaspoon of finally chopped fresh thyme in a little honey. Take the mixture orally as needed to soothe inflamed lungs and airways. See Grandma's Home Remedy for Chest Congestion to get my own Hot Toddy Recipe, it's so soothing.
DISCLAIMER:
The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
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