(Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional, nor claim to have any training in the healing arts. Honey is not safe for infants in any form and some individuals can have allergic reactions to consuming honey or applying it topically.)
Let us begin by stating the fact that most commercially available, store purchased honey that is free flowing crystal clear amber is not the best for you. Many of the mass produced honeys in supermarkets and box stores are overly filtered, pasteurized and enhanced for shelf life, look and flavor. Through the filtering and pasteurization process however most of the healing and healthful benefits are then extinguished. Such a shame, thousands of bees working hard for that jar of pure miracle health food, to have it all cooked, filtered and washed away. Sometimes nature gets it right the very first time.
Raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized, un-enhanced, local honey is by far the healthiest and offer the most value per jar than any cute honey bear sitting at the local grocery world store. This type of honey is left in it's purest most natural state. No, it is not always perfectly clear, yes you may see some "things" suspended and also YES it does get crystallized faster, but none of that is bad, nor a sign of contamination. Those "things" suspended is everything that is good for you, is where the healing is found. There is pollen, honey comb fragments, bee fragments and sometimes organic plant matter, but no worries, the inert antibacterial/antibiotic properties of honey corrects that.
The bees collect the nectar (and also pick up the pollen etc) form the local plants that cause the majority of our seasonal allergies. By consuming this type of honey, we are boosting our immune system by introducing the very things that are causing the adverse reactions. Not unlike an immunization introduces into the body the very thing it protects against. By consuming 2 tbsp of local raw honey daily several weeks prior to allergy season, you can actual prevent most symptoms and quite possibly go through allergy season symptom free.
Honey can be used internally as well as externally, it is truly a wonder-food... a powerhouse of healing and restoration on many fronts.
Topically it can be used in the following ways:
Sunburns, burns, abrasions, ulcers, infections, fungal infections, acne, cysts, rash, chafing
Used since 50 A.D. it is one of the oldest known wound dressings
It is also mentioned in the Bible, Koran and Torah.
To use honey as a wound dressing: Apply like any wound, burn or topical ointment, loosely cover with bandage or bandaid. Change as needed.
Internally it can be ingested to help the following:
Improve, ease and combat seasonal allergies and allergies to plants, flowers, mold, fungus.
Ease stomach aches/nausea and discomfort, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, colds, flu, sore throat, throat infections, sinus infections.
UTI and bladder infections and irritation, yeast and other reproductive infections.
Lowers cholesterol and normalizes blood pressure, increase energy, over-all health improvement.
Honey can be added to all foods, drinks and recipes as a sweetener and healthy alternative to white sugar.
For a general health spread:
2 tbs honey, enough ground cinnamon mixed in to make a paste.
Spread this on bread, biscuits, toast or fresh fruit.
Healthy Start Breakfast:
1 Medium banana sliced, 2 cups of cubed seasonal fresh fruit
(Our house fave is mixed berries or pineapple, peaches, cantaloupe and grapes)
1 serving of your Favorite plain or vanilla yogurt, organic or Greek is recommended.
Health spread from above
Mix all ingredients well, top with granola or toasted steel-cut oatmeal for added crunch.
Health Tonic Toddy:
1 tea bag of quality herbal or organic tea of your choice.
(choose one that offers the health properties you need) I highly reccomend: http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/
2 thin slices of ginger
ground cinnamon
1 tbsp (or more) of raw honey
Boil 1 1/2 cups of water with ginger slices and cinnamon added, lower to low simmer adding water as needed for 20 minutes, remove from heat, add tea bag and steep for 15 minutes.
Add generous amount of honey and enjoy.
(You can toddy this up by adding a splash of bourbon, brandy or whiskey for added kick)
When illness or seasonal allergies threaten:
Take one tbsp twice a day, more if illness is in the home or place of employment.
Add to any hot caffeine free tea before bed each night.
Where to buy raw, unfiltered local honey:
Check local health food stores, local plant nurseries, holistic healers
Go online to http://www.localharvest.org/organic-honey.jsp
or simply search the web under the search terms "local raw honey" and your city, county or state.
We do hope that this post has opened your eyes to the world of local raw honey.
Our family has been consuming and using local raw honey for over 10 years now and now no longer need OTC allergy or cold medications and have only minimal seasonal allergy symptoms when spring starts early. I personally have also lowered both my cholesterol and blood pressure with the help of local raw honey and cinnamon along with a non-processed food diet.
