Honey

Not all honeys are created equal. In fact, there are more than 300 types of honey in the United States alone. Each type of honey is named after the flower source from which the bees take the nectar. The kind of honey often determines its health properties.

HISTORY: Honey has been used since ancient times, possibly dating back to the Stone Age. It was used by the Greeks, Egyptians, traditional Chinese, and ancient Ayurvedic medicines, among others.

PROPERTIES:

Antibiotic (manuka has some of the best properties here), antiseptic, demulcent, expectorant, antioxidant, antifungal

CONSIDERED USES

Respiratory: Cough, asthma, sore throat, seasonal allergies (LOCAL raw honey), raw and anuka honey is believed to reduce mucus

Eyes: Outer lids (blepharitis and other conditions)(topical)

Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea (also adds potassium), reflux, C. difficile (Manuka), halitosis (bad breath), ulcers (especially those associated with H pylori), dysentery, vomiting, obesity, indigestion, oral ulcers, hemorrhoids

Genitourinary: Bedwetting and frequent urination

Musculoskeletal: Arthritis

Skin: Skin infections and wound healing (may even combat MRSA) - well-known effect, eczema,

dermatitis, burns, herpes (topical)-oral and genital (NIH), sunburn, bites, and stings

Cardiovascular: High blood pressure

Cholesterol: Comb honey supports better cholesterol and may lower bad and raise good cholesterol.

Glucose: Diabetes to support better blood sugar levels

Immunity: Supports immune function (esp raw honey)

Cancer: May help reduce the spread of cancer cells - further studies needed (NIH)

Psych: Stress, sleep problems

Other: Weakness, hiccups, hangovers. According to research presented in the Journal Letters in Applied Microbiology,

Note: Using manuka honey instead of antibiotics for some purposes may even help decrease the incidence of microbial antibiotic resistance. It does not promote resistance.

Side Effects: Asthma and allergy symptoms, nausea, vomiting, weakness, sweating, syncope/fainting, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), skin irritation (when applied topically to the skin), increase in blood sugar, increased bruising and bleeding

Cautions/Contraindications: Allergy to bees/bee pollen products, caution with blood clotting medicines (for example, aspirin, Plavix, ibuprofen, Warfarin/Coumadin), Dilantin, some blood pressure medications and others metabolized by the P450 CYP 3A4 enzymes

FORMS - Lozenges, nasal spray, topical, comb, crystallized, liquid, whipped

RECOMMENDED BRANDS

Only Manuka Honey Results Available

Manuka Health Raw Manuka Honey 20+ UMF™ MGO 850

New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka 20+ UMF 829+ MGO

Manukora® Raw Manuka Honey 850+ MGO

New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka 15+ UMF 514+ MGO

Manuka Health Raw Manuka Honey 10+ UMF™ MGO 263

DOSAGE: As directed

The following are reported doses and may NOT be supported by evidence (reported by various sources i.e., WebMD, RxList, Epocrates, ConsumerLabs, German Commission E, NIH publications, and others). Read dosages and instructions carefully when available on the label.

• 35-75 grams by mouth daily for 1-4 weeks

Common Terms for Honey:

• Unfiltered - It may be raw honey or just unfiltered honey.

• Non-GMO - Honey from bees that only pollinate non-GMO flowers.

• Organic - Honey from bees that only pollinate organic flowers.

• Pasteurized: It is heated and then quickly cooled to kill microorganisms and yeast. The heating process may cause it to lose some of its nutritional properties.

• Unpasteurized - Filtered and minimally heated. Maintains more beneficial properties because it is not heated at a high temperature. Often cloudier than other honeys.

• Raw Honey -  Strained only. It is not processed or heated at all, so it contains propolis, wax, bee pollen, and royal jelly. It Is reportedly the healthiest of the honey. It may be filtered to remove small particles or unfiltered. Often cloudier and creamier than other types of honey.

• Unfiltered - Not filtered. Maintains more nutrients. Often raw and unpasteurized.

• Medical Grade Honey- Medical grade honey is typically a term used for topical honey used for wounds and burns (see below).

Honey sometimes has a medical grade listed on the label.

Other, more "common" types of honey in the US have some medicinal properties, but not as great as Manuka. Raw honey is supposed to be the most nutritious and tasty because it is unstrained and unpasteurized. It might also have the best medically supportive properties.) Beekeepers sometimes take their bees to different areas to collect certain types of pollen.

• Wildflower Honey - Often honey from locally pollinated wildflowers.

• Orange Blossom Honey - A sweet and light honey from bees that pollinate citrus flowers.

• Clover Honey - Light and smooth. From the pollen of clover.

• Tupelo Honey: Very rare worldwide - only harvested once a year - very sweet with a green-yellow tint.

• Sourwood Honey - Sweet honey from the pollination of sourwood trees (mainly Appalachia).

• Linden Honey -Light "woodsy" and slightly minty flavor - from Linden trees.

• Others: Buckwheat, sage, fireweed, alfalfa, lavender, sage, and many others.

• Manuka Honey$$ - Recommended by many
  Mankula honey is made from the manuka plant in New Zealand and Australia. Different grades of Manuka are NOT created equal. Certain strengths (measured as MGOs) determine what can be treated. A very informative chart created by a long-time Australian Manuka company explains what grade can be used for certain medical issues.
  Many studies have validated the effectiveness of Manuka. While it may be beneficial, it can also be very costly. If you buy any of these, be sure they are from New Zealand or Australia and that they are the right strength for what you plan to treat.