The Healing Power of Honey
By Elizabeth Cole
Apitherapy, the treatment of various conditions using honeybee products, has been around a long time. Honey is one of the oldest medicines we have, with proof of its healing power dating back more than 5000 years. Even Hippocrates found that honey “cleans sores and ulcers of the lips, heals carbuncles and running sores.” It has been a staple ingredient of folk medicines throughout the ages and now, it is even gaining credibility with current medical and scientific communities. British researchers have proven that applying raw honey to fresh wounds prevents infection as well as any medication and often eliminates the need for antibiotics. They have also learned that honey-treated cuts and scrapes heal quicker than those treated with medicated ointments. Other researchers have found that honey can alleviate asthma, calm nerves and induce sleep, ease pain and relieve diarrhea.
Raw honey can be a valuable part of your “First Aid Kit.” Here’s a few suggestions:
Bee Stings
: Dab on a bit of honey immediately. It helps draw the stinger out, eases the pain and neutralizes poisons.
Blisters
: Combine 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. Aloe Vera gel and 10 drops lavender oil. Dab on blister, cover with bandage. Change bandage and repeat 2 to 3 times per day.
Burns
: Immediately spread a thin layer of raw honey over the burn. Especially good for oil splatter type burns and steam burns, but of benefit to all types of burns. It relieves stinging, prevents blisters and infection, and speeds healing.
Sunburn
: Combine 1 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of Aloe Vera gel
. Paint onto sunburned skin with pastry brush or damp sponge.
Wounds
: The high levels of potassium found in honey make it very difficult, if not impossible, for bacteria to survive. Applying a thin layer of raw honey to any cut, scrape or scratch is beneficial.
Beyond treating injury and illness, there are other reasons to pay attention to honey. Incorporating it into your daily diet is an excellent step to take towards maintaining general good health. Dr. D.C. Jarvis says, “I am saddened when people tell me that they don’t eat honey because it costs more than white sugar. In the long run, you must pay either the grocer or the druggist.”
Honey can be substituted for white sugar very easily, even in baking, and the health benefits for everyone but especially for children are worth every penny.