When talking about the honey benefits for health, every article starts with “The health benefits of honey were known from the Ancient times…” Of course they were, humans may not have been civilized back then, but they were smart enough to use honey not only as food, but as medicine as well. After all, there were not many options available…. and they had to find the best of them in order to survive!
Today, our scientists have research a lot to find out what honey is good for what, to understand which are the compounds that are beneficial to our body and maybe reproduce and make better medicine for everybody. There are lots of studies, lots of clinical studies, that are using us now to use exactly what we need for our specific conditions.
But beyond this specificity, honey is basically honey, no matter if it comes from the pollen of acacia, lime or manuka. It is made by the bees, and this means all honeys have roughly the same composition. Probably the most important are the enzymes which are added by the honey bees to the nectar they bring. These enzymes are the same in all types of honey, which is why, honey is good for our health, no matter the type.
Here are some traditional recipes that use honey in treating different conditions. Of course that adding a specific type of honey will improve the quality of the remedy, like adding lime, mint, eucaliptus, pine or honeydew honey in treating colds or flue. But this is not a must. The common sense should always tell us to use first the honey that is produced locally, as it perfectly suits the the people born in those places. So, if you are from Malaysia, don’t search for lime honey, use your tualang honey.
1. For flue
In 1 liter of hot water put 1 tablespoon of rosehips, 1 table spoon of currants and 1 spoon of raspberries. Let them all infuse for 15 minutes and strain.
Add 1 table spoon of honey after the beverage cooled.
Drink half of glass 3 times per day.
Here are another article on how to treat your colds and flue:
• The best natural remedies for colds – summary, with 4 parts
• Cold remedies with honey
• Lemon-Garlic-Honey for colds and immunity, a review from one of my readers.
2. For gastric and duodenal ulcer
With 2 hours before breakfast and lunch, and 3 hours after dinner, take one glass of warm water with 1 tablespoon of honey dissolved in it. It is said that honey will thin the stomach mucositis, decrease the intensity of pain, take away burns and vomiting.
Best honeys for ulcers:
• Rapeseed honey: Rapeseed honey aka rape honey, perfect for your ulcer diet!
• Honeydew honey: What is honeydew honey?
3. In colitis
One dried chamomile flowers are infused into a glass of hot water. When it is cooled strain the flowers and add 1 tablespoon of honey. Drink 2 to 3 glasses per day.
Other products used in colitis:
• Propolis: Propolis protects liver, has anti-radiation effect, boosts immunity and has anti-inflamatory activity.
• Baswood/linden/lime honey: Basswood – linden – lime honey
• Bee venom
4. For liver conditions
Mix equal parts of honey and blended blackberries. Take 1 teaspoon with 30 minutes before meals.
Other products that help in liver conditions:
• Propolis: Propolis protects liver, has anti-radiation effect, boosts immunity and has anti-inflamatory activity.
• Lavender honey: Lavender Honey – a honey for health benefits
• Borage honey: Borage honey
• Sweet chestnut honey: Sweet chestnut honey
5. For hypertension
Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 tablespoon of beet, 1 tablespoon of grated horseradish (the horseradish should be kept in water for 36 hours before it is grated) and the juice from 1 lemon.
Take 1 tablespoon of this mixture 3 times per day, with 1 hour before eating.
In cases of hypertension we can also use:
• Turmeric: The golden honey (What is turmeric good for?)
• Propolis: How to take propolis tincture? Here is some folk medicine.
• Black cumin seeds: Nigella Sativa, the black seeds, can cure every disease. Come on…
• Venom: Bee venom for therapy: general information
• Royal Jelly: Royal Jelly health benefits
6. In cases of angina (angina pectoris)
Mix the juice from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 large leaves of aloe and 500 g of honey. Leave to macerate in a refrigerator, in a tightly closed container, for 7 days. Take one tablespoon, 3 times per day, before meals.
7. For atherosclerosis
Use garlic and honey: one crushed garlic (8-10 cloves) mixed with the juice of one lemon and 2 teaspoons of honey. The mixture is administered in two doses, morning and evening, 30 minutes before a meal.
Also indicated for atherosclerosis:
• Dandelion honey: How to make dandelion honey. What is it good for?
• Royal Jelly: Royal Jelly health benefits
• Beebread: Beebread
• Bee pollen: Pollen
8. To relieve respiratory conditions
A large onion is boiled in 400 ml of water until the water is reduced to half. After cooling, add 100 g of honey. The remedy is calming, soothing and bacteriostatic to the airway mucosa. Take one tablespoon in the morning and evening.
Also good for respiratory conditions:
• Propolis: Propolis treats otorhinolaryngologic and respiratory diseases
• Lavender honey: Lavender Honey – a honey for health benefits
• Borage honey: Borage honey
• Viper’s bugloss: Viper’s Bugloss honey (Echium vulgare honey)
• Pine honey: Pine honey health benefits
• Dandelion honey: How to make dandelion honey. What is it good for?
9. To improve blood circulation (varicose veins)
First make an onion juice: clean 1kg of onion, wash it and place it in the juicer. (Read which are the differences between a centrifugal juicer and a masticating one).
The onion juice should be mixed well with 300 g of honey and then refrigerated.
Take 150 g per day, 50 g before the 3 main meals of the day, for a month, with one week of rest.
It acts favorably on blood circulation, especially in the legs, helping to relieve varicose veins. Do not use in patients with diabetes, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers. Store in refrigerator up to one week.
10. For toning the body
Use an aloe plant (which is at least 3 years old) and take 750 g of fresh leaves. Wash them and chop them finely. Place them in a jar. Add 1.250 g of honey and mix them. Then add 500 ml of lemon juice and mix again. Cover and leave to macerate for 5 days in a dark, cool and dry place, or in the refrigerator. Store it in the refrigerator up to one week.
Take 3 tablespoons each day, one before the main, for one month followed by on month break.
The remedy is a general tonic, stimulant of the endocrine and nervous system. It is recommended for fatigue, lack of appetite, recovering from infectious and contagious diseases. It is contraindicated in diabetes, obesity, allergy intolerance.
References:
Apidava.ro
Picture credit Andreas Levers published under CC via flickr.com
