The Health Benefits of Honey

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The Health Benefits of Honey Tammy Obrien August 15, 2011 Lincoln College Online Can honey be more than a sweet treat? The answer is yes. Honey used in its raw form can be beneficial in many ways to our health and wellbeing. Studies have shown honey can be used as an antibacterial, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and even used to treat allergies. Honey has also been credited for keeping blood sugar regulated, which can be a challenge for diabetics. With the medicinal use of honey, it is possible to avoid the chemicals in synthetic drugs. Honey has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. It has been used by the ancient Egyptians to heal wounds, other ailments, and to preserve bodies in ancient tombs. When most of us think of honey, we think of the honey that is purchased in a grocery store. The type of honey that is used for medicinal purpose is raw honey. Not all honey is the same; it depends where the bees feed. In New Zealand, the “manuka” bush is known for its antibacterial properties. The bees feed on this bush, and then the active manuka honey is gathered and will contain these antibacterial properties. Several studies done at Waikato University, New Zealand have shown the active manuka honey to have non-peroxide properties and can be used for bacterial infections which might have been resistant to traditional antibiotics. The body’s enzymes that would usually kill the components of hydrogen peroxide have no effect on the non-peroxide honey and make it highly unique. This honey is unique in that it is an effective treatment for MRSA, which is known as a super infection. When using this honey for medical purposes, it is labeled with a rating. The rating is used to tell the consumer how much antibiotic the honey contains. The rating should be 10-18, and the higher the number, the more healing properties it contains (The University of

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