Most people think of honey as something that is to
be spread on bread, but few realize how many uses
it has. Its unique properties mean that it is found
in foods, cosmetics, and it even has a place in health
care and healing.
Honey has been used for its healing properties for
over four thousand years. The Egyptians had over 500
medical formulas based on it whilst the Greeks used
it to cure skin disorders. Recent research has shown
that they might have had the right idea.
What is honey made of?
Honey is made up from fructose, glucose, water and
other sugars. It also contains many enzymes, vitamins,
minerals and amino acids that your body needs. Honey
contains many antioxidants that are used by the body
to eliminate free radicals - molecules which zip around
in healthy cells and have the potential to damage
them. Honey therefore makes a good alternative to
sugar in food and drink. Care must be taken though,
as honey does contain lots of sugars and it must be
eaten in moderation. Sugars should not generally represent
more than 10 percent of your total calorie intake.
How honey can heal?
Research being carried out around the world suggests
that honey helps in the healing and sterilizing of
wounds and ulcers, in the growth of new skin, and,
has many antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
The reason for this is the unique combination of properties
that honey has.
Antibacterial properties
Honey is high in sugar, low
in protein and quite acidic. These factors combine
to make honey free from contaminants itself and
help it to kill the contaminants it comes into contact
with. Honey is the only food that doesn't spoil.
The main antibacterial agent in honey is hydrogen
peroxide (H2O2), which is released when honey touches
the skin. This is produced by the enzyme glucose
oxidase which is introduced into honey by the bee.
However various types of honey will contain slightly
different antibacterial substances.
Scar prevention
Honey has a hygroscopic nature. This means that
when honey is exposed to air, it draws moisture
in from the air. This is very useful as honey may
help to:
Prevent scarring by keeping the skin moist
Help in the growth of new tissue
Stop bandages from becoming stuck to an open wound
if applied to the bandage before use
It is this nature which causes honey to be an ingredient
in lots of cosmetics and make up, as it keeps the
skin moist and fresh and prevents drying.
Manuka honey
A type of honey called Manuka honey is especially
important as it contains a component that is effective
against more resistant bacteria such as staphylococcus
aureus and helicobacter pylori. It is this type
of honey has been shown to be very good in treating
some stomach ulcers and sore throats.
Caution: some
studies suggest that honey should not be given to
babies under the age of one year, as it may lead
to poisoning.
Ayurvedic as well
as Yunani medicine have been using honey as a vital
medicine for centuries.
Honey can be used without any side
effects for any kind of diseases.
Today's science says that even though
honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as
a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.
Weekly
World News, a magazine in Canada, on its
issue dated 17 January, 1995 has given the following
list of health issues that can be helped by Honey
and Cinnamon as researched by western scientists.
It is found that mixture of Honey and Cinnamon helps
most of the health issues. Honey is produced in
most of the countries of the world.
HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply
on bread, chappati, or other bread, instead of jelly
and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces
the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient
from heart attack. Also those who already had an
attack, if they do this process daily, they are
kept miles away from the next attack.
Regular use of the above process relieves
loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat. In
America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated
patients successfully and have found that as we
age the arteries and veins lose their flexibility
and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalizes
the arteries and veins.
INSECT BITES:
Take one part honey to two parts of lukewarm water
and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder, make
a paste and massage it on the itching part of the
body slowly. It is noticed that the pain recedes
within a minute or two.
ARTHRITIS:
Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night,
one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and
one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken
regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.
In a recent research conducted at
the Copenhagen University, it was found that when
the doctors treated their patients with a mixture
of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon
powder before breakfast, they found that within
a week out of the 200 people so treated practically
73 patients were totally relieved of pain and within
a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk
or move around because of arthritis started walking
without pain.
HAIR LOSS:
Those suffering from hair loss or baldness, may
apply a paste of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of
honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder before bath
and keep it for approx. 15 min. and then wash the
hair. It was found to be effective even if kept
on for 5 minutes.
BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and
one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water
and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.
TOOTHACHE:
Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder
and five teaspoons of honey and apply on the aching
tooth. This may be applied 3 times a day till the
tooth stops aching.
CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of
Cinnamon Powder
mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol
patient, was found to
reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by
10% within 2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients,
if taken 3 times a day, any Chronic cholesterol
is cured. As per information received in the said
journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves
complaints of cholesterol.
COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should
take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon
cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will
cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.
INFERTILITY:
Yunani and Ayurvedic Medicine have been using honey
for thousands of years to strengthen the semen of
men. If impotent men regularly take two tablespoon
of honey before going to sleep, their problem will
be solved.
In China, Japan and Far-East countries,
women, who do not conceive and need to strengthen
the uterus, have been taking cinnamon powder for
centuries. Women who
cannot conceive may take a pinch of cinnamon powder
in half teaspoon of honey
and apply it on the gums frequently throughout the
day, so that it slowly mixes with the saliva and
enters the body.
A couple in Maryland, USA, had no
children for 14 years and had lost hope of having
a child of their own. When told about this process,
husband and wife started taking honey and cinnamon
as stated above; the wife conceived after a few
months and had twins at full term.
UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomachache
and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.
GAS:
According to the studies done in India & Japan,
it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon
powder the stomach is relieved of gas.
IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens
the immune system and protects the body from bacteria
and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey
has various vitamins and iron in large amounts.
Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood
corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.
INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of
honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests
the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains
a natural ingredient, which kills the influenza
germs and saves the patient from flu.
LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken
regularly arrests the ravages of old age. Take 4
spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon powder and
3 cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink
1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh
and soft and arrests old age.
Life spans also increases and even
a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of
a 20-year-old.
PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of Honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon
powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before
sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water.
If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples
from the root.
SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts
on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and
all types of skin infections.
WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning 1/2 hour before breakfast on
an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, drink
honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one-cup water.
If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even
the most obese person.
Also, drinking of this mixture regularly
does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body
even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed
that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have
been cured successfully. Patients suffering from
these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon
of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for
one month 3 times a day.
FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content
of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental
to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who
take honey and cinnamon power in equal parts, are
more alert and flexible.
Dr. Milton who has done research says
that a half tablespoon honey taken in a glass of
water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken
daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about
3.00 p.m. when the vitality of the body starts to
decrease, increases the vitality of the body within
a week.
BAD BREATH:
People of South America, first thing in the morning
gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder
mixed in hot water. So their breath stays fresh
throughout the day.
HEARING LOSS:
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder
taken in equal parts restore hearing.
Nancy L. Autry, Admin.
Secretary
UGA Physical Plant Division
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