Friday, October 16, 2009
BENEFITS OF HONEY
This wonderfully rich golden liquid is the miraculous product of honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar. The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees' saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive where they deposit it into the cells of the hive's walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the moisture's content making it ready for consumption.
In addition to its reputation as Nature's nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey's unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant.
Listed below are some common problems and ailments which can easily be cured and avoided from the use of Honey:
Skin
Honey is extremely nourishing for the skin when used as face pack and helps in rejuvenating the skin leading to the elimination of fine wrinkles.
It is a good moisturiser.
Honey has considerable Laxative effect on the human digestion system which in turn helps in reducing skin problem ie (pimples) and other problems associated with constipation, which become revealed on the skin.
Antibacterial and antifungal properties
Honey contains many minerals and vitamins beneficial to man. However, one of the most important properties seems to be its antibiotic action.
Honey has been shown to be superior to certain conventional antibiotics in treating some infections.
This bactericide (bacteria-killing) property of honey is named "the inhibition effect". Experiments conducted on honey show that its bactericide properties increase twofold when diluted with water. It is very interesting to note that newly born bees in the colony are nourished with diluted honey by the bees responsible for their supervision - as if they know this feature of the honey.
Healing wounds & grazes
Honey is of value in treating burns, infected surgical wounds and ulcers. Honey is very viscous, enabling it to absorb water from surrounding inflamed tissue. For example, a study in West Africa showed that skin grafting, surgical debridement and even amputation were avoided when local application of honey to wound promoted healing, whereas conventional treatment failed.
For such wounds or Grazes, cover the wound with honey and a bandage.
Diarrhoea
At a concentration of 40%, honey has a bactericidal effect on various gut bacteria known to cause diarrhoea and dysentery
Allergies
Raw honey is an excellent treatment for 90% of all allergies.
Teeth
Although Honey is sweet, it helps to maintain and protect teeth! Its anti-microbial activity has been tested on several species of dental plaque bacteria. A study shows that honey has been proven to sharply reduce acid production, thus killing the bacteria responsible for dental caries, and blocking the growth of oral bacteria.
Stomach Ache
Take 1 teaspoon of honey, juice of ½ a lemon with a hot glass of water first thing in the morning.
Colds and coughs
Honey is remedial in cases of persistent coughs and sore throat. The strong antibiotic properties it contains coats the throat and reduces throat irritation.
Mix 6 oz. liquid honey, 2 oz. glycerin with juice of 2 lemons. Bottle and cork firmly. Use as required.
For Blocked noses, Place a dessert spoon of honey in a basin of hot water and inhale fumes after covering your head with a towel over the basin.
For Sore throats, Let 1 teaspoon of honey melt in the back of the mouth and trickle down the throat. Eases inflamed raw tissues.
Uneasiness felt in the mouth & throat due to infection can be relieved immediately with honey, so there is extensive scope for honey in cough mixtures & expectorants.
Honey used for children helps inflammatory throat conditions as it both purifies blood.
Digestion
Because sugar molecules in honey can convert into other sugars (e.g. fructose to glucose), honey is easily digested by the most sensitive stomachs, despite its high acid content. It helps kidneys and intestines to function better. Hence honey is beneficial for maintaining a healthy digestive system as well as combating illnesses such as constipation.
For poor digestion, Mix 1:1 honey with apple cider vinegar and dilute to taste with water.
For patients suffering with various maladies of stomach who consume 10 grams of honey on an empty stomach in the morning & not eat anything thereafter for about 1 hour, will start feeling relief from the disorders within a few days.
Weight control
Honey has a low calorie content. Honey, when it is compared with the same amount of sugar, it gives 40% less calories to the body. Although it gives great energy to the body, it does not add weight.
Rapidly diffuses through the blood
When accompanied by mild water, honey diffuses into the bloodstream in 7 minutes. Its free sugar molecules make the brain function better since the brain is the largest consumer of sugar.
Conjunctivitis (pus in the eye)
Honey dissolved in equal quantity of warm water. Apply, when cooled, as lotion or eye bath.
Blood
Honey provides an important part of the energy needed by the body for blood formation. In addition, it helps in cleansing the blood. It has some positive effects in regulating and facilitating blood circulation. It also functions as a protection against capillary problems and arteriosclerosis.
The Heart
British researchers have discovered that honey slows the oxidation of 'bad' IDL cholesterol, which is responsible for causing arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. So Honey can fight against Colesterol. And the darker the honey, the better.
Pure honey taken with food daily (instead of white sugar) relieves complains of cholesterol.
This is beneficial for those of Old age, sufferers of Heart-disease, Diabetes, High-blood Pressure, Stroke, and others.
Appetite
Honey improves appetite in children suffering from conditions of appetite loss.
Headaches & Migraine
Take 2 teaspoons at meals to prevent an attack
For Migraines, Take 1 dessert spoon honey dissolved in half a glass of warm water at start migraine. Repeat in 20 minutes if necessary.
Insomnia
Honey helps in nervous disorders including Insomnia and acts as a tonic in recovery of any damage to the human nervous system.
In cases of Insomnia (Sleeplessness) one teaspoon full of honey mixed in luke-warm water (or milk) & drunk before going to bed helps in getting sound sleep.
Stress
Honey in water is a stabilizer - calms highs and raises lows. Use approx. 1:4 honey to water.
Healing
Honey also greatly helps in convalecense as it has properties to make the body heal faster.
Tuberculosis
Honey helps patients suffering from Tuberculosis as it vastly helps in arresting the spread of this disease.
Asthma
Honey helps in conditions of Asthma as many conditions of Asthma respond favourably to Honey.
Fatigue and exhaustion
Honey is best used to increase the physical stamina & energy level of the human body & since honey is easily absorbed in the blood, it is the best ingredient to remove tiredness ad fatigue after hard work almost instantly.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon honey in warm water or quarter honey balance of water in a jug and keep in the fridge. Honey is primarily fructose and glucose and so it is quickly absorbed by the digestive system.
The Old and young
French doctors advise weak, emaciated children & older patients to take honey & cream or honey & butter instead of cod liver oil.
Boiled mild mixed with equal quantity of water & seven percent honey is a fabulous energy packed food for children.
Osteoporosis
1 teaspoon of honey a day helps calcium utilization and prevents osteoporosis. Essential from age 50 onwards.
Burns
Apply freely over burns. It cools, removes pain and aids fast healing without scarring. Apart from being a salve and antibiotic, bacteria cannot live in honey.
Infertility
Honey consumed with milk increases human sperm count to an astonishing degree. Since, basically Sexual Virility is concerned with three fundamental Organs in the male body, all these organs use Glucose and Fructose to obtain energy.
Honey as already mentioned is the best source of the above required sugars. No wonder it’s dubbed the Elixir of life even earning itself clear mention in the Quran as far back as 1,400 years.
Baldness
Scrub the bald area with onions till red. Then apply honey.
Constipation
For patients suffering from constipation as spoon of honey mildly heated with a small quantity of wheat husk added after it is cooled & administered to the patient, gives immediate relief.
Otherwise take ½ teaspoon honey mixed with ½ - 1cup warm water 2-3 times a day
Paralysis
The famous physician ibn Sina (Aviccina) writes that licking honey mixed with the extract of boiled rice Wij (Peench in Urdu) helps cure partial facial paralysis.
High Blood Pressure
Take mixed 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon ginger juice and 1 teaspoon cumin powder 2x a day
Anaemia
Honey is the best blood enricher by raising corpuscle content. The darker the honey the more minerals it contains.
Take 1 ripe banana with 1 tablespoon honey 1-2x a day
Hay Fever
Chewing the tops of comb honey stimulates the immune system due to minute amounts of pollen. During the season chew for 20 minutes a teaspoon of bee capping (tops) five to six times per day. Highly effective and useful for asthma sufferers as well
Insect Bites
According to Islamic medicine, for cases of bite or stinging of poisonous insects, a paste made of one part unsoaked limestone, four parts honey & four parts olive oil applied on the affected part will give immediate relief.