Honey is s superfood that has tremendous benefits for the body and mind.  These include boosted energy levels, strengthened immune system, assists the healing process, heals acne, reduces candida, reduces LDL cholesterol, maintains lower blood sugar levels with sustained release, heals sores, helps prevent dementia, increases memory abilities, and disinfects the entire body.   However, only honey that it is raw, unfiltered, not pasteurized and is without other ingredients such as High Fructose Corn syrup can make all of the claims above. Honey has different practical applications that make it one of the best natural remedies for overall good health. ent

1. Benefits of Honey: Helps with Allergies

One of the most known uses of honey is its ability to relieve allergy sufferers.  Whether it is caused by pets or even dust mites, but especially for pollen, Honey is the best remedy.    Research has shown that Honey has various anti-inflammatory characteristics that fight allergy symptoms. Moreover, it protects against specific allergens like a vaccine, because it contains trace amounts of pollen, and helps the body to prepare its own defenses (antibodies).  Again, this allergy relief is a characteristic of raw, local, unfiltered, unpasteurized honey. The anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties of honey, help the body to suppress allergy symptoms and at the same time, they increase the body’s immune system. (Consult your doctor before consuming honey for allergies).  If you are suffering from Allergies, try using Honey as your first line of defense. 

2. Boosts Energy

Monotonous, repetitive, rushed, stressful lifestyles can cause feelings of stress and intense mental pressures.  Honey contains high levels of carbohydrates, glucose, and fructose that enter the bloodstream and give us an instant boost of energy.   Unlike man-made granulated sugar, honey has a sustained release quality that can give us energy through a much longer time period. This causes the body to have a feeling of well being, causing a happy-go-lucky type of feeling that helps reduce stress levels and consequently makes life more enjoyable. 

3. Mental Medicine

One special effect of Honey, is that helps the mind to function at its best.   It provides the mental energy for creative mental tasks. At the same time, honey helps remove toxins from the brain that hamper its memory capabilities.   Instead of being stressed about what you have to remember to do, your mind will be much less likely to forget dates, names, and even birthdays? Honey can help you in launching new artistic talents by providing the brain with more energy to think and process thoughts. This magic food improves memory by enabling your brain to recover thoughts faster. Honey contains antioxidants that help the cells of the brain to thrive and stay in great shape.

4. Fights Troublesome Health Problems

One of the most significant benefits of honey is its ability to treat the common cold as well as many of its most common symptoms, including a cough. Whether you’re suffering from a dry or wet cough, honey can help reduce irritability as well as pain and discomfort.   Hydrogen peroxide is a natural enzyme found in honey which gives Honey an anti-microbial antibacterial characteristic. For this reason, honey can help fight tooth decay, throat and gum diseases and help to eliminate plaque. 

 Perhaps even more important than curing a cough is honey’s ability to kill candida.  Most research, though not conclusive, points to candida as the cause of many ailments of the body including arthritis, irritated bowel syndrome, dementia, leaky gut syndrome, and many other diseases.  Most people know that sugar feeds candida, but they might now know that Honey’s antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial qualities actually helps to alleviate the body of this slow death known as candida.   Yeast infection is a form of candida. Infections of the skin are often a result of candida. Honey, unlike its counterpart sugar, is able to reduce the amount of candida in the blood and intestines. This is in sharp contrast to the effects of granulated white sugar.   Just a spoonful of honey can do more to squelch a cough, cure indigestion, alleviate arthritic pain and other bodily problems, than can most medicines that are made for such maladies.   

5. Sleep Aid

Many of us are unable to get a good night’s rest, either because our internal clock isn’t tuned correctly, or because we don’t take the right steps to make ourselves compatible for a good sleep.   For example, a person shouldn’t watch TV for at least a half-hour before going to bed. We should stay off our smartphones, computers, i-pads, etc. too. Lucky for us, honey can naturally induce sleep.  This is because honey is rich in natural sugars that help raise insulin levels, which in turn release serotonin. This substance converts into melatonin, which is a critical component in creating sleep.   Often, when one is unable to sleep, the lack of melatonin is the cause which can be remedied through the consumption of a bit of honey rather than by taking sleeping pills.

 

6. An Equalizer that Balances the Body

Most people are unaware that just 27 grams of sugar per day is enough to increase your exposure to harmful disease and bodily ailments by 80%.   That includes being overweight, liver problems, memory problems, digestion problems, heart problems, skin diseases, mouth and throat problems, etc.   Honey, on the other hand, helps to balance the body’s ph so that all hormones function properly. Honey is the great cleanser of the body that helps the body by eliminating harmful bacterias, funguses, plaque, toxins, LDL cholesterol, candida, and harmful bacteria that cause sickness.    Honey, has long been used for its natural properties, which are believed to give good health and mental stability. In the Ayurvedic culture, honey is believed to balance the body, and in the process, improve the well-being of a person. Other practical benefits include weight loss. Yes, you read that correctly – Weight Loss.   Honey protects the stomach from nausea. That’s why the benefits of honey are often used in tandem with other herbal remedies.  Whatever you do, don’t cheat yourself by thinking that honey has the same evil qualities as granulated white sugar, aspartame or High Fructose Corn Syrup.   Unlike these sweeteners, Honey can actually balance the blood sugar levels to improve the body’s health. 

7. Controls Blood Sugar

It is a well-known fact that a large part of the American population suffers from unhealthy levels of blood sugar. This condition is due to the outrageous amount of refined sugars that are part of many processed foods, including junk food, chips, soda, and candy. When the body receives high levels of white refined sugar, it disturbs the body’s optimal levels of blood sugar. However, though honey works as a sweetener like white sugar, it does not increase blood sugar levels, because honey has a sustained release property that helps to control its effects on the blood sugar levels.  This quality makes honey a fantastic alternative to traditional sweeteners.

8. Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti-microbial 

Did you know that if you got a cut on your skin, you can sanitize it with honey.  What do most people do for a cut? Well, they, rush to the bathroom cabinet for some rubbing alcohol, Merthiolate, or other ointments.   Surprisingly, honey is very antibacterial, making it a great alternative to rubbing alcohol. You can apply honey onto the skin to protect it against infection. Likewise, honey can be applied to the face to treat acne and other skin conditions. Moreover, honey is composed mainly of simple sugars, which dry the skin, helping to treat cuts and other ailments.

9. Digestive Assistance

Honey offers the ability to promote proper digestion and optimal intestinal health. That’s because honey is rich in friendly, gut-helping bacteria. This bacteria, known as probiotics,  helps the gut to digest food and protects it against certain diseases. Honey contains lactobacilli as well as bifidobacteria, which, when combined, can significantly improve stomach health. Natural and unfiltered honey boosts the body’s levels of probiotics, making the digestive system more effective in disseminating nutrients throughout the body.  

10. Creates Healthy Skin

Honey is a Godsend for good skin. It improves tightness, moisturizes, and creates radiant, younger-looking skin. Because of its nourishing properties, honey has been used for a long time as a skin treatment.  People with wrinkly skin can apply honey as a face mask. Its binding capabilities can help to reduce signs of aging. Moreover, Honey can help reduce blemishes. Best of all, the antibacterial benefits of honey fight acne, eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff.  

11. Increased Libido

Symptoms of low Libido include a lack of sexual desire, low ability to maintain an erection, low desire to communicate with your spouse or members of the opposite sex.  Couples, where one of the partners has a low libido, are more prone to one partner turning on the other. Excessive stress will more easily break a couple apart if the gluing effects of a strong libido are not there.  Couples with low libido, tend to oppose each other rather than uniting together. Couples can easily see when this happens and they seek help from therapists, doctors, and psychologists. Fortunately, God has blessed us with honey.   Research has shown that when men consume more honey, they produce more testosterone naturally. When women consume honey, they produce more estrogen and progesterone. Honey is a natural Aphrodisiac and improves the feelings of desire for members of the opposite sex.  

12 Cleansing of the Blood (hangovers)

Honey that is raw and unpasteurized is able to assist the liver in removing toxins or in oxidizing alcohol from the blood.  This means quicker relief from hangovers, headaches, nausea, and physical illness. Just take a spoonful of honey and mix it in a cup of milk and drink it down.   You will feel good as new in just a couple of hours.  

13. Managing Acne

Many people believe that since sugar causes acne, then Honey will do the same thing.   The truth is, that Honey cures acne rather than causes it. Research shows that adding honey to one’s diet lessens the intensity and the duration of an acne break out.   Honey contains “humectants” which when placed on the skin, will eliminate the bacteria that cause acne. Simply rub some honey on your skin and leave it there for about an hour before washing it off with warm water, and honey will work its effects on your skin.   The acne-causing bacteria will be killed off, the pusses etc will be dried up and the sores will dissipate and will prevent the spread of acne to other parts of the body. Placing honey on your face at night will help to reduce the natural oils that can plug up the pores of the skin and cause acne and blackheads.  

14 Acid Reflux

Acid reflux and heartburn damage the sensitive tissues of the esophagus.  Honey can help to protect the sensitive tissues from further damage and can also prevent infections or ulcerations.    Additionally, honey can assist in the digestion of the stomach and help prevent the causes of Acid reflux and heartburn.   For the sufferer, it can greatly relieve the pain from such Acid reflux. 

15 Hair and Scalp

If your hair looks dull and unhealthy, or if you have dandruff problems, simply mix two tablespoons with a cup of milk and wash your hair with it.  Be sure to rub it into your scalp. The honey will disinfect your scalp and revitalize your hair without the harmful chemicals used in shampoos that contain parabens and other harmful chemicals. Honey has been used as long as records exist to show that people have been treating their hair, skin, and scalp with honey to cure ailments. 

16. Burns and Cuts

The anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-fungal, antibacterial properties of raw unpasteurized honey can sterilize wounds, burns, and cuts.   The ancient Greeks actually used honey for an antiseptic for treatment of cuts. Additionally, honey will prevent the onset of infection to the wound.   It will help reduce the pain in burns as well as cuts. Most importantly, when honey is applied to the wound, it accelerates the healing process. Simply apply honey directly to the wound and cover it with a bandage.   Change the dressing on the wound once or twice a day.   

Summation

After deciding to include honey in your diet, remember to seek raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized honey.   Remember, just because the label says that honey is organic, that does not necessarily mean that it is raw, unfiltered honey.   If you want to get the benefit of honey, you have to use the unaltered form of honey. Honey with other ingredients such as High Fructose Corn Syrup, which in some cases can be added to the honey without being required to be posted on the ingredients label, can greatly reduce the benefits of honey.   The best-case scenario is to find a local honey producer that will sell you, raw honey. The locally produced honey will have greater properties to help resist the allergens in the air. In any case, take the time to find a honey source or produce your own honey in your backyard. It will be well worth your trouble.