You Sick-o! (Try taking honey!)

It's that time of year again.  The time of year when you or the kids are always catching something from somebody or somewhere.  And to compound the issue, it's drier and there's more dander and dust floating around than ever.

Or maybe you just have some skin issue that you can't seem to clear up, or a wound of some kind that just doesn't seem to respond to traditional treatment.

I am not a doctor, and am not offering medical advice.  But, did you know there are lots of medicinal uses for honey? The uses for honey are endless, so we'll just discuss a few of the natural uses for honey in remedies of some more common ailments.

Sore thoats - try 2 t honey, 2 t lemon in a cup of hot water. Some folks are known to simply take the honey by itself and says it works as well as any sore throat medicine.

Sinus conditions - using hot water, add honey.  Put a towel over your head and breathe in the vapors.  If sinus problems are caused from allergies, eating 1 to 2 t of honey per day straight from the jar should help to "immunize" you against hay fever, ragweed, etc. Better yet, chewing the actual honeycomb may provide more immediate relief.

Upset tummies - try the above tea, adding a few slices of fresh ginger.

Burns, wounds - freely apply honey to any wound including burns, cuts, even diaper rashes.  Reapply as needed. Can cover with bandage.  Bacteria can not grow in honey, and this application is soothing, non-toxic, sterile and cheap. This is effective with animals as well.

Skin issues - try a paste of 2 t honey and 1 t cinnamon.  Apply to face for up to 30 minutes before washing off with warm water.  Reapply daily as necessary.

Dry winter skin - using 1 T of olive oil, mix in 1 T honey.  Apply small amount directly to skin, rubbing gently in.  Can leave it on if you haven't applied too much. :-) (otherwise, you will stick to your bedsheets!) Try some Vitamin E in the mix as well.

Propolis, which is the resin from certain tree buds that the bees use for cementing and caulking in their hives, is also interchangeable with the honey for skin conditions, burns and wounds.

 If you are interested in knowing more about apitherapy, which uses actual bee stings (bee venom therapy) see http://www.apitherapy.org/ for testimonials and courses/conferences near you. I, for one, can attest to the power of a bee sting on bursitis!

Note: Children under the age of 1 should not be given honey.  Please check with your doctor for serious health conditions.