Can A Spoonful of Honey Reverse Allergies?
This is a FACT.
As the seasons change, allergy sufferers brace themselves. If you’ve been searching for a natural allergies remedy you might want to consider local honey.
The science is fascinating but the idea is a very simple one.
Despite honey’s long and illustrious history—dating back to the Egyptian’s who used it to treat wounds—the scientific community hasn’t conducted many lab studies that address honey’s many and varied benefits.
Natural Benefits of Pure, Raw Honey
- Antibacterial
- Antiseptic
- Anti-fungal
- Immune system booster
- Increases energy and stamina
- Cough suppressant
Packed with vitamins and minerals—such as assorted B vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc—honey is simply good for you.
Why Local Honey?
Bees in your area collect pollen from flowers indigenous to your location. As they make their delicious honey, a bit of this local flora, including plants, trees, grass, vines and shrubs, finds its way into the end product.
When you eat a spoonful each day, you consume trace amounts of the pollen you’re allergic to in your area and very slowly build up an immunity to them. The more “local” your honey is, the more effective it is likely to be.
Finland’s South Karelia Allergy and Environment Institute conducted a study on the effects of birch pollen honey (BPH) on people suffering from birch pollen allergies. They compared the effects with regular honey.
Both groups saw a 60% drop in allergy symptoms and 70% fewer days of suffering from severe allergy symptoms. In addition, the group given BPH cut its antihistamine use in half.
Those given RH used more antihistamines but still experienced the other benefits. The researchers determined that allergy sufferers given pollen-infused honey before allergy season were better able to control their overall symptoms. Researchers plan to expand their study.
It’s important to realize that the world’s honey bee population is in danger and local honey producers are working to reverse the tide. By buying from bee farmers in your area, you support local enterprise and the honey bee population.
Safe, Natural and Inexpensive
Use honey as a natural allergies remedy and you give your body the chance to fight symptoms naturally by using your own immune system to control reactions to pollen.
Pediatricians agree that honey should never be given to children under one year.
Three Steps to Allergy Treatment
- Living in a Bubble – in other words, staying away from anything and everything you’re allergic to. Though this is the best way to control your allergies with natural allergies remedy, it is often impractical, if not impossible to accomplish. It also blocks your body from other germs and bacteria that your immune system will over time forget how to fight – meaning it will be easier to get sick from many other causes than just what you’re currently allergic to.
- Immune System Therapy – ingesting small amounts of the allergens that affect you eventually helps your immune system build up immunity to your allergies. This treatment does work, and is similar to the teaspoon of honey a day method, but the shots can get expensive if you don’t have insurance.
- Pharmaceuticals – this is the most common treatment for those who suffer from allergies. Drug treatments may take care of the short-term symptoms, but in the long run all they do is block your body from reacting to allergens. That seems like a good thing until you realize these drugs also block your immune system’s ability to react to other non-allergen attacks.
Treating Allergies Naturally and Asthma with Sunshine
Vitamin D deficiency is considered an underlying cause of asthma and allergies. We make vitamin D in our bodies but it lies dormant until activated by sunshine.
Giving yourself safe sun exposure—15 minutes of sunshine at least three days a week before noon—boosts your body’s output of vitamin D and protects from countless conditions and diseases.
Wearing sunscreen blocks your body’s ability to make vitamin D. Exposing your hands and face for 15 minutes is sufficient but if you are unable to handle any exposure to the sun – consider oral vitamin D3 supplements.
Treating Yourself at Home
All natural allergies remedy is always a better option than pharmaceuticals.
Try a daily teaspoon of local honey to strengthen your immune system and track your progress. If you develop a reaction (such as itchy throat) cut the honey amount substantially and build up from there.
It is an inexpensive and natural method, and pretty sweet in the long run.