Honey is one of our favorite sweeteners, serving as a natural alternative to refined sugar. But did you know that local honey also has a host of health benefits? In addition to being tasty, raw honey is a powerful antioxidant, containing several medicinal substances that humans have used for millennia. As cold and flu season approaches, find out how local honey can go a long way toward keeping you and your family healthy through homeopathy in Springfield Missouri.
Choosing The Right Honey
Let’s be clear: Not all honey is created equal. The honey you see in the supermarket is likely imported filtered, pasteurized and homogenized almost beyond recognition. This process kills the valuable nutrients in raw honey, often adding water and sweeteners in their place. If you’re looking to stock up on nutrient-rich honey, local honey is the way to go.
Start by heading to your local farmers’ market to sample a few raw honey varietals. Keep in mind that honey can contain bacteria spores which, while harmless for adults, can make infants under one year old sick. Avoid giving infants honey until they’re at least one year old – at that point, your little one’s digestive system will have had a chance to mature.
Honey for Allergy Relief
Allergy relief is probably the most popular use for raw, local honey. The idea is that, by ingesting the local pollen contained within local honey, you become desensitized to the pollen over time. That, in turn, eases allergy symptoms. Although local honey may not be enough for individuals with serious allergies, there’s a product you can add for additional relief: Natural D-Hist, an Ortho-Molecular product that goes a long way to protect you from seasonal allergies.
Natural D-Hist provides a strong cellular defense against stray allergens that may infiltrate your system during peak allergy season. Natural D-Hist is a targeted blend of flavonoids, antioxidants, proteolytic enzymes and botanicals, all of which provide comprehensive support for seasonal challenges caused by common environmental allergens. Some of the active ingredients include quercetin, bromelain, stinging nettles leaf and N-acetyl cysteine, all of which promote healthy nasal and sinus passages for individuals with elevated histamine and respiratory irritation.
Other Benefits of Honey
Honey offers a wide variety of benefits outside of allergy relief through homeopathy. Honey’s antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant properties give it several other key benefits:
- Immune system benefits: Honey can boost production of immune cells to keep your immune system strong and healthy during cold and flu season.
- Cold and flu relief: If your little one comes down with a cold, you might encounter some frustration in the pharmacy aisle. A lot of over-the-counter cough medications aren’t recommended for children under the age of four, making it difficult when you and your child are losing sleep due to their coughing. A simple spoonful of honey can coat their throats and soothe their cough, reducing sinus pressure at the same time.
- Digestive benefits: Honey is a great digestive aid, acting as a mild laxative and helping with indigestion, bloating and gas.
- Topical healing: You can also utilize natural honey as a topical homeopathic ointment. Because of its antibacterial and antiseptic properties, you can use raw honey on cuts, scrapes or mild burns to keep infection down and promote healing.
Whether you’re struggling with seasonal allergies or just want a healthy, nutrient-rich alternative to refined sugars, local honey is something every parent should keep in their pantry. Combined with allergy support supplements like Natural D-Hist – which you can pick up at our office – honey is a great way to keep your family healthy during cold and flu season.
If you have more concerns about allergies or the benefits of local honey, reach out to Kare Health and Wellness in Springfield, Missouri at 417-881-4994. Our goal is twofold: to improve your immediate health and prevent future health issues through functional medicine.
