Honey -
A Versatile Antibiotic Treatment
If you find yourself in an emergency situation and need to prevent infection in wounds, scrapes, or cuts the best remedy to reach for is pure raw honey. Raw honey is a powerful antiseptic capable of killing microbes directly, according to Cass Igram, D.O. in her book titled How to Survive Disasters with Natural Medicines. She goes on to state, “Microbes are 90% water and this is precisely why honey is so antagonistic to them.” Honey literally drains the water out of bacteria and parasites because of its high potassium levels. Honey works topically as well, speeding the healing of damaged tissue with its vitamins, minerals, sugars, and enzymes.
For centuries, honey has been known and used medicinally. Today it is being remembered for the amazing gift that it is. The following list of uses may surprise you:
Used post operatively to pack wounds, eliminating infections
Draws out pus and secretions, healing cysts, boils, and infected wounds
Treats animal bites, open bed sores and ulcers, burns, and abrasions
Creates less scarring
Treats MRSA and VRE staph infected wounds
Dries out acne
Soothes sore throat from infection or dangerous chemical inhalation
Treats diarrhea illness better than any glucose syrup or prescription
Excels as source of potassium, plus iron, copper, Vitamin C, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and silica
Known as a sedative to the nervous system
Soothes the digestive system, healing gastro-intestinal disorders of the worst kind
In the book, Folk Medicine, by D.C. Jarvis, M.D., you can read of bacteriologist, Dr. W.G. Sackett’s exploration of honey at Colorado Agriculture College. He was a non-believer of honeys ability to destroy bacteria until he put it to the test. Sackett “placed various disease germs in a pure honey medium…Within a few hours’ time, or at most in a few days, each of the disease microorganisms died. The typhoid-fever-producing germs died within forty-eight hours. Germs which caused chronic broncho-pneumonia were dead on the fourth day. Dysentery-producing germs were destroyed in ten hours.” His tests were duplicated by many other bacteriologists, one working for the Bureau of entomology, in Washington D.C., and confirmed in each case.
It is particularly interesting to read of honey used as a remedy against Candida. It is powerful enough to inhibit the growth of yeasts as well as staph and strep. This is fascinating as it is sugars that breed Candida within the body.
“Raw” Honey is what we are looking for as crystal clear, processed honey will offer little assistance toward healing anything. Another reference name might be “unfiltered.” It is unclear why it is ever pasteurized because there are no microbes in honey. Even heating above 130 degrees has been known to kill infection fighting abilities. The act of filtering is also detrimental as it eliminates the pollen which acts as a digestive aid and as an invaluable source of nutrition.
In researching how best to use Honey medicinally consensus appears to be:
External use: After cleaning wound with a sterile saline solution, apply liberally with an applicator or by placing honey directly on gauze pad 2 x daily. Press honey firmly to the wound then secure with tape.
Internal use – For diarrhea it is best to eat nothing but honey and fluids such as broth, juice, and water for first day. Other sources suggest 2 Tb 6x daily or up to ¼ c, 4x daily. Dosage of course is dependent on age and seriousness of condition. Not recommended for babies under one year either.
For sore throat and cough use – 1 to 3 Tb per mug of boiling hot water. Adding the juice of a lemon is also beneficial as it can aid in shifting the body’s PH levels from acid to alkaline.
The most powerful form of honey is known as Manuka honey out of New Zealand (www.manukahoneyusa.com) and is harvested from the flower of the wild, un-cultivated Tea Tree Bush. It is available in many health food stores and whole-foods grocery stores. At their website the price runs $36 for 17.5 oz. or you can buy quantities at a discount. I tried another brand of raw honey from Tropical Traditions. The honey was sourced out of Canada, and we were pleased with both price and value although it was not Manuka honey. To find raw honey one might suggest looking at the local farmers market first as it may still have a touch of the sun that shone yesterday, meaning a greater life force to heal what ails you.
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