Ancient Egyptians cherished honey and they offered the liquid gold to their Gods. Moreover, they buried their deceased royalty with jars of it. This would ease their transition to the afterlife. They attached extraordinary spiritual and religious significance to honey bees. Importantly, they associated these insects with royalty. In addition, pottery from 7000 B.C. had a beeswax cover. The wax provided waterproof coating.
Subsequently, the Egyptians followed the lead of the Romans, Greeks and Chinese. Above all, they used the liquid gold for medicinal purposes. For example, the ancient Chinese used it to make a fermented drink. In the same vein, Romans and Greeks treated everything from flesh wounds to stomach ailments with it. Equally important, even today, people tout this sweet treat for its healing properties.
The antibacterial properties of honey
Honey bees use an enzyme, glucose oxidase, to break the glucose down into hydrogen peroxide. This makes the honey naturally acidic. A acidic environment doesn’t support bacteria and other pathogens. The consistency and chemistry of make it an excellent topical antibiotic. It provides a perfect barrier to outside infection while providing a moist environment. This allows the wound to heal itself. It is also a proven effective treatment against antibiotic-resistant staph, salmonella and e.coli.
Heals and soothes burns
Honey is not the recommended treatment for moderately severe burns. However, immerse any mild burn in cold water. Coat the burn to soothe the pain and heal the skin. Similarly, it is an effective topical ointment to remedy any inflamed skin.
Aids recovery from intestinal parasites
Potent treatment is required to rid you of giardia, tapeworm or other intestinal parasites. However, honey can play a role during recovery. The Journal of Medicinal Food reported on a study conducted in 2007. It suggested that poop samples could be cleared of parasites by a mixture of papaya seeds and honey.
Honey makes excellent cough syrup
There is an endless list of methods suggested to take it for the treatment of a hacking cough. From mixing it with lemon, whiskey, tea to a straight spoonful. The honey is the vital ingredient and not the mix. The journal, BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, published a review of an August 2020 study. The study supports its healing power. The review shows that treating upper respiratory illness symptoms, sore throats and coughs with honey might be more effective than other treatments and antibiotics. Moreover, the 2020 National Institutes of Health studies linked it to better sleep for children. This was observed after honey-treatment of coughs in children.
There are other claims of the miraculous healing power of honey. Included are the prevention of heart disease and cancer. Some believe it can reduce ulcers and regulate blood sugar. Some claim it can increase athletic performance and ease digestive problems. However, more studies are necessary to support such claims.
Important warning
Honey contains botulism spores and other contaminants. The digestives system of children under one year old can’t handle those contaminants. Therefore, never feed it to such a young child.
