Honey has so many beneficial properties that it is hard to start writing about it.
One caution, don’t give honey to kids under one year old. Honey has botulinum endospores: bacteria spores. A baby’s digestive tract cannot kill these spores and the little tick can get botulism. yuck!
So good! More for us grow ups over one year old.
Bees gather nectar in their honey stomachs, that nectar is passed to another bees that chew the honey with enzymes. The honey is spread around the hive where the water evaporates. Finished honey is sealed in honey cells until eaten by bees as needed.
Honey has been used in medicine since ancient times. Before the age of pharmacology in the 20th century honey was a major ingredient in most medicines.
A study at University of Pennsylvania found that plain honey was more effective against coughs than a honey-flavored dextromethorphan cough syrup.
Here is link,
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyid=2007-12-03T215021Z_01_WRI378511_RTRUKOC_0_US-HONEY-EASES-NIGHTTIME-COUGH.xml
Honey spread on burns and wounds is an old practice. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and soothing effects.
On a wound honey produces hydrogen peroxide, which is thought to contribute to its antibacterial effects.
Bert’s Bees Wax uses honey skin creams.
I have my own skin perpetration that uses honey. The honey from the farmer’s market is the best. Uncooked and unfiltered has the most beneficial properties.
Here is a skin lotion I use every day on my face:
2 teaspoons sweet uncooked almond oil
One teaspoon food grade rose water, from the Indian spice store.
And two large drops of honey.
That’s it.
Don’t worry too much about the proportions. But too much honey makes the preparation sticky on one’s skin. Ok it is still honey.
If you have any left over you can drink it.