Photo by Art Rachen/Unsplashed
When I hear a hard-to-believe story or theory, I check with Snopes to see if it is real. And when someone tells me about a miracle cure, I search for lab studies that back up the claim.
But when it comes to honey, I love hearing the opinions and experiences of regular folks. A belief that has not been tested in a laboratory can still be valid.
While waiting for a friend at a coffee shop, a cheerful man at the next table wearing a Vietnam veteran hat started telling me his recipe for good health. Honey. A tablespoon every morning. The man buys expensive manuka honey, which is loaded with healthful properties, but gets it at Costco where the price isn’t as steep.
“I feel great. I have longtime medical issues, but they don’t slow me down. Honey helps many systems in the body. I have a positive mental attitude, too, which honey has played a part in.”
A woman I knew suffered from severe allergies and asthma, year after year. She went from one specialist to another. One doctor advised her to find a source of local honey, which she did. After taking it for a while, she experienced the best spring she could remember.
A man who owns a thriving honey company here said he depends on a spoonful of honey every day for health. He takes his at night.
“Our brains work all night. I want to send my brain nourishment, so I take a spoonful of honey at bedtime. I sleep like a child.”
Here are other testimonials I have heard or read.
A man who had chronic digestive issues since he was a child had tried enzymes and probiotics and all kinds of cures. But honey worked for him, and right away. He felt like a new man within a week.
Several people report that they apply honey to cuts, even deep ones, and the area heals without scarring.
A family that has various ailments, including high cholesterol, diabetes, an anxiety disorder, and high blood pressure enjoys breakfast together, one that is healthful for all of them. Oats cooked with raisins and cinnamon. When it cools slightly, they add honey.
A woman makes sure her 89-year-old mother has a teaspoon of honey three times a day.
Some people report honey aids with weight loss. They say their cravings for sweets went away when they added honey to their diet. Some mix the honey with other ingredients like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or ginger, and subsequently lose weight. Sometimes 20 pounds or so.
Many rely on honey and tea to quiet coughs. When my children were little, our general practitioner told me that no cough medicine from the store could equal honey and hot tea.
I appreciate that prestigious laboratories are studying honey and its health benefits. I’m happy their findings back up what people for centuries have believed—that honey is a boon for humans, because it is delicious, and also contributes to human well-being. Science bolsters honey’s reputation.
Still, you can’t beat a personal story from someone who credits honey for a positive impact on their health. That person is apt to care about bees and their welfare.
1000 Reasons to Love Bees 