Why honey is good for health

Honey is a sweet liquid produced by honey bees using nectar from flowers through a process of regurgitation and evaporationOver four thousand years ago, honey was used as a traditional ayurvedic medicine, where it was thought to be effective at treating material imbalances in the body.The possible health benefits of consuming honey have been documented in early Greek, Roman, Vedic, and Islamic texts and the healing qualities of honey were referred to by philosophers and scientists all the way back to ancient times, such as Aristotle (384 - 322 BC) and Aristoxenus (320 BC) Modern science is finding that many of the historical claims that honey can be used in medicine may indeed be true. In the Bible (Old Testament), King Solomon said “My son, eat thou honey, for it is good,” and there are several reasons why it may be good.Dr Josephat Nkurikiye, an internal medicine specialist, says honey helps to soothe sore throats and kill the bacteria that cause the infection. The bacterial properties in it also provide temporary pain relief. It also relieves mild cough and is a great immune-system booster as it can help ward off common colds. He asserts.Acid reflux Prof. Mahantayya V Math, from MGM Medical College, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai, India, writing in the British Medical Journal, said as it is 125.9 more viscous than distilled water at 37 Celsius (body temperature), honey may be helpful in preventing Gastro esophageal reflux.Healing wounds and burns There have been some cases in which people have reported positive effects of honey in treating wounds. When a borderline diabetic with recurring cellulites and staph infections tried taking antibiotics for months, but the symptoms persisted, he was advised to try applying honey. It was like a miracle sure. Honey treats allergiesThere is some research to suggest that honey may be useful in minimizing seasonal allergies. The Guardian reported that honey even “beats cough medicine” at alleviating and reducing the frequency of cough. It’s a lot better than having to put oral antibiotics into your system.Fighting infectionsIn 2010, scientists from the Academic Medical Centre at the University of Amsterdam reported in Faseb Journal that honey’s ability to kill bacteria lies in a protein called defensin-1A study published in the journal microbiology also revealed that honey is effective at treating chronic wound infections and may even prevent them from developing in the first place. The study said honey and other honeys have been known to have wound healing and anti-bacterial properties for some time. But the way in which they act is still not known. The scientists said: “If we can discover exactly how honey inhibits anti-bacterial agent, it could be used more frequently as a first-line treatment for infections with bacteria that are resistant to many currently available antibiotics.”