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Manuka Honey:
Medicine Chest in a Jar
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I
have been singing the praises of honey for a long, long time. Finally, the scientific research to back up
thousands of years of traditional use has come to the forefront!
I
have been using Manuka honey for nearly ten years, although until about
a year
or two ago, I had to order it from Australia. Our
family has experienced the incredible
power of this honey to speed the healing of cuts and other wounds on a
number
of occasions. We haven’t used any
type
of antibiotic ointment in years, which is good, because by not using
such
agents, one avoids helping create more antibiotic resistant super
bacteria.
Manuka
honey, unique to New Zealand and a
few areas of Australia, is
in
a class of its own. Not only
does it
share all of the wondrous qualities of regular honey, it contains
special
substances, known as Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) which has garnered the
attention of conventional medical communities all over the world. The honey is derived from the flowers of the
Manuka
bush, a type of tea tree plant. Depending on the location and the time
of year,
variations in the chemical makeup of the honey will vary. The UMF
rating
reflects its strength as it relates to antibiotic action.
The less potent varieties are effective for
most medicinal uses, like cuts, bites, minor burns, sore throats,
fungal
infections, gum/mouth sores, peptic ulcers, acid reflux, and so forth.
Here
are some of the special qualities of Manuka honey.
- It contains unique
antibacterial compounds found in no other honey, and which are
unaffected by body enzymes. Dozens of studies published in prestigious
medical journals like Wounds, Journal of Wound Care, and JAMA, have
confirmed the potency, efficacy, and advantages of Manuka honey over
the most advanced therapies and antibiotic drugs.
- It is effective against all known strains of harmful
bacteria, including MRSA and VRE.
Bacteria are unable
to mutate or become resistant to honey. One study looked at over 130
bacterial strains with multiple antibiotic resistances that had been
collected over a time period of 14 years. Manuka honey came out on
top.
- It
has the ability to penetrate deep into tissues, destroying harmful
bacteria and fungi, without causing any damage to healthy tissue.
- It has been shown to
prevent a serious problem with oncological (cancer) laparoscopic
surgery known as Tumor Implantation (TI) in which cancer cells
“ride” out of the body on surgical equipment and implant at
the wound site.
- Over 20 studies have shown
it can destroy the helicobacter pylori bacteria responsible for peptic
ulcers. Digestive enzymes do not harm the honey’s beneficial
compounds.
- Studies have
demonstrated that it promotes rapid healing with minimal scarring of
even the worst wounds, including third degree burns and amputations,
and those of diabetics.
One
British team that published its review of 18 studies concluded, "the
use of honey in the surgical wards is highly recommended and patients
about to
undergo surgery should ask their surgeons if they could apply honey to
their
wounds post-operation". (International J Clinical
Practice. 2007; 61 (10:1705-1707)
Results
in burn care have been equally impressive. The
honey maintains the perfect levels of pH
and skin moisture, and so prevents
the formation of hard scar-causing scabs. The honey’s fructose
and water
creates osmotic pressure that promotes an outflow of body fluids
containing
nutrients which help speed healing. Natural and complete debridement
occurs
painlessly, and wound debris such as dirt or grit is also painlessly
expelled
from wounds. Dressing changes occur with little to no pain or
disturbance of
new skin tissue, and less skin grafting is necessary when honey is used.
One
last but important note: Medical supply
companies are now selling Manuka honey bandages for hundreds of dollars
per box
($10 for a single band-aid!). You can
expect to pay about $25 locally for a jar of quality Manuka honey,
which is
enough for hundreds of applications using your own bandages.
For
more fascinating information about the wonders of all types of honey,
please
visit my website, and go to the Newsletter link for the May 2009 honey
and bee issue.
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