honey

God gave us a wonderful gift in honey! Full of antioxidants, honey provides energy and healing power! In fact, one study showed that daily consumption of honey led to improved blood antioxidant levels (as noted in Healing Food by Micheal Murray, N.D., page 650).

Honey is a great natural sweetener and also beneficial when applied to the skin topically.

Once I started researching honey, I was astounded by how many uses it has!

The best honey is raw honey. In her book, 10 Essential Herbs, Lalitha Thomas states thatpure raw honey is:

• an antiseptic
• an emollient
• a preservative
• soothing
• encourages the growth of new skin when used externally
• and more!

The following are 10 simple ways to use honey in your food and on your skin:

1. Toast spread with ricotta and drizzled with honey makes a delicious breakfast or snack.

2. Whip up homemade salad dressing in minutes by pouring equal parts honey, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil into a jar, closing tightly with a lid and shaking to mix. Add herbs and salt to taste if desired.

3. Make my favorite peanut butter! (Seriously, the addition of a few tablespoons of honey to the mix makes this peanut butter the best I’ve ever tasted!)

4. Make Chocolate Coconut Oat Bars. Mmmm chocolate! Need I say more?

5. Use as a subtitle for sugar in herbal tea. I have also read that honey’s enzymes and trace minerals boost the effectiveness of the herbs it is mixed with

6. Give yourself a honey facial. 
With your fingers, gently rub honey into dry skin (make sure your hair is out of the way). Continue to rub in a circular motion (or any which way, it doesn’t really matter). Wash off with warm water and a clean wash cloth. You’ll be glowing!

7. Apply honey to burns to relieve pain and promote healing. Honey’s anti-microbial properties heal keep infection at bay.

8. When sick, add raw minced garlic to a teaspoon of honey and swallow it down! Sounds horrible, I know. But is a good way to get the healing power of garlic and honey into the body quickly.

9. Give yourself a hair treatment: Massage 1/2 cup of honey into your hair and let sit for 20 minutes (put on a shower cap, plastic bag or wrap with saran wrap, if desired). Shampoo and condition as usual.
(Just a little secret side note – I have honey on my hair as I write this! hee!)

10. Mix powdered herbs with honey to make a quick paste that can be applied topically or taken internally by the spoonful (or mixed with warm water).

Honey works for me!

What did I miss? What have you heard about honey? How do you like to use honey?

Don’t give honey to children under 12 months of age.