While chatting to someone the other day about natural remedies for common ailments, the subjects of coughs came up and I mentioned honey being great for a sore throat or tickly cough. She replied with “doesn’t everyone know that, it’s common knowledge”.
We then talked some more and realised that although people say it or mention it, how many of us actually use it as an alternative to cough medicine. We may mix it with hot water and lemon juice (which I might add is a great hot toddy to have if feeling ill), however, I want to make people aware that honey can be used instead of cough medicine. Just a small teaspoon of honey, swallowed slowly when you have that constant tickle in your throat, or really sore throat, can help to alleviate your discomfort.
Honey is naturally antiseptic, antioxidant and has cleansing properties for our body. And you may have heard about the wonderful Manuka honey (and yes, this is the super hero of honeys), but it comes with a hefty price tag because it has super antibacterial properties, but if you have a cough then normal honey is a pretty good much cheaper substitute.
And lastly, I have no idea if this works, or there is any science behind it, but I like the idea of it. Eating local honey, as local as you can find, apparently may be beneficial to hay fever sufferers as it supposedly introduces the body to the local pollens.
Whether that is true or not, supporting local producers and minimizing food miles is no bad thing, and what better than eating a product that is made by a bee that might have visited flowers in your garden.
Chase Health Foods in Aldridge supplies a range of local honeys, organic honey’s and Manuka honey, all of which are not only great for our health but yummy too! If its good enough for Winnie-the-pooh then it’s good enough for me.
Click here to find out more about Shirley Harvey Homoeopath.
