Honey
“And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”
Matthew 3:4 KJV
Food, Medicine & Natural Preservative
Honey is a sweet, tasty gift of nutrition and medicine from our Creator. In addition to its medicinal and nutritional properties, Honey also has a very long shelf life. Honey is a natural preservative and a great option for preserving herbs. Some of my favorite herbal honey combinations are ginger, lemon, eucalyptus and pine needle.
I like to keep jars of Fermented Garlic Honey and Fermented Onion Honey on hand. Both can be used as dressings on food or taken by the spoonful as a natural antibiotic or cough syrup. Since our boys were little, a spoonful of Honey and Cayenne Pepper has been my go to for relief and healing of sore throats.
Here are some interesting facts about how honey is made from the book The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies:
“Honey is made by bees. It is made up of concentrated flower nectar that bees break down into simple sugars using an enzyme in their salivary glands {invertase}. It is then deposited into honeycomb for long-term storage. Honey contains many medicinal qualities taken from the flower. Once the honey has been cooked or diluted, these properties may no longer exist in beneficial quantities. I prefer to use undiluted raw honey, as it contains pollen and parts of the waxen honeycomb in addition to the honey itself. Honey has a rich medicinal history. It has been used since ancient times for the dressing of wounds and as a cough suppressant.”
“My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.”
Proverbs 23:13-14 KJV
Burn Paste
Another way that we use honey is for burns. Last year I accidentally spilled boiling hot water on the left side of my upper body. The scorching heat went right through my clothes and caused a severe burn to my skin. In combination with Aloe and Ice, I placed Burn Paste directly on the burn day and night and held it in place with a cotton flannel and secured it with an ace bandage. The burn paste provided instant relief from the pain and helped to significantly speed up the healing time.
Here is the Burn Paste recipe that I used from the book Herbal Home Healthcare:
“The following Burn Paste formula can be used for the mildest to the most severe third-degree burns with assurance of healing, if used as instructed. This paste has been used by hundreds of people with great success, and is made as follows. Mix equal parts of raw liquid honey, wheat germ oil and comfrey. The comfrey can be chopped or powdered, fresh or dried leaf or root, or in the Complete Tissue and Bone Formula (powdered form). When the mixture is the consistency of a heavy spreadable paste, it is ready for use. If it is too thick to spread add a little more wheat germ oil. Apply it a half-inch thick or more over the entire area that has been burned, scalded, etc. Cover with something that won't stick such as clean fresh blanched (submerge in boiled water for one minute, remove and cool) burdock leaves or red lettuce, or spinach or any soft pliable leaves and then gently wrap with guaze, or cloth. Observe the burned area from day to day. If paste has been absorbed, add more on top of the application. Do not remove the original paste application; just add to it as it is absorbed into the skin. This paste will keep well for many months at room temperature if kept in a tightly closed jar. Always have it on hand for emergencies. You may want to carry a small jar on trips in case of emergencies.
Honey the Wonder Drug?
Here are some other medical actions of honey from, The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia:
“Deal with Diarrhea naturally. If it seems like your spending more time in the bathroom than out if it, find relief right in your pantry. Kill the bacteria that cause diarrhea by mixing three teaspoons of honey with 10 ounces of water. You’ll soothe your stomach and bash that bloated, cramped feeling.”
“Honey may seem like a “wonder drug” for diarrhea, but thats not all it can fix. Check out these other honey therapies.
Perfect for minor cuts, burns and emergency first aid, a little dab of honey can protect you from infection, scarring and swelling.
To relieve your sneezing and wheezing from allergies and asthma, try eating a daily tablespoon of locally produced honey. Your immune system will become used to the local pollen in it and won’t kick into overdrive.
If you suffer from insomnia, honest boosts a chemical that calms you down and helps you sleep.”
“After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion. He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating.”
Judges 14:8-9 KJV
Unfortunately, not all Honey on the market today is the real deal. Some beekeepers feed their bees sugar and or dilute their honey and use pesticides and insecticides in the growing process. To reap the medicinal benefits, look for pure, raw honey from a trusted source.
I am always on the hunt for good quality genuine raw honey! A few years ago, My husband and I took a trip to Indiana. While driving through Tennessee, we stopped and bought some local honey from a company called Tennessee Artisan Honey. I loved the honey so much I have continued to order it online. I really appreciate the quality of the honey as well as the mindful growing practices of the company. What makes this honey extra special in my opinion, is that it is grown in an area of the Appalachian Mountains which are free from commercial farming and pesticide spraying. Tennessee Artisan Honey https://queenbeepollinators.com/index.html
“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
Proverbs 19:19-10 KJV
Final Thoughts
Honey supplies us with food, medicine and is a versatile natural resource. Honey is very nutritious and contains preservative properties. It maintains a long shelf life making it the perfect survival provision.
Just as with any natural medicine, the medicinal actions of honey work best along side a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet, one without processed or mucus forming foods. A healthful diet includes plenty of nutrient dense plant foods and good quality water.
