Honey in the Medicine Cabinet?

Honey has been used for centuries to treat a wide variety of medical conditions such as wounds, burns, skin ulcers and scrapes. Now researchers around the world are finding strong antibacterial and antimicrobial properties in certain types of honey.

Medical professions began taking honey less seriously as a wound dressing when antibiotic dressings were invented during World War II. However, with new research and the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, this old folk remedy is finding its way into new health care products as a medicinal ingredient.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia's equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has approved honey as a medicine. A company based out of Long Island, New York called Honeymark is utilizing a special type of honey called "Manuka Honey" in their health care products and achieving tremendous results. Honeymark has developed health care products that are effective in treating health conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, ringworm and wounds, all containing Manuka Honey as a healing agent.

"Manuka Honey helps wounds in several ways," says Frank Buonanotte, CEO of Honeymark International. "Its thickness provides a protective barrier preventing the wound from becoming infected. Hydrogen peroxide is produced in a slow-release manner, killing germs in the wound bed. Manuka Honey has also been found to reduce inflammation, providing a certain level of reduction in pain." Many studies in both animals and humans have documented these benefits mentioned by Buonanotte.

Researchers have also found special bacteria-killing properties in Manuka Honey made from the nectar of the tea tree (Leptospermum) which is also known as the manuka bush, indigenous to New Zealand. Beekeepers set their hives close to manuka bushes so the bees will gather their nectar. Scientists have found that this particular type of honey is especially effective in destroying MRSA (staphylococcus aureus). "Staph infections sometimes survive the most potent antibiotics, becoming fatal if entered into the bloodstream. However, Manuka Honey has worked in severe cases where nothing else had worked," says Buonanotte.

So far, studies have found no negative side effects when using Manuka Honey for medical purposes. Experts say that infants should not eat honey of any kind because of the risk of botulism. However, the use of Manuka Honey, topically on the skin, presents no health concern.

For more information or to purchase Manuka Honey products, call 1-866-427-7329 or visit www.HoneymarkProducts.com.