What is Manuka Honey?
Manuka Honey is produced by bees that utilize the nectar of the flowers that grow on the Manuka plant (indigenous to New Zealand) also known as the Manuka tea tree.
What makes Manuka Honey different than ordinary honey?
All types of honey have some levels of healing properties. The differences between honeys are predicated on the plant-derived, floral nectar component used by the bees that produce it. Honey produced by bees that use the nectar of the Manuka flower contains far more healing properties than any other type of honey in the world. In addition, most Manuka Honey is raw and unprocessed. Most ordinary honey is heated and pasteurized so that it can flow easily through tubes during the packaging process. Most of the healing properties are destroyed when exposed to extreme heat. Raw honey contains live enzymes whereas processed honey is dead. Manuka Honey also contains more vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants than other types of honey.
What are the benefits of using Manuka Honey?
Manuka Honey is naturally antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic. Since so many health complications are caused by some type of harmful, infectious microorganism, Manuka Honey can be used to treat conditions caused by bacteria, virus, fungus or parasite. For reasons that have not yet been discovered, Manuka Honey only seems to destroy the harmful bacteria but leaves the good bacteria necessary for normal functioning.
What can Manuka Honey be used for?
When taken orally, Manuka Honey is effective in treating internal conditions such as stomach aches, stomach ulcers, sore throats, strep throat, acid reflux disease, heartburn, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, cold and flu symptoms, etc.
When applied topically to the skin, Manuka Honey is effective in treating external conditions such as infected wounds, burns, eczema, psoriasis, ringworm (and other fungal infections), acne, MRSA Staph infections, pressure sores/bed sores, skin ulcers/diabetic foot ulcers, scars, wrinkles, surgical wounds, etc.
Manuka Honey can also be used to treat gum disease, sinus infections/sinusitis, urinary tract infections, eye infections, ear infections, arthritis, etc. Manuka Honey is particularly recognized for being able to successfully cure infections involving antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria such as MRSA and VRE, even when traditional forms of medicine have failed.
Is all Manuka Honey active and suitable for therapeutic use?
No. In New Zealand, where Manuka Honey is produced, a rating system exists that measures the antibacterial potency of the honey. The UMF rating system goes by a scale from 0 to 30. It’s generally accepted that Manuka Honey with a UMF rating of 10 or higher is considered to be active/medical-grade. Manuka Honey with a UMF rating of 0 through 9 should only be used for food purposes or as a sweetener. The higher the UMF rating, the higher the antibacterial potency. However, Manuka Honey with an extraordinarily high UMF rating is not desirable either (for example UMF 20, 25, 30). Manuka Honey that is overly potent is very rare, ridiculously expensive and completely overkill. In fact, there are reports of some people experiencing sensitivity to overly potent Manuka Honey, in the form of a burning or stinging sensation. The recommended potency for most applications is between UMF 10 and 16. UMF is an acronym for Unique Manuka Factor which refers to the antibacterial compound found in Manuka Honey.
Are there any downsides to using Manuka Honey for medicinal purposes?
Manuka Honey has been found to have no negative side effects. Even though Manuka Honey is a better sweetening alternative for diabetics than table sugar, they should still ingest it in moderation. Honey of any kind should not be fed to infants under the age of 12 months old, because of the presence of botulism spores.
Can Manuka Honey be used as a dietary supplement?
Manuka Honey contains less calories than table sugar and is processed in the body more efficiently. Because it’s packed with vitamins and antioxidants, it can also help to boost the immune system. Most people who take Manuka Honey on a regular basis find that they rarely get sick. Manuka Honey can also be an excellent energy booster. Table sugar is comprised mostly of sucrose, whereas Manuka Honey is comprised primarily of glucose and fructose. Sucrose has a tendency to spike blood sugar. However, Manuka Honey tends to stabilize blood sugar. The body uses the glucose for energy first. Once the glucose is done being used, the fructose is then converted to glucose and used to sustain energy longer.
If Manuka Honey has high sugar content, can it cause cavities or gum disease?
People think that sugar causes tooth decay and gum disease, but it is actually bacteria that does. Granted, bacteria feed on sugar and the more sugar there is in the mouth, the more bacteria will form. However, Manuka Honey contains such powerful antibacterial properties, that it destroys any bacteria present in the mouth that would normally cause tooth decay, gum disease or even bad breath.
Why is Manuka Honey so effective in treating wounds?
Manuka Honey contains powerful antibacterial properties that are effective in eliminating bacteria in a wound that may be causing infection, preventing the wound to heal. Manuka Honey also contains anti-inflammatory properties that help to relieve any pain associated with the wound. It has been known to form a moist healing environment which allows the scab to lift naturally off the surface of the wound. This, in turn, allows the newly forming skin to regrow flush with the surface of the skin, rather than below the scab, which would under normal circumstances, create deformity or scarring. The moist healing environment created by Manuka Honey also allows wound dressings to be changed without tearing off newly formed skin. Manuka Honey also has the ability to repair damaged skin and regenerate new skin growth at a faster rate than usual.
Can Manuka Honey also be used for cosmetic purposes?
Manuka Honey is considered to be a humectant, which means it has the ability to draw moisture from the atmosphere and lock it into skin cells. This makes it a desirable ingredient to use in cosmetic products. From an anti-aging perspective, Manuka Honey has been found to increase the production of collagen fibers and improve upon the elasticity of the skin. This visibly reduces the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging. Manuka Honey also protects the skin from free radical damage which is also another cause of aging.
How do you use Manuka Honey?
For internal use, it is recommended that one teaspoon of Manuka Honey be taken before breakfast, lunch and dinner and maybe even a fourth time before bed. If taking Manuka Honey orally off a spoon is not desirable, it can be spread on a piece of bread or toast. For maintenance purposes, one teaspoon per day is fine. For external use, Manuka Honey should be applied directly to the affected area, 1-2 times per day. If the affected area is in a location that can be easily smeared off, place the Manuka Honey on a bandage and then apply the bandage directly to the affected area. To avoid the sticky mess associated with using Manuka Honey topically, it is recommended to use a skin care product that contains Manuka Honey.
For more information or to purchase Manuka Honey, call 1-866-427-7329 or visit www.HoneymarkProducts.com.
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