Manuka Honey for Pressure Sores and Skin Ulcers

Ancient Egyptians used honey regularly for medical purposes. Aristotle described its use in medicine as did the Greek physician Dioscorides. Honey is now being used again to treat wounds, including pressure sores and skin ulcers. Manuka honey is a premium honey produced in New Zealand by bees that utilize the nectar from the flowers of the Manuka bush. It is this nectar that contains unique healing properties not found anywhere else.

Due to its high sugar content, Manuka honey is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts water to itself. Bacteria need water to survive and the deprivation of water is one of the reasons for its antibacterial effect. Manuka Honey also retains its microbial activity even after it has been diluted to a level at which it is no longer able to attract water to itself. In fact, it becomes more effective.

When diluted, honey produces hydrogen peroxide, which can be used as a wound cleanser and disinfectant. The amount of hydrogen peroxide produced by honey is strong enough to kill bacteria but low enough not to damage skin tissue. In addition to its ability to produce hydrogen peroxide in a slow-release manner, Manuka Honey also contains other antibacterial compounds, such as methylglyoxal and UMF, which contributor to its effectiveness in treating chronic wounds.

Applying Manuka honey to a wound offers benefits in addition to the hygroscopic and antibacterial effects. The lymphocytes (white blood cells) which fight infections are stimulated by Manuka honey. B lymphocytes make antibodies which fight the toxins produced by bacteria. T lymphocytes attack body cells which have been invaded by viruses or cancer. These both increase rapidly at Manuka honey concentrations as low as 0.1%, and phagocytes, which ingest bacteria, are stimulated in concentrations as low as 1%.

Manuka honey also has phytochemical actions (plant chemicals which can protect against or prevent disease). Using it on sores and topical ulcers seem to work, even when traditional methods fail. To treat these types of wounds, Manuka Honey (or wound care products containing Manuka Honey) should be applied directly to the affected area. It is best to apply the honey to a gauze or bandage and then cover the affected area with the Manuka Honey dressing. This keeps the Manuka Honey in place. Regular applications of Manuka Honey on wounds will yield positive results. Manuka Honey can also be used safely and effectively on animals.

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

A Cure for MRSA

Honeymark International, a manufacturer of advanced skin care products, has announced that its wound care product, First Aid Antiseptic Lotion (Wound & Burn Dressing with Active Manuka Honey), significantly reduces the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in wounds.

MRSA continues to plague hospitals, schools and communities by killing thousands of people each year. The number of hospital admissions for MRSA has significantly increased over the past decade (1000% increase since 1995). It is estimated that 53 million people carrying MRSA. This resilient bacterium is resistant to common antibiotics such as methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin and oxacillin. It is also expected that MRSA will quickly become resistant to new antibiotics as well. Historically, MRSA has been most common among people with weak immune systems living in hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. However, it has become a problem in healthy people, increasing the number of reported cases of community-acquired MRSA.

It has been reported that MRSA, which is now reaching beyond the walls of hospitals and nursing homes into the general community, claims more lives than AIDS in some countries. That's why products such as Honeymark's First Aid Antiseptic Lotion are being viewed as a valuable alternative to antibiotics. In addition to eradicate MRSA, Honeymark's First Aid Antiseptic Lotion also helps wounds heal faster. When treating wounds or skin ulcers, the effectiveness of Active Manuka Honey in eliminating MRSA and healing Staph infections is a positive finding that has encouraging implications for wound management and infection control.

In addition to the increase in MRSA, the need for more advanced wound care solutions is being driven by an aging population as well as the rise in diabetes and chronic vascular disorders. It is also expected that more mutated, antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria will begin to emerge in the future. Recent market research suggests an increase in the need for Manuka honey-based dressings because of their effectiveness in healing wounds as well as bacteria's inability to develop a resistance to Manuka Honey.

Even though most doctors usually prefer pharmaceuticals over natural alternatives, MRSA's ability to defeat antibiotics has left the medical industry with no choice other than to take Manuka Honey products seriously. At a time when consumers are becoming more educated on the negative health effects of synthetic pharmaceutical ingredients and gaining interest in all-natural products, Honeymark is capitalizing on the astounding health benefits of Manuka Honey. To date, there has been no reports of any negative side effects to using Manuka Honey for medical purposes.

"Manuka Honey attacks bacteria in a different manner in which antibiotics do," says Frank Buonanotte, CEO of Honeymark International. "Manuka Honey's osmotic action has to draw moisture out of the bacteria, making it impossible for them to survive. This is why MRSA and other hard-to-kill bacteria will never be able to develop a resistance to it."

For more information or to purchase Honeymark's Fist Aid Antiseptic Lotion, call 1-866-427-7329 or visit www.HoneymarkProducts.com.