Manuka Honey
This spotlight goes out to one of the best medicinal foods I know: manuka honey.
Manuka honey comes from bees that have pollenated the tea tree- a plant native to Australia and New Zealand. The tea tree holds potent antibacterial qualities (hence why tea tree oil is so effective against acne). As manuka honey comes from the tea tree it too holds antibacterial properties. Manuka honey is a great natural medicine for a wide array of issues including cuts, burns, colds, throat infections and acne. Here are some ways to use this honey:
1) When I feel signs of a cold heading my way I immediately turn to this honey. I take a small spoonful in the morning and evening that soothes my throat and helps my body fight off the cold.
2) Manuka honey can help boost the bodies immune system. Having a spoonful regularly can aid in your bodies defense of colds and infections, making it a wonderful natural preventive tool.
3) Manuka honey can be used externally. I rub a little onto my skin to aid in the healing of cuts and burns.
4) Great as an ingredient in a homemade face mask, particularly for acne prone skin due to its antibacterial qualities. I like to mash a small amount of avocado or banana with a scoop of this honey, or mix it with kaolin or bentonite clay powder then leave on my face for 10-15 mins before washing off. This leaves my skin glowing and healthy.
It is good to pay attention to the ratings of manuka honey as this will determine the products medicinal strength. There are various rating systems such as K-factor, UMF etc and it can all get quite confusing. I find this link useful as it provides a chart outlining what rating to look for in the various rating systems to ensure you are purchasing high quality manuka honey. If you scroll down to the very bottom of the page you will find the chart.