Stories By Ikenna Nwosu
10
health benefits of taking honey
There is something undeniably enchanting about honey; the product of flower nectar transformed by bees, as if by alchemy – but in fact through the far less-poetic act of regurgitation – into a sweet, golden elixir. Honey has held sway over humans since ancient times.
But aside from honey’s seductive color and flavor, it has some scientific super-powers that add to its appeal. Honey has an unusual chemical composition, one which makes it keep indefinitely without spoiling; as is seen whenever ancient pots of honey, still perfectly preserved, are found during excavations of early Egyptian tombs. It is uniquely low in moisture and extremely acidic, making it a forbidding environment for bacteria and microorganisms. On top of that, bees add an enzyme, glucose oxidase, to it that creates hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct. According to experts, honey is hygroscopic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and has remarkable debriding action.
With this bonanza of properties, honey has been used for millennia as a medicinal remedy. As experts also say, that the earliest recorded use of honey as a curative came from Sumerian clay tablets, which conveyed that honey was used in 30 percent of prescriptions at the time. The ancient Egyptians used honey regularly to treat skin and eye problems; as did the Greeks, Romans, and a number of other cultures.
Ever since, along with being a favored gift to the gods and employed for sweetening cakes and drinks, honey has been used to treat that which ails us. It has been hailed as a fix for everything from scrapes to cancer. The following are some of honey’s best-known health benefits; whether confirmed by science or passed down through folk tradition, they prove honey to be as efficacious as it is delicious.
1. It soothes cough
A 2007 study from Penn State College of Medicine that involved 139 children, found that buckwheat honey out-performed the cough suppressant, dextromethorphan (DM), in calming night time cough in children and improving their sleep. Another study published in Pediatrics included 270 children aged one to five with night time cough due to simple colds; in this study, the children who received two teaspoons of honey 30 minutes before bed, coughed less frequently, less severely and were less likely to lose sleep due to the cough when compared to those who did not get honey.
2. It boosts memory
According to research reported by Reuters, 102 healthy women of menopausal age were assigned to consume 20 grams of honey a day, take hormone-replacement therapy containing estrogen and progesterone or do nothing. After four months, those who took honey or hormone pills recalled about one extra word out of 15 presented on a short-term memory test. That said, some critics of the study say that it was not scientifically sound because it was small and did not last long. But still...
3. It treats wounds
In numerous studies, honey has been found effective in treating wounds. In a Norwegian study, a therapeutic honey called Medihoney (a New Zealand honey that undergoes a special purification process) and Norwegian Forest Honey were found to kill all strains of bacteria in wounds. In another study, 59 patients suffering from wounds and leg ulcers – of which 80 percent had failed to heal with conventional treatment – were treated with unprocessed honey. All but one of the cases showed remarkable improvement following topical application of honey. Wounds that were sterile at the outset remained sterile until healed, while infected wounds and ulcers became sterile within one week of applying honey.
For the treatment of burns and wounds, experts say that honey is applied directly or in a dressing which is usually changed every 24 to 48 hours. When used directly, 15 ml to 30 ml of honey has been applied every 12 to 48 hours, and covered with sterile gauze and bandages or a polyurethane dressing.
4. It provides nutrients
According to experts, honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Thus, using honey instead of sugar provides you with more nutrients for your calories.
5. It potentially prevents low white blood cell-count
Experts also note that honey may be a promising and inexpensive way to prevent low white blood cell-count caused by chemotherapy. In one small trial, 40 percent of cancer patients who were known to be at risk of neutropenia (very low blood count), had no further episodes of the condition after taking two teaspoons daily of therapeutic honey during chemotherapy. More research is needed, but the remedy could hold great potential.
6. It may relieve seasonal allergies
Many people swear by honey’s ability to lessen symptoms of seasonal allergy. As honey has anti-inflammatory effects and is known to soothe cough, it may not seem like much of a stretch; but honey’s efficacy for treating allergy has not been proven in clinical studies. That said, some experts say that honey can contain traces of flower pollen, and exposure to small amounts of allergens works as good treatment to combat reactions. Whether it can be proven by science or not is one thing; but at its worst, it makes for a delicious placebo. (And do not knock the healing power of placebos!)
7. It kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria
In clinical studies, medical grade honey has been shown to kill food-borne illness pathogens like E. coli and salmonella, as well as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both of which are common in hospitals and doctors' offices.
8. It may help metabolize alcohol
This one is for you cocktail-swillers, experts have revealed that honey taken orally might, increase the body's ability to metabolize alcohol, thereby limiting intoxication and more rapidly reducing alcohol blood levels.
9. It makes great workout fuel
Many athletes rely on sugar-laden sports drinks and gels for carbohydrates to fuel their bodies before and during endurance events, and afterwards, to help muscle recovery. At 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon, honey makes an excellent source of all-natural energy that is superior to other conventional sources since it comes with added nutrients. Experts recommend adding honey to your bottle of water for an energy boost during workouts. Snacks with honey can be eaten before and after, and honey sticks can be used during endurance events.
10. It resolves scalp problems and dandruff
In a study involving patients with chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff, the participants were asked to apply honey diluted with 10 percent warm water to their problem areas and leave it on for three hours before rinsing with warm water. In all of the patients, itching was relieved and scaling disappeared within one week. Skin lesions were completely healed within two weeks, and patients showed subjective improvement in hair loss as well. When applied weekly thereafter for six months, patients showed no sign of relapse.
All of that said, there are two important things to remember about honey: One, just because it proffers numerous health benefits does not mean it is not caloric; one tablespoon yields 64 calories. Also, it is crucial to remember that honey is not appropriate for children younger than 12 months because it can contain the bacteria that cause infant botulism.
There is something undeniably enchanting about honey; the product of flower nectar transformed by bees, as if by alchemy – but in fact through the far less-poetic act of regurgitation – into a sweet, golden elixir. Honey has held sway over humans since ancient times.
But aside from honey’s seductive color and flavor, it has some scientific super-powers that add to its appeal. Honey has an unusual chemical composition, one which makes it keep indefinitely without spoiling; as is seen whenever ancient pots of honey, still perfectly preserved, are found during excavations of early Egyptian tombs. It is uniquely low in moisture and extremely acidic, making it a forbidding environment for bacteria and microorganisms. On top of that, bees add an enzyme, glucose oxidase, to it that creates hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct. According to experts, honey is hygroscopic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and has remarkable debriding action.
With this bonanza of properties, honey has been used for millennia as a medicinal remedy. As experts also say, that the earliest recorded use of honey as a curative came from Sumerian clay tablets, which conveyed that honey was used in 30 percent of prescriptions at the time. The ancient Egyptians used honey regularly to treat skin and eye problems; as did the Greeks, Romans, and a number of other cultures.
Ever since, along with being a favored gift to the gods and employed for sweetening cakes and drinks, honey has been used to treat that which ails us. It has been hailed as a fix for everything from scrapes to cancer. The following are some of honey’s best-known health benefits; whether confirmed by science or passed down through folk tradition, they prove honey to be as efficacious as it is delicious.
1. It soothes cough
A 2007 study from Penn State College of Medicine that involved 139 children, found that buckwheat honey out-performed the cough suppressant, dextromethorphan (DM), in calming night time cough in children and improving their sleep. Another study published in Pediatrics included 270 children aged one to five with night time cough due to simple colds; in this study, the children who received two teaspoons of honey 30 minutes before bed, coughed less frequently, less severely and were less likely to lose sleep due to the cough when compared to those who did not get honey.
2. It boosts memory
According to research reported by Reuters, 102 healthy women of menopausal age were assigned to consume 20 grams of honey a day, take hormone-replacement therapy containing estrogen and progesterone or do nothing. After four months, those who took honey or hormone pills recalled about one extra word out of 15 presented on a short-term memory test. That said, some critics of the study say that it was not scientifically sound because it was small and did not last long. But still...
3. It treats wounds
In numerous studies, honey has been found effective in treating wounds. In a Norwegian study, a therapeutic honey called Medihoney (a New Zealand honey that undergoes a special purification process) and Norwegian Forest Honey were found to kill all strains of bacteria in wounds. In another study, 59 patients suffering from wounds and leg ulcers – of which 80 percent had failed to heal with conventional treatment – were treated with unprocessed honey. All but one of the cases showed remarkable improvement following topical application of honey. Wounds that were sterile at the outset remained sterile until healed, while infected wounds and ulcers became sterile within one week of applying honey.
For the treatment of burns and wounds, experts say that honey is applied directly or in a dressing which is usually changed every 24 to 48 hours. When used directly, 15 ml to 30 ml of honey has been applied every 12 to 48 hours, and covered with sterile gauze and bandages or a polyurethane dressing.
4. It provides nutrients
According to experts, honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Thus, using honey instead of sugar provides you with more nutrients for your calories.
5. It potentially prevents low white blood cell-count
Experts also note that honey may be a promising and inexpensive way to prevent low white blood cell-count caused by chemotherapy. In one small trial, 40 percent of cancer patients who were known to be at risk of neutropenia (very low blood count), had no further episodes of the condition after taking two teaspoons daily of therapeutic honey during chemotherapy. More research is needed, but the remedy could hold great potential.
6. It may relieve seasonal allergies
Many people swear by honey’s ability to lessen symptoms of seasonal allergy. As honey has anti-inflammatory effects and is known to soothe cough, it may not seem like much of a stretch; but honey’s efficacy for treating allergy has not been proven in clinical studies. That said, some experts say that honey can contain traces of flower pollen, and exposure to small amounts of allergens works as good treatment to combat reactions. Whether it can be proven by science or not is one thing; but at its worst, it makes for a delicious placebo. (And do not knock the healing power of placebos!)
7. It kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria
In clinical studies, medical grade honey has been shown to kill food-borne illness pathogens like E. coli and salmonella, as well as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both of which are common in hospitals and doctors' offices.
8. It may help metabolize alcohol
This one is for you cocktail-swillers, experts have revealed that honey taken orally might, increase the body's ability to metabolize alcohol, thereby limiting intoxication and more rapidly reducing alcohol blood levels.
9. It makes great workout fuel
Many athletes rely on sugar-laden sports drinks and gels for carbohydrates to fuel their bodies before and during endurance events, and afterwards, to help muscle recovery. At 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon, honey makes an excellent source of all-natural energy that is superior to other conventional sources since it comes with added nutrients. Experts recommend adding honey to your bottle of water for an energy boost during workouts. Snacks with honey can be eaten before and after, and honey sticks can be used during endurance events.
10. It resolves scalp problems and dandruff
In a study involving patients with chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff, the participants were asked to apply honey diluted with 10 percent warm water to their problem areas and leave it on for three hours before rinsing with warm water. In all of the patients, itching was relieved and scaling disappeared within one week. Skin lesions were completely healed within two weeks, and patients showed subjective improvement in hair loss as well. When applied weekly thereafter for six months, patients showed no sign of relapse.
All of that said, there are two important things to remember about honey: One, just because it proffers numerous health benefits does not mean it is not caloric; one tablespoon yields 64 calories. Also, it is crucial to remember that honey is not appropriate for children younger than 12 months because it can contain the bacteria that cause infant botulism.
Health
tips for healthy living (Mental health)
Healthy living involves more than physical health,
it also includes emotional or mental health. The following are some ways people
can support their mental health and well-being.
1. Get enough sleep daily
Experts recommend the following by age group (naps inclusive); 12-18 hours from birth to 2 months, 14-15 hours from 3-11 months of age, 12-18 hours for 1-3 years of age, 11-13 hours for 3-5 years of age, 10-11 hours for 5-10 years of age, eight and a half to nine and a half hours for 10-17 years of age and those 18 and above need seven to nine hours of sleep. Elderly people need about seven to nine hours, but do not sleep as deeply and may awaken at night or wake early, so naps (like kids need) allow them to accumulate the total of seven to nine hours of sleep.
2. Take a walk
Always take a walk and reflect on what you see and hear at least several times per week.
3. Try something new
Always try something new and often (eat a new food, try a different route to work, go to a new museum display).
4. Be involved in mind exercises
Do some mind exercises (read, do a puzzle occasionally during the week).
5. Focus on a process
Try to focus on a process intensely and complete a segment of it over one to several hours, then take a break and do something relaxing (walk, exercise, short nap).
6. Socialize with others
Plan to spend some time talking with other people about different subjects.
7. Make some leisure
Try to make some leisure time to do some things that interest you every week (hobby, sports).
8. Make frantic objections
|Learn ways to say “no” when something occurs that you do not want to do or be involved with.
9. Have fun
Have fun (go on a trip with someone you love, go shopping, go fishing; do not let vacation time slip away).
10. Always seek help
Seek help and advice early if you feel depressed, have suicidal thoughts, or consider harming yourself or others.
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/healthy_living/page4.htm
1. Get enough sleep daily
Experts recommend the following by age group (naps inclusive); 12-18 hours from birth to 2 months, 14-15 hours from 3-11 months of age, 12-18 hours for 1-3 years of age, 11-13 hours for 3-5 years of age, 10-11 hours for 5-10 years of age, eight and a half to nine and a half hours for 10-17 years of age and those 18 and above need seven to nine hours of sleep. Elderly people need about seven to nine hours, but do not sleep as deeply and may awaken at night or wake early, so naps (like kids need) allow them to accumulate the total of seven to nine hours of sleep.
2. Take a walk
Always take a walk and reflect on what you see and hear at least several times per week.
3. Try something new
Always try something new and often (eat a new food, try a different route to work, go to a new museum display).
4. Be involved in mind exercises
Do some mind exercises (read, do a puzzle occasionally during the week).
5. Focus on a process
Try to focus on a process intensely and complete a segment of it over one to several hours, then take a break and do something relaxing (walk, exercise, short nap).
6. Socialize with others
Plan to spend some time talking with other people about different subjects.
7. Make some leisure
Try to make some leisure time to do some things that interest you every week (hobby, sports).
8. Make frantic objections
|Learn ways to say “no” when something occurs that you do not want to do or be involved with.
9. Have fun
Have fun (go on a trip with someone you love, go shopping, go fishing; do not let vacation time slip away).
10. Always seek help
Seek help and advice early if you feel depressed, have suicidal thoughts, or consider harming yourself or others.
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/healthy_living/page4.htm
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