Honey -- to your health!

I've been dabbling in the cookbook, More Food That Really Schmecks by Edna Staebler, and I noticed in the section called "Odds and Ends and Uncategoricals," there was an entry called "The Honey Cure."  Since I think raw honey is good food, I wanted to share this part with you.
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The Honey Cure

If you are run down, irritable and always tired, try taking 3 or 4 teaspoons of honey a day for several months.  (That should sweeten and fatten you.)

Do you believe that honey is good for insomnia, constipation, and poor blood?  (Mother's little old book says it is.)

Twitching of the eyelids or the corners of the mouth can be cured by taking 2 teaspoons of honey at each meal.

Muscle cramps can be cured by taking 2 teaspoons of honey at each meal.  (What a friend we have in bees.)

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After  reading this, I decided to do a little honey research of my own.  Oh my, there is a lot out there about honey!  Did you know that honey contains these important vitamins:  B6, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids?  Minerals found in honey include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.  That nearly covers most of the vitamins and minerals in a daily supplement.  It is said that raw honey (unfiltered, unprocessed, unheated) has the most nutritional value. The Benefits of Honey is an excellent source of research, recipes, nutritional information, and honey facts.


Have you ever heard of the Hibernation Diet?  I hadn't, but it sounds like a good idea to me this time of year -- eat all you want and then sleep the winter through!  The basic premise of it is that you eat sensible meals, but at night, you take a spoonful or two of honey before going to bed.  I'm thinking -- honey as in Pooh bear, and hibernation as in going to bed.  I'm starting tonight!  I just stirred a good glob of raw honey into a hot cup of chai tea and added a little warmed milk.  Yummy!  It is said that honey can aid in a good night's sleep and it helps to fuel the liver at night while you rest which in turn will give you more energy for your day.

Here are a few ways I have used honey in my home.

+  Excellent cough syrup recipe:  1 part honey, 1 part lemon juice, 1 part whiskey.  Mix well and take a couple spoonfuls before bedtime.   I learned this from a local doctor.

+ To sooth a sore throat, take honey straight or in hot water or hot tea.

+ Put honey on a burn, cut or scrape.  It has antibiotic properties that promote healing of the skin.

+  Moisturizing facial mask.  Find recipes here.  As a face wash,  mix a little honey with water in your hand.  Dab it onto your face and rub it in.  You may like to keep it on your face for a couple minutes.  Rinse with water.  It cleans and moisturizes.

+  I use honey (and molasses) as sweetener in homemade breads.

+ Spread raw honey on your morning toast and then sprinkle on cinnamon.  Delicious and good for you!

How do you take your honey?  Do you have any favorite brands or kinds of honey to share?  I am currently using Stakich Raw Honey.  I like to buy local honey when it is available.  Please tell about your experience with honey or bees.