honey on white bowl
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In the previous article, we saw the tremendous health benefits of raw honey and the importance of having raw honey at home always.

I will not like to repeat myself here; so in this article, we will be looking at how to use honey to solve common health problems. This is a tutorial and we will be learning different honey recipes for many health conditions.

Please note that honey should not be given to kids below one year of age; the honey given to them might contain spores that cause botulism and their immune system is not yet strong to handle that.

It can land them in intensive care unit. Below are the therapeutic honey recipes.

Acne

Acne During Pregnancy

The rich content of humectants in honey makes it a good bactericide and a good moisturizer. There are several ways to use honey in treating acne and clearing the scars. The first method is the honey and lemon face mask.

This is my favourite face mask; during my adolescent years, I had acne and lots of scars on my face and my oily skin did not even help matters. I decided to try this face mask when I heard about it; I used it daily and within weeks the scars were faded, there were no new outbreaks and my face had a natural glow.

I became happy with my self and that also improved my confidence and self-esteem. To make this face mask; you have to juice a large lemon and add at least 10 tablespoons of honey to the juice.

Mix it very well, pour it in a container with lid and keep it in a fridge. Every morning; you wash and dry your face, then you apply this solution generously on your face and let it sit for at least 20 minutes.

If this is your first time of using it, you will feel a tingling sensation; don’t be scared, it is working. When the time is up, you can wash your face and dry it. Repeat daily until you get your desired result.

Honey and cinnamon face mask is another powerful remedy against acne. Mix them together very well and apply this mixture on the face and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before rinsing it off. You can also ingest honey and cinnamon for better and quicker result.

Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to a cup of warm water; let it simmer for about 30 minutes then you add a teaspoon of honey. For effective result; take this drink on an empty stomach in the morning, like 30 minutes before taking breakfast.

Another way is to apply raw honey directly on the face and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. This works also but it is not fast like the one above.

Lemon or lime (whichever one you use is a natural bleaching agent and they will help to fade the scars faster). Choose any of the above remedies and practice it religiously; you will feel better and start seeing some good results within a few weeks.

Allergies

For allergies; take a teaspoon of raw honey daily till symptoms disappear. You can also dilute this teaspoon of honey in a cup of warm water or warm tea and take it daily if you don’t want to take it like that.

Some people find the taste too strong and some are not comfortable with the scent; so you can try these methods to mask either the taste or scent or both.

Arthritis

Honey mixed with vinegar is used to relieve arthritis pain and inflammation; this mixture is has an alkalizing effect and it treats arthritis when used for some period of time; it can be used both internally and externally.

Body scrub

To make an effective body scrub and a good exfoilant using honey; you can mix three teaspoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 6 ½ tablespoons of almond powder. Mix these thoroughly and rub the mixture on your face and other body parts to exfoliate your skin. Do this gently and afterwards rinse it off with warm water.

Boost energy

To boost your energy and have enough to keep you running throughout your activities for the day; it is advisable to add a spoonful of honey to your cup of tea in the morning.

Also reduce your intake of coffee in the morning as too much coffee is not good and does not give an energy boost.

In the afternoon, you can also take some iced tea sweetened with a tablespoon of honey; or you take at least 2 tablespoons of honey daily to give you n energy boost.

Boost memory

Take at least two tablespoons of honey daily; you can also add it to your tea or other drinks and it will be best if it replaces white sugar in your diet.

Burns, scrapes and wounds

To hasten the healing of burns, wounds and scrapes and to prevent infection at the same time; it is advisable to apply raw honey directly on the affected skin part.

For deep wounds; you can pour honey in it then cover it with a clean bandage and the dressing should be changed regularly.

Cancer

Honey is powerful in preventing and fighting cancer due to its anti-carcinogenic properties. Regularly consume raw and unprocessed honey; avoid refined sugar and let honey replace that in your meals and drinks.

Conjunctivitis

Also known as pink eye, honey has been used to relieve this condition. Mix honey and warm water in equal parts; mix them very well and allow the mixture to cool then use this solution to wash your eyes. It will sting you a bit because of the honey used but it is normal and nothing to be scared of.

Cough

Whooping Cough

Honey and lemon juice is given to people with cough and this powerful mixture is more effective than OTC cough syrup that does not work. Other mix honey with vinegar and take the solution to fight cough; lemon juice can also be added to this mixture to make it more effective.

The patient is given a good quantity of this drink every two or three hours. If you don’t have access to lemon or ACV; you can take raw honey like that regularly, many times again till you are relieved.

Cuts

Cuts and wounds result from little or big accidents that we get involved in and honey can foster quick healing and prevent infection. It is even effective than most anti-biotic creams in the market. Apply raw honey to the affected skin part and add honey under the bandage then use it to cover the wound.

Diabetic sores

This is used to treat non-healing wounds in diabetic patients; it is applied directly to the diabetic sore and light gauze is used to cover it.

Diaper rash

Diaper Rash

Honey relieves diaper rash in kids and it is one of the best home remedy for this. Apply a little quantity of honey over the rash and leave it to dry for some time before washing it off with warm water. This works like magic and clears the rash away in little time.

Diarrhea

Due to its effectiveness on digestion and the digestive system; honey can relieve both constipation and diarrhea. Take two tablespoons of raw honey twice daily.

Eczema

Eczema

Honey is a natural treatment for eczema; to treat this condition, mix a teaspoon of honey, juice of half lime or lemon and a teaspoon of cinnamon to a glass of warm water. Stir it well so that the mixture will be uniform and drink it. Make sure you take it daily till you see improvement.

You can add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the solution because it is also effective against eczema. Honey can also be applied directly on the affected skin part; three times daily, you can even add lime juice to clear up the spots.

Gum disease

The powerful antibacterial nature of honey makes it a very effective remedy that both treats and prevents gum disease

. It also has an enzyme that creates hydrogen peroxide; thereby making the place inhabitable for bacteria. Simply dilute honey with water and use it as a mouth wash; you can also rub honey on the teeth and gum after brushing your teeth.

Hair conditioner

To boost healthy growth of hair and prevent hair breakage and scalp problems like dandruff; honey can be applied on the hair. One way to do this is to do a homemade conditioner with honey and use it on your hair regularly.

To do this, you mix ½ cup of honey with ½ cup of olive oil; mix them thoroughly and apply a small amount through your hair until the hair is coated with the mixture. Use a shower cap to cover the hair and leave it for at least 30 minutes.

Then you wash the hair and rinse it very well.

Hangover

Honey relives hangover by speeding up the detoxification by the liver; you can take some tablespoons of honey or you take the hangover blues smoothies.

To make this, add 2 tablespoons of honey to 2 cup of orange juice and a cup of kefir or Greek yogurt. Pour all these in a blender and blend till smooth then you drink it to relive the pounding headache, nausea and other symptoms of hangover.

Heartburn, GERD and acid reflux

Honey is known to help prevent Gastro esophageal reflux (GERD), heartburn and acid reflux. To prevent this symptoms; an adult should consume a tablespoon of honey before any major meal and there can also take a cup of warm tea with a tablespoon of honey in it before going to bed.

Herpes

Genital Herpes

Raw honey can help relieve the symptoms of herpes. To treat herpes with honey; you need to apply raw honey directly on the sores; this will draw fluid out of them and shrink them. It also releases hydrogen peroxide which helps in cleansing the wound and preventing infection.

Honey is very effective in treating herpes than those OTC drugs that are expensive but yet don’t work. They are also toxic and give adverse side effects.

Honey lemon cough syrup

To make an effective cough syrup that is effective for both kids and adults; one needs honey and lemons. Pour a pint of raw honey in a pan; place it on a stove with a very low heat.

Avoid boiling the honey to avoid destroying the nutrients and altering its medicinal properties. Boil a whole lemon in separate pot; this is to kill any bacterium on the skin and to soften the lemon.

Let the lemon cool, and then you slice it and add it to the warm honey on the stove; simmer the mixture for one hour and then sieve the lemon pieces from the honey mixture, make sure all the seeds are removed. Let the mixture cool; then you put it in a bottle with good lid and refrigerate it.

This syrup can be kept for up to two months in the refrigerator without spoiling. When cough surface, half teaspoon to 1 teaspoon can be given to a child depending on the weight of the child. Adults can take a tablespoon up to four times a day.

Please note that it is not safe to give honey to kids below one year of age; it can irritate their digestive system and it can also give them botulism.

Immune boost

To improve the strength and boost the function of the immune system; one has to make it a habit to consume raw honey daily. This will increase the amount of powerful immune cells like B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes which improve immunity. Take at least two tablespoons of honey daily.

You can also make a cleansing drink with honey; it should be taken daily to help detoxify the body and increase the strength of your immune system.

Add the juice of half lemon to a cup of warm water and add a tablespoon of honey. Mix it well and drink; it should be taken daily especially in the morning or evening. Within days you will be feeling more energized and less stressed.

Insomnia

A tablespoon of honey before going to bed at night can help you sleep well. The sweet taste will cause the levels of insulin to rise in the body; this also will lead to the release of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that makes the body feel good. The body further converts serotonin to melatonin; which is another neurotransmitter that helps the body to sleep well.

Also honey is rich in amino acids which the body uses to produce tryptophan; when this amino acid gets to the brain, it is converted to serotonin then melatonin which improves sleep and helps one sleep better.

Another way to use honey to boost sleep is to add it to a cup of chamomile tea or a cup of golden milk. These is a very powerful remedy for insomnia and note that it should be taken when one is about to go to bed.

Golden milk is an Ayurveda recipe that is used to reduce inflammation, stress and to relax the body and calm the body at night thereby enabling a good and proper night rest. It is made up of turmeric, honey, almond milk and cayenne pepper.

Leg cramps

To prevent leg cramps and improve circulation, you need to mix honey and vinegar; apply this solution to the legs and massage lightly, do this before going to bed.

Libido

Honey has been used for centuries to treat low libido and to increase sex drive. Take at least 2 tablespoons of raw honey daily to increase libido and sexual urge. It also boosts fertility and balance the level of hormones.

Minor burns

For minor burns; apply raw honey directly over the affected area and leave it to air dry. Do not apply anything else except a very light gauze.

Nasal congestion

To relieve nasal congestion, you can perform a face steam with honey. Or you can spread it over the area on the face that is affected by sinus.

Reduce cholesterol

To reduce your cholesterol and thereby cut the risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases using honey; one has to regular take in raw honey, you can also add this drink to your daily routine to help decrease the levels of cholesterol in your bloodstream.

This recipe is made by mixing a teaspoon of honey with the juice of half lemon and a tablespoon of cinnamon powder. Mix all these together in a glass of warm water; consume it once daily till the level of cholesterol becomes normal.

Scalp problems

Itchy Scalp

Honey can give one relief from scalp problems like itchy scalp and dandruff. Mix honey with warm water and apply this solution on the scalp; let it sit for few hours then you wash it off and rinse it well.

It restores the scalp to its healthy state; skin lesions can be healed completely if this is done faithfully for a couple of weeks, it also prevents hair loss, and treats dry and flaky scalp.

Even if you don’t have scalp problems, using this mixture on your scalp will moisturize your hair and it will serve as a wonderful hair conditioner.

Sinusitis

To clear sinus; a tablespoon of honey is added to a cup of saline water and it is used in a neti pot. It is not advisable to use a neti pot when you are congested. You can also ingest a teaspoon of honey every day especially in the evenings before going to bed; you should see a reduction in symptoms and inflammation after some moths.

Skin moisturizer

Honey moisturizes the skin and gives it a natural glow. It also treats and prevents skin problems; to make a body moisturizer using honey, you need to mix 5 tablespoon of honey, 2 tablespoon of essential rose oil and two cups of almond oil.

Mix them thoroughly and pour the mixture in a bottle or any suitable container with a good lid. When you want to use it, wet the skin and apply it.

Sore throat

Sore Throat Pharyngitis

To get fast relief from an itching and scratching throat; all you need is 2 tablespoons of honey daily or you can add two tablespoons of honey to a cup of hot tea to make it more effective.

Stomach ulcer

For stomach ulcers; two tablespoons of honey daily can help relieve the symptoms. To make it more effective, you can mix it with plantain powder. To use this method, you need unripe plantains; you dry them in a shade, not under the sun.

When dried; you grind them into fine powder. Mix two tablespoons of honey with two tablespoons of this plantain mixture and take it. For quicker result take it twice daily.

Yeast infections

Honey is very effective against yeast infections and it on top of the list for natural remedies against candida albicans.

To treat yeast or candida infection; you mix 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt and apply this mixture topically around the vagina. This should be done twice daily till you notice a relief of the symptoms. If you don’t have access to plain yogurt or you don’t want to use it; you can use only raw honey.

The vagina should be washed and cleaned before applying the mixture; let it also touch the surrounding areas, you can push some of the mixture into the vagina with your fingers. Let it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes; then you wash it off with water. It should be done twice daily; in the morning and before going to bed.

All these are effective ways to handle common health conditions with honey; in all these remember that moderate consumption is the key to optimum health, do not overtake it. That is why the dosages are in teaspoons and tablespoons to avoid over consumption which can lead to another problem.

Also kid below the age of one should not be given honey; you already know the reason and most important of all make sure the honey you get is original, not adulterated or mixed to avoid ineffectiveness and other health problems.