Honey cures

Honey is a miracle. Sounds silly I guess but it really is. In my life I have come across many things that honey can be used for, the first and foremost we all know - eating. Its tastes fabulous in many foods, even just on some toast.

Why honey?

In Islam, and Islamic traditions, honey is strongly recommended as a medicinal source of treatment and even cures. The Quran says:

'And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in (men's) habitations..... there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for mankind. Verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought'.
(Translation of Quran 16:68-69)

Honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants.

Honey, a rich source of carbohydrates, provides a quick source of energy.

It's unique composition makes it an effective antimicrobial agent, useful for treating minor burns and scrapes, and for aiding the treatment of sore throats and other bacterial infections.

The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said:

'Honey is a remedy for every illness and the Qur'an is a remedy for all illness of the mind, therefore I recommend to you both remedies, the Qur'an and honey.'

In recent years, scientific support is beginning to emerge confirming the beneficial effects of honey on certain medical and surgical conditions.

Honey has been used as a therapeutic agent since ancient times for “disorders” ranging from baldness to gastrointestinal distress.

in the recent past, the 20th Century, researchers had begun to document the healing properties of honey but recent phenomena of antibiotic resistance has renewed an interest in "Natural" cures and an interest in honey has resurged.

Antibacterial and Antifungal:

Some of the research and results can be seen on the National Honey Boards website - link.

You may have noticed that no matter how long you keep honey in your cupboard it will not grow anything on it, unlike many other foods!

The antimicrobial properties of honey have been well documented now. Undiluted honey inhibits the growth of many bacteria, including some well known pathogens. Honey has even been shown superior to some conventional antibiotics in treating certian infections, like urinary tract infections!

Honey is a natural antiseptic. Medical journals now cite hundreds of cases in which honey was employed to treat wounds. By applying honey to your wounds you can not only cure infections but prevent them.

Honey can also be effective in treatment of ulcers. In Europe, honey has been used internally to treat ulcers, particularly stomach ulcers.

Burns too heal better with honey and it has been used to treat them. The advantage of honey is that it doesn't just treat the burn but actually accelerates skin healing.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said, "If there is any healing in your medicines, then it is in cupping, a gulp of honey or branding with fire (cauterization) that suits the ailment, but I don't like to be (cauterized) branded with fire." Indeed, honey also nourishes, regulates and purifies blood circulation. Its fructose is the only natural inert sugar and it goes straight into the blood, nourishing nerves and providing the brain with extra energy.

In case of first-degree burns, "the raw wild flower honey formed a flexible protective barrier which prevents infections, absorbs pus and reduced pain, irritation and odor" writes Leigh Broadhurst (Healthwellexchange.com). A Romanian doctor stated that he tried honey on cataract patients, and 2002 of his 2094 patients recovered completely (Islamweb.net).

This bactericide (bacteria-killing) property of honey is named “the inhibition effect”.

Anti-diarrhoeal properties

At certain concentrations, honey has a bactericidal effect on various gut bacteria known to cause diarrhoea and dysentery such as Salmonella, Shigella, enteropathogenic E. coli and Vibrio cholera. In one study, honey given with oral rehydration fluid was shown to reduce the duration of bacterial diarrhoea in infants and children.

While the healing properties of honey may be news to modern science, Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) commented on its value 1400 years ago. Indeed, once a man came to the Prophet and said, "My brother has got loose motions." The Prophet said to him, "Let him drink honey."

Healing wounds & grazes

Honey is of value in treating burns as I said but also infected surgical wounds and ulcers. Honey is very viscous, enabling it to absorb water from surrounding inflamed tissue. For example, a study in West Africa showed that skin grafting, surgical debridement and even amputation were avoided when local application of honey to wound promoted healing, whereas conventional treatment failed. For such wounds or grazes, cover the wound with honey and a bandage.
One Companion of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) reported, "In our holy battles, we used to get honey." According to what we now know, this was a logical choice for travelers and soldiers, as honey is a supersaturated sugar and is easy to digest because of the monosaccharides; it is also a superior antibiotic. The natural carbohydrates contained within honey, when combined with proteins, help maintain a good glycaemia - which is important for recovering after a hard-days efforts. By maintaining a good sugar level, honey also maintains a good insulin level and helps people to avoid hypoglycemia. Some studies showed that this nectar could thus boost endurance performance in athletes (Cbshealthwatch.com).
Teeth
Although Honey is sweet, it helps to maintain and protect teeth! Its anti-microbial activity has been tested on several species of dental plaque bacteria. A study shows that honey has been proven to sharply reduce acid production, thus killing the bacteria responsible for dental problems. Researchers believe that it also makes a difference in fighting inflammatory infections of the gums (Cbshealthwatch.com). How cool is that?!
Digestion
Since sugar molecules in honey can convert into other sugars (e.g. fructose to glucose), honey is easily digested by the most sensitive stomachs, despite its high acid content. It helps kidneys and intestines to function better. Hence honey is beneficial for maintaining a healthy digestive system as well as combating illnesses such as constipation.
The Heart
British researchers have discovered that honey slows the oxidation of 'bad' LDL cholesterol, which is responsible for causing arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. So honey can fight against Cholesterol. And the darker the honey, the better!
Pure honey taken with food daily (instead of white sugar) relieves complains of cholesterol. This can be beneficial for those of old age, sufferers of heart-disease, Diabetes, High-blood Pressure, Stroke, and others.
Better and better!
Coughs and Colds:
These anti-cough properties of honey are related to its capacity to dilute bronchial secretions and improve the function of the bronchial epithelium.
I find that when I have a cold (or even the flu) having a cup of hot water with some honey and lemon in it before I go to sleep (although it works throughout the day!) helps relieve my symptoms and even helps the cold go away much faster. I have tried and tested this treatment on many of my friends, Muslim and non-Muslims and they all agree how much it helps. Try it for yourself!

Over the years I have discovered that honey can help with many many different things, from treatment for wounds and colds, to facial cleanser and hair conditioner (really very very good!). Its even recommended by many health practitioners for insomnia, migraines, fatigue and a multitude of other complaints we might suffer from.
More can be read at various sites, including:
http://bio.waikato.ac.nz/honey/contents.shtml
IslamOnline
Honey Cures