On the recommendation of a friend, and after months of steroidal creams which did nothing, I recently tried applying Manuka Honey to a small patch of irritated skin on my hand. I applied it as a poultice which I leave on overnight, and after only a few days it has virtually disappeared. I am very impressed as this is the first time I have ever tried an 'alternative' therapy.
Manuka Honey
- Thread starter Ginando
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I've come across a topic only mentioned on this board once before - Manuka Honey! The manuka bush is native to New Zealand, and the only other place it grows is on the Tregothnan estate in Cornwall. I heard this on R4 this morning, although there is plenty of info about it on the web. Tregothnan manuka honey is sold exclusively through Fortnum & Masons, but lesser mortals can get manuka honey from Holland and Barrett, etc.
Here's an article from 2009:
The benefits of Manuka honey
Can Zealand's much-hyped 'superfood' really heal, both inside and out?
By Alice Hart-Davis 7:00AM BST 10 Aug 2009
When a good idea comes along, particularly in the health and wellbeing field, people often pick up on its essence rather than its detail.
Take the "five a day" edict, for example. Everyone knows that it means you should eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, but most of us get a bit hazy on the detail. If you have a huge portion, does it count as two? (No.) And potatoes are a vegetable, aren't they, so do they count? (Again, no.)
It's even more confusing when you take a newer idea like the benefits of Manuka honey, which has become a much-hyped superfood. But what does it do, exactly?
A recent survey of people who bought the stuff showed that 58 per cent of them believed Manuka honey to be better than ordinary honey, but they didn't know why. In addition, 70 per cent of them didn't know what the UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) number on the front of the pots meant.
Manuka honey has long had a reputation as a "healing" honey and, because it comes from bees that have been busy pollinating the Manuka trees that grow almost exclusively in the East Cape region of New Zealand, it has rarity value. This makes it expensive.
Honey has long been seen as one of health's "superfoods" (I use the inverted commas as no food is "super" in isolation), offering a number of benefits. Local honey containing local pollen can help reduce the symptoms of hay fever.
Most honeys contain a naturally occurring active agent, which is thought to support good health but is easily destroyed when exposed to heat and light. Manuka honey contains an extra, naturally occurring active ingredient, which makes it distinct from other honeys. This additional component is stable and doesn't lose its potency when exposed to heat, light or dilution. Its special quality is known as UMF and the higher the UMF, the more potent the honey and its powers (aficionados reckon that you need a UMF of 10 or higher for the honey to be properly effective). It has antiviral and antibacterial actions, which is a good excuse for scoffing the stuff neat at the first sign of a cold or sore throat.
Most people who buy Manuka honey simply put it on their toast or in their tea, but where it really comes into its own is in treating wounds. In New Zealand, it has long been used in this way and studied extensively. Now, the NHS is doing the same.
According to doctors, Manuka honey's high sugar content creates a waterless environment in which the bacteria that are infecting a wound are unable to survive. Also, thanks to the presence of an enzyme called glucose oxidase, it is acidic, which apparently adds to its unique antibacterial properties.
It seems a shame to confine such a wonder substance to the boring business of healing wounds – hence the proliferation of skincare products containing Manuka honey. Will they really help heal your skin and enhance natural cell renewal better than their non-UMF-bearing competitors? It's a sweet idea, but one that you might have to take with a pinch of salt.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/wellb ... honey.html
And more recently:
Manuka honey 'could help fight superbugs'
By Michelle Roberts, Health reporter, BBC News
Manuka honey could be used to combat some of the most hard-to-treat infections that are resistant to powerful antibiotics, scientists say.
Lab experiments show it can clear bacteria found in festering wounds and contaminated hospital surfaces.
It works by breaking down the defences bacteria use against antibiotics, making it useful in treating superbug infections such as MRSA.
The results were presented at a Society for General Microbiology meeting.
Professor Rose Cooper from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff found a variety of honey from bees foraging on manuka trees in New Zealand proved effective.
A specially filtered version of this honey, with impurities removed, is already used in modern licensed wound-care products around the world.
Indeed, people have known for centuries about honey's antiseptic powers.
The researchers wanted to gain a better understanding of this honey's bacteria-fighting properties and to see if it might help tackle some of the most stubborn infections encountered in our hospitals.
Professor Cooper's work with two common types of bacteria - streptococci and pseudomonads - revealed that manuka honey can deter the attachment of bacteria to tissue, which is an essential step in the initiation of acute infections.
Stopping attachment also blocks the formation of biofilms, which can protect bacteria from antibiotics and allow them to cause persistent infections.
The latest lab work showed that the honey can make MRSA more sensitive to antibiotics such as oxacillin - effectively reversing antibiotic resistance.
Professor Cooper said: "This indicates that existing antibiotics may be more effective against drug-resistant infections if used in combination with manuka honey.
"What we need to do now is look at more combinations with antibiotics and do some clinical work in patients.
"It could be applied topically to wounds and used in combination with antibiotics to treat resistant infections."
But she warned people not to try the same at home with honey bought from the supermarket. "Not only is it messy, it wouldn't be advisable. We have been using medical grade honey, not the stuff you buy in shops."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13047332
Previous MB mention:
Here's an article from 2009:
The benefits of Manuka honey
Can Zealand's much-hyped 'superfood' really heal, both inside and out?
By Alice Hart-Davis 7:00AM BST 10 Aug 2009
When a good idea comes along, particularly in the health and wellbeing field, people often pick up on its essence rather than its detail.
Take the "five a day" edict, for example. Everyone knows that it means you should eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, but most of us get a bit hazy on the detail. If you have a huge portion, does it count as two? (No.) And potatoes are a vegetable, aren't they, so do they count? (Again, no.)
It's even more confusing when you take a newer idea like the benefits of Manuka honey, which has become a much-hyped superfood. But what does it do, exactly?
A recent survey of people who bought the stuff showed that 58 per cent of them believed Manuka honey to be better than ordinary honey, but they didn't know why. In addition, 70 per cent of them didn't know what the UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) number on the front of the pots meant.
Manuka honey has long had a reputation as a "healing" honey and, because it comes from bees that have been busy pollinating the Manuka trees that grow almost exclusively in the East Cape region of New Zealand, it has rarity value. This makes it expensive.
Honey has long been seen as one of health's "superfoods" (I use the inverted commas as no food is "super" in isolation), offering a number of benefits. Local honey containing local pollen can help reduce the symptoms of hay fever.
Most honeys contain a naturally occurring active agent, which is thought to support good health but is easily destroyed when exposed to heat and light. Manuka honey contains an extra, naturally occurring active ingredient, which makes it distinct from other honeys. This additional component is stable and doesn't lose its potency when exposed to heat, light or dilution. Its special quality is known as UMF and the higher the UMF, the more potent the honey and its powers (aficionados reckon that you need a UMF of 10 or higher for the honey to be properly effective). It has antiviral and antibacterial actions, which is a good excuse for scoffing the stuff neat at the first sign of a cold or sore throat.
Most people who buy Manuka honey simply put it on their toast or in their tea, but where it really comes into its own is in treating wounds. In New Zealand, it has long been used in this way and studied extensively. Now, the NHS is doing the same.
According to doctors, Manuka honey's high sugar content creates a waterless environment in which the bacteria that are infecting a wound are unable to survive. Also, thanks to the presence of an enzyme called glucose oxidase, it is acidic, which apparently adds to its unique antibacterial properties.
It seems a shame to confine such a wonder substance to the boring business of healing wounds – hence the proliferation of skincare products containing Manuka honey. Will they really help heal your skin and enhance natural cell renewal better than their non-UMF-bearing competitors? It's a sweet idea, but one that you might have to take with a pinch of salt.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/wellb ... honey.html
And more recently:
Manuka honey 'could help fight superbugs'
By Michelle Roberts, Health reporter, BBC News
Manuka honey could be used to combat some of the most hard-to-treat infections that are resistant to powerful antibiotics, scientists say.
Lab experiments show it can clear bacteria found in festering wounds and contaminated hospital surfaces.
It works by breaking down the defences bacteria use against antibiotics, making it useful in treating superbug infections such as MRSA.
The results were presented at a Society for General Microbiology meeting.
Professor Rose Cooper from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff found a variety of honey from bees foraging on manuka trees in New Zealand proved effective.
A specially filtered version of this honey, with impurities removed, is already used in modern licensed wound-care products around the world.
Indeed, people have known for centuries about honey's antiseptic powers.
The researchers wanted to gain a better understanding of this honey's bacteria-fighting properties and to see if it might help tackle some of the most stubborn infections encountered in our hospitals.
Professor Cooper's work with two common types of bacteria - streptococci and pseudomonads - revealed that manuka honey can deter the attachment of bacteria to tissue, which is an essential step in the initiation of acute infections.
Stopping attachment also blocks the formation of biofilms, which can protect bacteria from antibiotics and allow them to cause persistent infections.
The latest lab work showed that the honey can make MRSA more sensitive to antibiotics such as oxacillin - effectively reversing antibiotic resistance.
Professor Cooper said: "This indicates that existing antibiotics may be more effective against drug-resistant infections if used in combination with manuka honey.
"What we need to do now is look at more combinations with antibiotics and do some clinical work in patients.
"It could be applied topically to wounds and used in combination with antibiotics to treat resistant infections."
But she warned people not to try the same at home with honey bought from the supermarket. "Not only is it messy, it wouldn't be advisable. We have been using medical grade honey, not the stuff you buy in shops."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13047332
Previous MB mention:
Stormkhan
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While not denying the effectiveness of some "old time" herbal and plant remedies, I've always been sceptical of newspaper reports of so-called "Superfoods". They're always lauded as the greatest ever thing, can help with weight loss, depression, ugliness, typhoid, death and war in the Middle East ad infinitum then disappear after a year to be supplanted by the "latest" ... er ... superfood.
It's perfectly possible for these things to have provable beneficial uses but I think the media tend to overdo their properties to pander to the modern consumer who wants a one-stop quick-fix. Frankly, it doesn't harm sales of whatever is the latest panacea either.
I use many different herbs and plants for differing ailments; none are "universal" and most certainly can't be described as a "superfood" except by the media who like cliche's!
It's perfectly possible for these things to have provable beneficial uses but I think the media tend to overdo their properties to pander to the modern consumer who wants a one-stop quick-fix. Frankly, it doesn't harm sales of whatever is the latest panacea either.
I use many different herbs and plants for differing ailments; none are "universal" and most certainly can't be described as a "superfood" except by the media who like cliche's!
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Of the two articles I quoted, only the Telegraph writer mentioned "superfoods" - but qualified it by saying "I use the inverted commas as no food is "super" in isolation".Stormkhan said:
But in the case of Manuka honey, it's its properties as an antiseptic (not as a food) that are under investigation, and if it can help to fight superbugs like MRSA then so much the better!
Maybe the researchers can learn to synthesise the active ingredients of Manuka honey - after all, this is the process that led to many of our 'conventional' medicines today. And this would leave us with more yummy honey to enjoy as a food! 8)
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An odd experience today: I went to the doc about an infection on my leg - he gave me a prescription for two different forms of penicillin. So I went into town to get the prescription and do some other shopping as well.
As I passed Holland and Barrett I thought I'd pop in and see how much their manuka honey was. As I wandered down the aisle, I became aware of a bloke following me rather more closely than felt comfortable. When I stopped by the manuka honey, he stopped right behind me..! :shock:
And then he took two jars off the shelf and disappeared!
(As I'm over 60, I get free prescriptions, so I may never actually get to test out the efficacy of these herbal remdies.)
As I passed Holland and Barrett I thought I'd pop in and see how much their manuka honey was. As I wandered down the aisle, I became aware of a bloke following me rather more closely than felt comfortable. When I stopped by the manuka honey, he stopped right behind me..! :shock:
And then he took two jars off the shelf and disappeared!
(As I'm over 60, I get free prescriptions, so I may never actually get to test out the efficacy of these herbal remdies.)
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Honey on everything (well, a number of things)!
Honey in this part of the world is unbelievably expensive (I mean that literally) and the more local it is the poorer the quality. There's actually a bit of an issue with fake honey being sold--it's just sugared and syruped water!
Anyway, while back in Blighty I bought four jars of North Downs Honey, the North Downs being my own rural stomping ground. The stuff is just gorgeous and bursting with energy. I haven't kept up the routine, but for a while I was having a tablespoon of olive oil before breakfast and a tablespoon of honey after and I swear it was doing me a world of good (my only tangible evidence is that I went through a period of uncharacteristically bad skin/complexion and it healed up at around the same time I started this practice).
I have no idea what the going rate is, but I paid £3.99 for a 8oz jar and consider myself to have got a bargain. The department store near me sells similar stuff from the antipodes for four times that amount.
Honey in this part of the world is unbelievably expensive (I mean that literally) and the more local it is the poorer the quality. There's actually a bit of an issue with fake honey being sold--it's just sugared and syruped water!
Anyway, while back in Blighty I bought four jars of North Downs Honey, the North Downs being my own rural stomping ground. The stuff is just gorgeous and bursting with energy. I haven't kept up the routine, but for a while I was having a tablespoon of olive oil before breakfast and a tablespoon of honey after and I swear it was doing me a world of good (my only tangible evidence is that I went through a period of uncharacteristically bad skin/complexion and it healed up at around the same time I started this practice).
I have no idea what the going rate is, but I paid £3.99 for a 8oz jar and consider myself to have got a bargain. The department store near me sells similar stuff from the antipodes for four times that amount.
catseye
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My daughter works for a sciencey place that tests honey for origin and you wouldn't BELIEVE how much Manuka honey is nothing of the sort, apparently, and therefore a waste of money.
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I bought Manuka honey once to apply to a scar (long-term use allegedly bleaches the skin).
The effect was almost negligible, but the cost was absurd.
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maximus otter
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Indeed. Can someone advise me as to what manuka is, and why it’s good in honey?
maximus otter
catseye
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https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/manuka-honey-medicinal-uses#1
Although, if daughter is to be believed, you're just as well getting a jar from a local beekeeper, it will probably have the same contents.
Although, if daughter is to be believed, you're just as well getting a jar from a local beekeeper, it will probably have the same contents.
Mythopoeika
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More than 4 times that amount if you buy Manuka honey from Oz/NZ.
Mythopoeika
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Manuka honey is made by bees that harvest the nectar from the Manuka plant.
It comes in several quality grades, the 'best' one being really expensive.
What's good about it? No idea, since it doesn't taste as wonderful as the price may suggest. It's supposed to have health benefits (i.e. it is antibiotic, so I suspect you can probably keep it forever).
Mythopoeika
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(Transplanted from the Graveyard Honey thread)
Manuka has a strange taste. And the price is just daft.
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hunck
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I’m not a massive honey fan but solid crystallised is my favourite & I got some at a farmers market a few months back which came from hives near Epping Forest. He had others from Hackney Marsh & said this was the strongest in flavour of the honeys he had. It was really lovely & quite floral - just a teaspoon straight from the jar was a treat. Sadly I’ve not seen the guy since.
Not tried Manuka & at that price am not likely to. Interesting about possible antiseptic properties though.
Not tried Manuka & at that price am not likely to. Interesting about possible antiseptic properties though.
Bad Bungle
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My father had Manuka honey (medical grade) applied externally to ulcers on his heel by the District nurses. It worked well as an antibiotic and antiseptic but the bandages needed to be changed regularly. When he was admitted to hospital on an unrelated matter, the bandages were removed and the unattended wound was left to rot (literally). Maggots were eventually applied but far too late and the leg was amputated. Still angry about it.
Mythopoeika
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So sorry to hear about that. There seems to be a disconnect or lack of communication between the district and the hospitals.
My own father had a problem like this. When he was hauled into hospital, they put him on different medication, clearly showing that they hadn't read his medical record. It made him more ill, until he pointed this out to the hospital doctor.
hunck
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Well bugger me - I found a jar of Manuka honey I’d forgot all about in my fridge. Not as flavoursome as the local crystallised honey from the farmers market though. That wasn’t cheap mind you..
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The National Honey Show is currently on just outside London and I was invited to open the show but was unable to attend. I did have a look at the programme and the amount of things they are doing at the Show is amazing. A friend who is attending won a Beehive in the raffle!
Endlessly Amazed
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You guys have honey shows?!? How wonderful.
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Check out the details here
https://www.honeyshow.co.uk/
In particular have a look at the slide shows and it will give you an idea of how big the show is. I don't think I have ever seen that many jars of honey in one spot!
Endlessly Amazed
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Thanks, @gordonrutter. That is huge indeed. I would have never thought so much honey and so many events around a single product.
Here in the US, we have county and state level agriculture fairs, but nothing about a single product as far as I know. Thanks again.
catseye
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Has anyone done double-blind tests to work out whether it has to be Manuka honey to have the antiseptic effect or whether any honey suitably produced will do? Most Manuka will be contaminated (for want of a better word) with other pollen, as you can't tell bees where to go.
Endlessly Amazed
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I wondered that, too. I vaguely recall that the Amish in North America use honey and milk, separately, as topical antiseptics.
catseye
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Having worked in dairying and seen what goes into the milk, I would sideye milk as anything approaching antiseptic. I know the Amish eschew electricity and milking machines, but I'd suppose the milk would be unpasteurised,
Xanatic*
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Honey has so much sugar that it creates an extreme environment for bacteria, similar to salt. You can preserve things by placing them in honey. I don't see why milk should have similar qualities, on the contrary I think it's better as a medium for growing bacteria.
Endlessly Amazed
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Yes - and thank you for pointing this out. I was not stating that milk - especially the raw milk the Amish like - has antibiotic properties, but it certainly read this way. That the Amish and other cultural groups believe this does not make it so.
I know someone who arranges rehabilitation for people who have been injured on the job. The rehab can be medical or retraining for a different skill. Once he told me of a sad case in which a person got corneal transplants for both eyes, only for the transplants to fail immediately. Then both eyes received transplants again. These also failed immediately. The patient was doing everything post-op which the doctors told him to do. He was also bathing his eyes in raw milk, which his grandmother told him to do because of folk wisdom.
What makes manuka honey different from other types of honey in its healing properties?