Honey: Is it the bee's knees of miracle foods?

The most touching testimony to honey’s healing powers from this MSNBC.com came from Dr. Craig Lambrecht, a North Dakota emergency physician, who began to use a paste version of Medihoney while serving with the National Guard in Iraq. Dr. Lambrecht used this manuha honey paste to treat severe burns at the military clinic for Iraqi children. Not only did the children heal faster and had fewer complications with the honey paste than with other treatments, but the “Iraqi families soon preferred the honey over other treatments because it was natural and because the honey dressings don’t need to be changed as often as traditional ones,” as the dressings can stay on a wound for a week without losing potency. MSNBC.com quoted Lambrecht, who has five children of his own, as saying, “I would use the Medihoney on burns on my children, as the first choice, without question.”

The Benefits of Honey website claims that honey doesn’t just aid the ill, it also promotes overall health, concluding that honey "is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue of athletes." Honey can also step in as an immunity aid, using the natural antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties to keep you fighting back with gusto. In fact, biochemist Peter Molan, a professor at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, “found manuka honey can kill the toughest bacteria even when diluted 10 times and recommends it especially for people with weak immune systems,” quotes MSNBC.com.

As if promoting good health, energy, beauty and assisting in ailments weren't enough, honey can help with your diet too. Benefits of Honey reviewed a revolutionary new diet called the Hibernation Diet. The Hibernation Diet is in fact a comprehensive book, authored by Mike McInnes, Stuart McInnes and Maggie Stanfield. The Benefits of Honey website goes into detail, describing the diet in full.

Beginning with the basics, it discusses how your body can often produce stress hormones in your sleep, instead of burning fat when your liver is depleted of necessary resources. When taking a teaspoon of natural honey before bed, the honey fuels the liver, which can "speed up fat-burning metabolism, ease stress hormones and help us get a better night’s sleep." Honey provides the nutrition to supply the liver with additional glucose after you have gone to sleep, meaning the liver is fueled and instead of producing stress hormones because of depletion, it is able to recover and rejuvenate throughout the night burning fat. Included on the web page are first-hand testimonials promoting this diet, which not only helps participants lose weight, but also wake up after a sound sleep to a refreshed and energized morning.

Livestrong.com also promotes the medical benefits of honey for weight loss, reiterating that with B1, B2, B5 and B6 vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, antioxidants, anti-bacterial agents and amino acids it is no wonder honey is nature’s miracle sweetener.

This golden liquid isn’t just tasty, it is testimonial to nature’s healing powers. With a single spoonful of honey, think of all the difference you could make. If not, it’s still a sweet treat!