Manuka Honey, 3 Reasons to Make the Switch!

The first time I heard about manuka honey was a few years ago from one of my yoga teacher training students.   She was also studying to become a holistic doctor. While I was intrigued by her progressive knowledge and a product I had never heard of before, she lost me when I heard the price.   I wondered what kind of person would spend that kind of money on…honey? Well, it turns out years later, a person like me.

It wasn’t until a recent conversation with the that I decided to make the switch! Manuka honey, a medical grade honey from New Zealand, is a high quality natural antibiotic.   It comes from bees that pollinate the native manuka bush.   When Doctor Mike told me it has been used in hospitals to treat open wounds in diabetic patients, my curiosity was piqued.

I had skeptically browsed the little jars several times in the grocery store aisle.   I had even stopped, picked it up and held it in my hands once or twice, dreaming that one day I could justify this luxury. Last week, it became official and I finally took the plunge and upgraded to manuka honey.   Here is why:

1.  It has superior antibacterial qualities. I’m going to get scientific on you for about 10 seconds.   Stay with me.   All honey produces hydrogen peroxide.   Manuka honey   has a higher amount of methylglyoxal or MG. The higher the level of MG, the stronger the antibiotic effect.   Stronger natural antibiotic? Being a mom of three active teenage boys, running Yoga Digest and a yoga studio does not allow much time for being sick.   Each morning, I make a warm lemon water wellness shot with turmeric, cayenne, ginger, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and honey.   The honey was predominantly to soften the harsh taste of the ACV, but now I feel like I am amping up the immune boosting properties by switching to manuka. Add it to smoothies and other recipes as a healthy sweetener and super food!
2. Honey makes you pretty.  Get a jar for the kitchen and a jar for the bathroom.   The texture is unique and easy to apply, not a sticky mess.   Use it to treat blemishes and as a skin cleanser   – it’s loaded with amino acids. It’s a great moisturizer because it’s a humectant, meaning it retains moisture. This can promote elasticity, skin cell regeneration, collagen, and all that great stuff moms desire! Try it in your hair for a little extra shine and volume.   Move over coconut oil!
3. Honey heals.  Scrapes, scratches, and burns, oh my. Some studies have claimed that burns heal up to 11 times faster when honey is used as a topical treatment. Honey acts as an anti-inflammatory so it’s great for a sore throat and a cough suppressant.   We have known this since the beginning of time! Treat mouth ulcers!   It has natural antioxidant and antimicrobial properties which can accelerate the healing process and bypass the gnarly taste of other medicines.   Knowing that manuka is clinically stronger in it’s healing properties, it makes perfect sense to keep in the medicine chest as well.

So there you go honey lovers.   Manuka honey, my new BFF.   When I calculate the cost of beauty products, cough medicine and first aid treatments, the investment for manuka made perfect sense.   Be sure to check the unique manuka factor or UMF, the higher the better.