Did you know that more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies? According to WebMD, 30 percent of American adults and 40 percent of American children are affected. While outdoor allergies like ragweed, pollen, and hay fever are not the only types of allergies encompassed by these numbers, one staggering statistic did show that due to global warming, the outdoor allergy season length has increased between 1 and 3.5 weeks between 1995 and 2015.
Not only do allergies seem to be getting worse, but people are now allergic to things we were never allergic to before, due to factors such as increased prevalence of chronic, digestive, and inflammatory conditions in general, and constant exposure to toxicants in food, personal care products, water, and other environmental factors. Not only do these allergies cause itchy eyes and respiratory issues, but also some skin conditions such as hives and dermatitis.
Raw honey as a natural allergy remedy
One traditional home remedy for managing seasonal allergies is regularly consuming local, raw honey. The idea behind this is that local bees pollinate local plants that produce local allergens. Consuming small amounts of honey containing trace amounts of these local allergens helps the body build up a natural immunity to these allergens over time.
This is not a new concept, though it been practiced for centuries by societies around the world who rely on nature for their medicine; it is also the idea behind allergy shots and other vaccines in the realm of allopathic (Western) medicine, The idea is that administering small doses of a suspected allergen or pathogen will cause the body to become immune to it.
What kind of honey works for allergies?
Some better grocery stores and specialty health food stores source raw, local honey; but your best bet is to go to your local farmer’s market, and see what they have, or find a local beekeeper. Even if you live in an urban or suburban area, there is likely a local market that sells products sourced within 20 miles of your home. Ask around locally, or search for local raw honey near you using The Honey Board’s Honey Locator.
How do you take local, raw honey for allergies?
Is using local, raw honey for allergies safe for children?
Does science support using local, raw honey for allergies?
Local, raw honey has so many wonderful uses.Not only does it provide sweetness to our food in a way that works with the body, but it can also be used to treat minor wounds, clear up problematic skin, and soothe digestive problems, and deliver vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to the body. Adding allergy prevention and relief to that list makes honey a very powerful and multi-functional gift from nature.
We’d love to hear from you!
Have you ever used local, raw honey for allergies? How did that work out for you? Please share in the comments below.
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I’ve never tried this remedy, yet I’ve been suffering with allergies and asthma for years. I was told to take a bit of locally sourced honey, with water, cayenne pepper, and lemon. I don’t know if this is the panacea version, but I’d love to try the benefits of local honey
Hi Laura–Thanks for sharing–what you described is a well-known herbal remedy. Try it with raw, local honey for maximum benefits (or try the honey on its own).