What’s much more important though is to make sure you will get a brand that has its honey tested for its health boosting properties. This is done in certified laboratories (if it’s done properly that is). The scientists testing the batches examine the amount of antibacterial, antimicrobial, and other chemical traits. This guarantees customers they get manuka honey that actually is active.

Properly testing is crucial since not all jars available on store shelves and in online shop distribution centers contain active manuka honey. Even though the label says so, but this is because this term isn’t protected. Some brands just offer non-active, or much less active honey, because it is often diluted with normal honey.

These practices end up people buying overpriced honey that doesn’t really help them with what they intended to purchase it for. So in order to make sure to find the right type of manuka customers should pay close attention to which brand they buy.

Some trustworthy brands are Molan Gold, Watson and Son, Eastcape, Comvita, and MGO manuka honey. For more info on which brand to choose check out this page: the best manuka honey to buy.

Admitted, honey has been recognized as an effective skin care product since the dawn of mankind. Ancient cultures as the Egyptians and Greeks already mentioned its health and skin care benefits. But this honey from New Zealand has something extra.

“good as a salve for sore eyes and wounds” Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Increasing research demonstrates manuka honey’s uses in traditional medicine and as a powerful skin care product. This curative agent is still mainly perceived as a alternative remedy but is rapidly taking its place among conventional medicines.

This, thanks to the scientists doing the research. For research reports and other information read this article on the website of the Waikato University: What’s special about Active Manuka Honey?

Benefits of Manuka Honey for Skin

Manuka honey has very potent hydrating properties. Hydration is a key element to proper skin care.

Wound Healing

Thanks to manuka honey’s antibacterial action it is used to fight and prevent infections and speed the wound healing process. Wound debri is removed painlessly and special dressings are patient-friendly because they do not stick to the wound.

Manuka honey has shown to cure heavily infected very problematic wounds. Bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics (such as MRSA and staph infections) are successfully removed by this honey.

Acne Treatment

Not only in wounds but manuka also seems to benefit acne treatment. It seems to work on acne because it is characterized by inflammatory reactions of the body to skin lesions. Also the aforementioned anti-bacterial action seems to be beneficiary to reducing acne breakouts.

(Diabetic) Ulcers and Sores

More and more people opt for having their ulcers and sores treated with manuka honey-infused bandages. There are much anecdotal reports of persistent ulcers finally healed. Upon treatment granulation tissue re-appeared and within measurable time the ulcers resolved.

Skin Conditions Such as Athletes Foot, Jock Itch, Psoriasis, Eczema

More and more people use it to relief and cure athletes foot, eczema, herpes, psoriasis (see before and after photos here). The antimicrobial properties seem to play a major role here. Funghi which often cause such conditions are fought off while hydration enhances the skin’s recovery process.

Also nail funghus, water warts, and insect bites benefit from topical application of this special nectar from the manuka bushes in New Zealand.

O, not to forget, manuka honey is also very tasty! It is very sweet and has a specific, flowery taste that actually can’t be described very well.

People use this healing honey for various stomach-related purposes.

• stomach flu (gastroenteritis)
• stomach ulcers
• acid reflux

Stomach Flu

One clinical trial researched the effects of honey (instead of glucose) added to a re-hydration fluid (solution of electrolytes) given to children hospitalized with gastroenteritis.

It showed a statistically significant reduction in the duration of diarrhea caused by bacterial infection (58 hours cf 93 hours). Haffejee and Moosa (1985)
source: Waikato Honey Unit

Stomach Ulcers

Many sufferers from stomach ulcers are infected with the helicobacter pylori bacterium. Research indicates that taking four teaspoons of manuka honey, four times a day on an empty stomach for eight weeks appears to get rid of the infection.

According to a Daily Mirror article:

Helicobacter pylori triggers acid indigestion. Although it doesn’t cause symptoms in everyone, virtually all patients with duodenal ulcers are infected. Plus three quarters of those with gastric ulcers. [..]

Acid Reflux

These were the results of a poll among users of this honey: (more than 80% of the respondents noticed relief upon taking manuka honey)

Did you benefit from using manuka honey for your acid reflux?

Yes, it reduced the symptoms
61.9%
Yes, my acid reflux has disappeared!
19%
I’m not sure
14.3%
Too bad, It did not work.
4.8%

You can find links to research reports on the benefits of manuka honey on the website of the Waikato University, section Honey Research Unit.

Where do you use manuka honey for?

Which manuka honey should you use for acid reflux relief? Experts such as prof. Molan (discoverer of the unique properties of this type of honey) recommend to use a honey with a rating strength between 12+ and 18+ to 20+.

There’s also difference between brands. Not all brands have their products tested by certified laboratory. When customers want to be certain about the potency of the honey they buy they should go for brands such as Watson & Son
, Comvita or brands with the MGO certification.

Here’s more info on the Molan Gold Standard.

Manuka Honey For Acid Reflux

Manuka honey soothes in case of acid reflux and heartburn and may prevent (further) damage to the esophageal sphincter muscles. (the muscle that normally prevents stomach acids from refluxing)

How does it do this? Well, manuka honey kills various types of harmful bacteria. One of them is the Helicobacer pylori bacterium, which is the most common cause of stomach acid overproduction and a common cause for peptic ulcers.

According to the world renowned Waikato Honey Research Unit manuka honey is “much more effective than other honey against Helicobacter pylori.”

In addition, manuka honey has a very powerful anti-inflammatory action. This alone may offer relief since refluxing stomach acids may cause inflammation of the stomach’s mucous lining. Regular use of manuka honey may prevent damage of this tissue. Once damaged, the muscle will function less well with more acid reflux as a result.

Yet another benefit of using manuka honey for acid reflux is that it has no side effects while common acid reflux medicines do.

This brand is founded by the most renowned researcher in this area, Dr. Molan. When you purchase this brand you also know this honey has been tested for its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties in laboratory that work closely with the Waikato University. This university is the home of most of the research conducted on the medicinal properties of this honey.

US customers can buy Molan Gold Standard Manuka honey at Amazon.

Another product with the same certification is Watson & Son Premium Certified Manuka Honey 15+ . At this moment it is not available.

Did you know..

Manuka honey is the only, currently known, substance that is effective in fighting off the antibiotic-resistant MRSA bug. This superbug as it is called is responsible for the deaths of 5000 hospitalized patients in the United Kingdom alone. So the help of the honey from New Zealand literally is a lifesaver.

According to experts (such as the Mayo Clinic) the most efficient treatment of Onychomycosis (nail fungus) is oral. They advice to use prescription drugs to fight off the fungus from the inside out (systemically).

But many people encounter side effects as a result of using such prescription drugs. Manuka honey, which is completely natural, can also be taken internally. Thus it works both topically and oral. Cricital note: whether or not the honey is powerful enough to enter the bloodstream and reach the infected nails is disputed.

Research indicates manuka honey to be able to effectively treat; athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm. All fungal infections.

Nail fungus infections are highly contagious. Usually the fungus enters the nail through cracks or cuts in the nail. Once there it thrives under the nail bed. The nail affected by a fungus will start to get discolored, thick and sometimes bridle if left untreated. Optimal conditions for the micro organism are moist and warmth.

Medihoney Calcium Alginate Dressings

Looking to buy Medihoney Calcium Alginate Dressings with medical grade honey? They can be easily purchased at Amazon.

This type of FDA approved wound care product is suitable for moderate to heavily exudating wounds.

Indications
The dressings are indicated for the management of moderate to heavily exuding wounds such as:

• -diabetic foot ulcers
• -Venous stasis leg ulcers
• -Arterial leg ulcers
• -Leg ulcers of mixed etiology
• -Pressure ulcers (I-IV)
• -1st and 2nd degree burns
• -Donor sites
• -Traumatic and surgical wounds.

As wound fluid enters the dressing, the honey is released while the dressing absorbs and forms a gel. This makes the dressings easy to remove without disrupting the wound bed. This adds to the healing process and inflicts less pain and discomfort on the patient.

Product Description
MEDIHONEY dressings, a unique line of dressings containing Active Leptospermum Honey from New Zealand and Australia, have been shown to possess unique qualities that make them ideal for the management of chronic and acute wounds and burns. Because they contain a very high percentage of Leptospermum honey, MEDIHONEY dressings are able to work in the presence of wound fluid, blood, and tissue, thus promoting an optimal healing environment.

MEDIHONEY dressings provide a moist, occlusive environment conducive to optimal wound healing. As wound exudate is absorbed, the alginate forms a gel, making the dressings easy to remove without disrupting the wound bed.

Due to their versatility and lack of toxicity, MEDIHONEY dressings can be used in all stages of wound healing, and can also be used as an important component of wound bed preparation. As such, placing these dressings as the cornerstones of a wound care formulary can take a great deal of the guess-work out of wound management.

Strep throat or streptococcal pharyngitis is caused by a group A streptococcus bacterium. The most common symptoms are a sore throat and fever.

Preferred choice of antibiotics are penicillin V in the United States and Amoxicillin in Europe. In general these are still effective. Resistance is reported to azithromycin and related antibiotics.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses instead of (strep) bacteria. Sore throats should only be treated with antibiotics if the strep test is positive.

What If Antibiotics Don’t Work For Strep Throat
Medicinal manuka honey may very well be the next best option in case antibiotics don’t work. Laboratory studies have demonstrated active manuka to be able to cure antibiotic resistant infections such as MRSA and VRE. Such studies have also shown manuka honey to be effective against the streptococcus bacterium.

Since strep throat treatment with manuka honey will be topical, unlike antibiotics treatment which is systemic, it would be necessary to expose the nose and throat area to the honey as much as possible ( the strep throat causing bacteria are mostly located in the nose and throat).

Probably the best treatment would be to take tablespoons of manuka honey regularly and keep them as long as possible in the mouth. In order to reach the nose a spraying device as used in hospitals to administer antibiotics and honey into the sinus cavities can be used.

(Always seek professional medical advice in case the strep throat doesn’t get better. This information does not replace the advice of a qualified health care professional.)

The recommended, therapeutical, strength will be between 12 and 18 UMF, Molan Gold, or a comparable MGO strength.

Manuka honey also seems to cure throat congestion and other symptoms caused by bacterial infections. Sometimes, supposed allergies turn out to be bacterial infections which may be cured with manuka honey.

Medihoney hydrocolloid wound filler paste

Medihoney hydrocolloid wound paste – 1.5 Oz can be used as a filler on wounds, burns, ulcers, removed cysts and skin cancers, opened sutures, and other skin conditions.

• Medihoney hydrocolloid wound paste helps repair rough, dry skin in problem areas like elbows, knees and heels.
• Strengthens skins moisture barrier for soft, smooth skin.
• Medihoney hydrocolloid wound fill paste provide a moist, occlusive environment conducive to optimal wound healing.
• As wound exudates are absorbed, the alginate forms a gel, making the dressings easy to remove without disrupting the wound bed.

Is Medihoney Safe To Use? And What Are Its Benefits?
Medihoney hydrocolloid wound paste is safe to use and has many wound healing benefits. There are, for example, various cases of wounds that couldn’t be healed with traditional medicine but were actually cured by the use of Medihoney wound products. Even wounds infected with the very persistent and in many cases untreatable MRSA bug were cured this way.

How To Use Medihoney Hydrocolloid Wound Paste
Due to its versatility and lack of toxicity, Medihoney hydrocolloid wound filler paste can be used in all stages of wound healing, and can also be used as an important component of wound bed preparation. As such, placing these dressings as the cornerstones of a wound care formula can take a great deal of the guess-work out of wound management.

FDA Approved
Medihoney products contain specially prepared honey and are registered as a medical device. MediHoney™ has an extra heavy admission requirements and has therefore chosen a CE marking Class 2b and the strict American FDA approval.

This powerful, natural product is available on Amazon

Whether or not manuka honey works on existing scars remains to be seen. At the moment there are no clinical trials or other studies indicating this special type of honey from New Zealand is able to fade scars when applied topically.

Manuka Honey Boosts Wound Healing
Manuka honey improves wound healing. It promotes new skin growth, fights off and cures the most persistent infections, has an anti-inflammatory action, provides a moist healing barrier(more info on keeping wounds moist or dry), stimulates the growth of new blood capillaries, white blood cells and supplies nutrients that boost the regeneration of new skin.

In short, it makes wounds heal faster with less complications and less crusting. This alone is a major factor when it comes to diminishing scar tissue. Scars consist of fibrous connective tissue created after injury. Inflammation, delay in wound healing, and crusting are directly related to the creation of excessive scar tissue.

Manuka Honey as Viable Scar Treatment?
Some experts such as manuka honey researchers and renowned dermatologists think that manuka honey may also improves scars themselves. As mentioned before there is no clinical evidence supporting this claim.

Its acidity may be helpful. Acids such as glycolic acid have shown to soften scar tissue but this is just me theorizing. There’s no scientific data available.

So we can only conclude it might work. But considering this honey’s extraordinary traits and the fact that its use has no side effects I would say, why not give it a try? At least your chances are better than when using one of the many scar creams that don’t work for sure.

For scar healing that does work visit my other blog on scar treatment or this page about my experiences with using silicone gel scar sheets.