Wellness Spotlight: Manuka honey

Wellness Spotlight: Manuka Honey

Natural healing products are a big thing in our house. It’s my first choice when my family needs some extra immune support or even when illness inevitably strikes. I wanted to share my LOVE for honey and particularly Manuka Honey!

I’ve been using local honey for years on my skin (with homemade face masks) and in a special tea (I’ll post recipe below!) that I use when I’m feeling down. Local honey has also been shown to be incredibly effective at helping those that suffer from airborne allergies because the pollen that the bees use to make the honey are present in tiny amounts, letting our bodies adjust to them and create a resistance. Our bodies and bees are AMAZING! Recently, I’ve been really into Manuka Honey which is not local but has it’s own special properties.

Manuka honey is produced in New Zealand from the nectar of the Manuka tree. It’s rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can actually prevent infection and promote healing. For centuries, people have been using this honey to help heal minor cuts, digestive issues, sore throats and treat burns.

My favorite way to use Manuka honey is to boost our immunity! Whenever I notice that someone in the house is starting to feel low, we add a couple of spoonfuls to our tea or just take it straight! **Note: use caution when adding honey to hot drinks, sometimes when honey heats up the properties can be altered so be sure that your hot drink has cooled down a bit before adding**

One last quick tip I have for you is that not all Manuka honey is created equal! As a general rule of thumb, you get what you pay for so be careful when you see a bargain. You want to be sure that your honey has a UMF (unique Manuka factor) trademark on the bottle and that the rating is at least a 5-16+. The higher the number, the more therapeutic properties it contains! The UMF rating ensures that your honey has a medicinal quality. 

**LAST THING, I promise… please don’t use honey on little ones younger than 1 year old as their bodies can’t process it properly and it can possibly contain spores of bacteria that contain botulism. Also, please don’t use honey if you have any kind of allergy to bees or honey. We don’t want something bad to happen when you’re trying to care for yourself.

Have you heard of Manuka honey and it’s incredible properties?? Share your experiences below and let us know in the comments!

xo, Claire

Claire’s Feel Better Tea: 

This is my go-to “tea” that I use for all purpose healing. All of these ingredients work together to promote a healthy immune response and clear any mucous from your sinuses. Feel free to adjust the portions based on your tastes but this is kind of my base that I use. I always make it for friends that are feeling down and it picks them right up!
(serves 2-3 people) can be saved for later!

Hot water
Juice of ½ a lemon + peel
2 fresh garlic cloves, smashed
1 in fresh ginger, grated
3-4 Tbsps. Manuka or raw local honey

-Add ingredients, except honey, into a tea pot and let steep for 5-10 mins. *for more intense flavor, use a mortar and pestle to mash the ingredients up!
-Once cooled down a bit, add honey and stir well to incorporate.
-Enjoy and feel well!