How can I find my old pictures?

[Luvachicken]

I have had a lot of pain in my fingers and someone recommended Manuka honey.

I have been eating it for 2 weeks so far, on a spoon - raw.

I don't like honey but will eat it if it will help my fingers.

I was told not to cook the honey because it destroys its healing qualities but what I wanted to know is how does it work in my body after my stomach acid must surely have done something to it ?

Have I been duped into buying the most expensive honey or will any honey work ?

I was told that all honey has a factor of 5.

[Cat tails]

Honey has many antigens in them. It has been researched a lot in combination with hay fever. Some scientists believe that eating honey will expose you to small amounts of antigens of flowering plants. This might desensitize your imune system a bit over time, making it react less when coming into contact with the pollen of flowering plants. This takes years though.

Some scientists believe it could have the same effects for people with types of rheuma, because this is also your immune system overreacting. Honey also has antibacterial properties. People have been applying it on open wounds for hundreds of years, to prevent or battle infection, before there were things like antibiotics and iodine.

I don't think it will work if the pain isn't caused by a type of infection.

It is true that more expensive honey is better than cheap ones, because cheap honey is often diluted with just plain sugar. But any quality honey should have the same effect.

I do want to stress that this isn't proven in any way for certain. Still a lot of research is being done, that doesn't mean it can't work though.

If you keep having pain in your fingers, maybe you should visit a doctor.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks Cat tails

Even if my honey doesn't help my fingers it might be doing good in other ways.

I saw the doctor before and he said it could be the early stages of arthritis and gave me some anti-inflammitories (?) really can't figure out how to spell that . They didn't do anything, someone recommended Glucosamine and they were huge and didn't do anything either, so I thought I'd give the honey a try.

I did go to the doctors on Friday to tell him my fingers still hurt so I am having an x-ray tomorrow and a blood test for rheumatoid arthritis too, but he said the x-rays probably won't show anything, so we'll have to see.

[Bramble]

I can't help with the question, sorry , but just wonder where you start with Manuka Honey, there are GAZILLIONS of different types, strengths etc!?

[Olly]

A word of warning ... Manuka honey has been shown in tests to have superior antibacterial properties BUT there is more manuka honey sold than actually produced each year, so someone is being scammed. See this article. Honey is great for healing wounds but I've not heard of it working for arthritis.

[Cat tails]

It has some anti-inflamatory properties, but it hasn't been proven yet to actually do something against inflamatory responses. Although more and more scientists are looking into applications of honey in medicine. I do think that, with many of these things, you need to eat such a big amount of honey to actually have any effect, that is not realistic.

[mollyripkim]

I have an auto immune disease which causes lots of joint pain amongst other things. I have a lovely consultant who travels the world teaching and he insists I take a high strength probiotic tablet daily. Apparently there is a link between gut bacteria and rheumatoid and auto immune disease. I do believe it helps, anything to cut down on the steroids. Interesting about the honey as well, I might have to try that too.

[Cat tails]

I know there is a strong link between gut problems and diseases like rheumatoid artheritis. The uni I studied at started a special clinic which specifically treats people with both problems and has good results in doing so. Don't know in detail what they treat patients with, but probiotics sounds interesting.

[Luvachicken]

I can't help with the question, sorry , but just wonder where you start with Manuka Honey, there are GAZILLIONS of different types, strengths etc!?

 

Bramble, I was told the higher the factor number the better it is for you.

I managed to get mine in the Holland and Barrett buy one at full price and get one for 1p sale so not too bad but still expensive.

I will eat what I have for now and see what the doctor has to say later on.

 

I might even give the probiotics a try too ..... anything that might help

[Daphne]

Its true about the higher the number the more effective it is. An elderly friend of my MIL is a big fan of manuka for her rheumatoid arthritis. She also is a believer in propolis and takes both things regularly. I'm not sure if she is on meds as well, but she has been doing this for some years and believes that it helps her. Anything which we feel helps relieve the pain and general debilitating effects we can all feel sometimes if we have a long term health problem has to be a good thing in my book

[Old Speckled Hen]

I agree with Olly and would like to add that the whole manuka thing is a brilliant PR exercise in offloading disgusting tasting honey on the gullible Brits who seem to be the chief users. As Olly says, more "manuka" is eaten in Britain alone than is produced in the whole of New Zealand.

Unprocessed (i.e. minimally filtered and not heated) British honey is a far superior product. It is labour intensive to produce and we beekeepers severely undervalue it.

I haven't heard it being good for arthritis either but what is supposed to be is bee venom, which you can buy at an atrocious price. The simpler way is to become a beekeeper. My previously painful, swollen knuckles are miraculously cured since I took up getting my hands stung

[Olly]

That's really interesting, I have certainly heard it said that beekeepers don't get arthritis but never actually spoken to anyone who says it's worked for them. I know someone who practises apitherapy - she teaches people how to sting themselves for arthritis and joint pain, and it's also used sometimes by people with MS, it has to be done under controlled conditions though for obvious reasons, don't try this one at home.

 

I am convinced that either honey or bee venom or a combination of both has cured my hayfever.

[Luvachicken]

Old Speckled Hen, where can I get unprocessed British honey ?

Are you saying it is better than the Manuka honey ?

I still don't like it but am willing to give anything a go, except maybe being stung by bees - ouch.

Are there no bee venom injections on the NHS ?

[Old Speckled Hen]

What a lot of research has shown is that raw honey of any description has antibacterial properties so there is no point in singling out Manuka and then charging a hefty premium for it.

If you look here

http://www.hampshirebeekeepers.org.uk/contacts/member-associations you will find a beekeeping association near you. They will be able to put you in touch with a member to sell you some honey.

Farmers' markets are a good place to look as are health food shops. Look for local honey.

I don't know of any apitherapy available on the NHS. It's not as simple as injections, the therapists use bee stings in the way of acupuncture if I remember correctly.

I hope you get on top of it. Ghastly thing to live with.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks Old Speckled Hen, that is very useful.

I'm not sure if the honey is doing anything but I think my fingers hurt a bit less so I will continue eating it but not at the price of the Manuka.

Thanks again.