The cold, dark months of winter are here, and that can only mean one thing: cold and flu season is upon us. But how can you and your family fight off these pesky illnesses quickly, effectively and naturally? Simple. Honey!
Our African Bronze Forest Honey packs all the antioxidant, disease-fighting powers of raw honey, and more, all while making a positive impact on the environment and communities we serve.
Our honey is sustainably harvested in the forests of south-central Africa by more than 10,000 beekeepers and their families. The production of our honey sustains entire communities while employing environmentally-friendly regenerative harvesting practices. Our wild forest honey products come straight from the hive without being heated, preserved or filtered. This means our honey boasts the highest concentrations of honey’s natural benefits and nutritional value. Our honey is certified organic by EcoCert, so you can rest easy knowing our honey has no pesticides, no chemicals - just pure, high-quality, ethically sourced honey.
Still unsure how honey can help fight off cold and flu season? Keep reading for more about the disease-fighting power of our natural honey.
Honey: Nature’s Disease-Fighting Powerhouse
At African Bronze Honey, our mission is to bring the natural disease-fighting powers of honey back to the table. Our gold standard of honey can easily be incorporated into your diet, wellness and beauty routines to help battle inflammation, promote overall wellness and fight off disease and infection. But how? Honey is nature’s disease-fighting powerhouse because it is chocked full of antioxidants, prebiotics and anti-microbial properties. These types of naturally occurring foods are sometimes even called food-ceuticals!
Let's break down what that means.
Fight inflammation with antioxidants
If you’ve been online in recent years, you probably have seen health experts talk extensively about the role inflammation plays in our bodies. Just like our exterior bodies can become red, swollen or inflamed, our internal bodies can become inflamed and irritated as well. Diet, exercise, the chemicals we consume in the world around us and stress, all play a role in inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation can lead to disease, illness and many different kinds of chronic conditions. For many people, addressing inflammation in the body is one of their primary health goals.
But how do we address inflammation in our bodies that we can see or directly feel? Antioxidants! Antioxidants are recognized and categorized as compounds called phenolic acids. Phenolic acids are readily absorbed into the body through the food we digest and promote the destruction of free radicals in the body. Free radicals is an umbrella term given to substances and compounds in the body that have negative effects on the body cells. For most people, a diet high in antioxidants can help to reduce these free radicals in the body and can help the body repair cells, fight disease and reduce inflammation.
But how do antioxidants help to fight the common cold? Antioxidants help our bodies fight many different kinds of illnesses, including the common cold, by stabilizing free radicals (the bad stuff in our bodies that cause infection) and neutralizing their threat before they can attack our cells and make us sick. A diet rich in antioxidants will not only help prevent illness this winter but for plenty of winters to come!
According to a study done by the Technology Access Centre in Bio-Innovation in Ottawa, researchers definitively concluded that our African Bronze Traditional Honey contains 2-times more antioxidants as Manuka honey and up to 5-times more antioxidants than conventionally produced agricultural honey . This means our honey has more antioxidants than other honey, making it the top choice for disease-fighting properties for your family.
Balance your gut biome with prebiotics
Another way we can fight off colds and the flu is by balancing our gut biome to ensure our digestive system is operating as efficiently as possible. Why? Because when our gut is properly absorbing the nutrients from our food, we are better able to absorb important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will better fight off illness.
Honey helps promote a healthy gut biome through micro-compounds called prebiotics. Prebiotics naturally occur in foods and help to foster the growth of good microorganisms in the gut while limiting the growth of bad microorganisms. Prebiotics act as food for the good bacteria in the human digestive system.
The most commonly found prebiotic in honey is a compound called oligosaccharides. These oligosaccharides are digested by the microflora in the gut microbiome and alter the microbial balance for the better (Roberfroid, 2022). A diet high in prebiotics can balance the gut biome, improve digestion and aid in better absorption of nutrients.
Beat disease with antimicrobials
For decades, honey has been praised as nature’s disease-fighting powerhouse, and it turns out that healers of the past might have been on to something. Honey, particularly raw forest honey, is rich in antimicrobial compounds that help fight infection and disease. From treating burns and acne to fighting off the common cold, these antimicrobial compounds help to fight illness by fighting the microorganisms that can cause these infections.
Getting Sick? Try Honey Cough Drops and Cough Suppressants
Despite all of our best efforts, sometimes getting sick is just inevitable. Here are some of our best quick-fix remedies for navigating the cold and flu season.
Chapped lips or nose?
Having a cold, can really dehydrate your skin, especially if you are constantly blowing your nose. Using a little bit of honey as a natural skin moisturizer or salve can help lock in moisture, soothe redness and irritation and help calm an itchy nose.
Hydrate and soothe with honey and hot water
We all know the primary ways we can help fight a cold or flu: lots of fluid and plenty of rest. While honey can’t help you take it easy, it can help you boost your immune system and hydration levels. Add a spoonful of honey to some hot water for a sweet, hydrating treat to help calm your body and fight off infection.
Still not feeling at your best? Try making honey cough suppressants at home!
If you’re still not feeling well or are struggling with a lingering cough that just won’t go away, we recommend making all-natural cough drops or cough syrup at home. With antimicrobial properties to fight infection, a soothing texture and pleasant taste, honey can help fight discomfort, speed up recovery and make you feel better all around. Our favourite recipes include these Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops from Tasty Ever After, this Honey Cough Syrup from the National Honey Board or even just a spoonful of our gold standard honey! If Mary Poppins recommends it, it must be true!
