Benefits of Honey

Beautiful flowers aiding in honey production

Since times immemorial man is aware of the benefits of honey to the mankind. The honey provides enormous, amazing and astonishing benefits, which may be short of miraculous.

Honey is produced by the bees and they travel hundreds of kilometers to gather the nectar from the flowers.  Over a million of flowers need to be visited by the bees for honey which may be less than 1 Kg.  The cost of the honey also ranges on many variables like color, texture, area and benefits etc.  Overall the cost of honey is very reasonable. In-spite of consuming honey for over 2 decades I consider myself as an amateur as far as the selection of honey goes. Some of the major religious scriptures highlight the benefits of honey.  It is also used by the alternative medicine practitioners.

The honey is sweet and good to taste. It gives instant energy and it considered as energy booster. It is also used in many culinary delights. If we compare sugar with honey, the calories in the honey are lesser.  For weight reduction honey is better due to reduced calories.

New researches have confirmed most of the benefits of honey. It is a very good anti-oxidant, it has anti-ageing properties and some even have deduced that it has anti-cancer properties.  It is also considered as an immunity builder.  In olden times it has been used by the military personnel for application to the wounds as it helped in healing the wounds.  It has anti bacterial and anti fungal properties.  It is also used for detoxification. Much is discussed about Manuka honey and its utility and its medicinal properties.

It is soothing to the stomach and provides instant energy. I have a personal experience of having a good night’s sleep after consuming a teaspoonful of honey.  But one should be cautious while consuming honey.  The diabetics should take adequate medical advice and precautions before consuming honey.  Some people may also have allergy to honey. Certain types of people need to be generally cautious while consuming honey. It is better if adequate precautions are taken before utilizing it for health benefits. 

There are many discussions about honey and its benefits as a hibernation diet, the efficacy of which is not yet proven. Honey and its products are also considered to be useful in controlling bad breath, hair loss, sleep disorder, arthritis, acne, and yeast infection.

Some personal experiences with Honey has been as follows,

Benefits Lemon and Honey – The combination of lemon and honey was used but it did not reduce my weight but was helpful in maintaining my weight and health. 

Benefits Vinegar and Honey – In-order to reduce weight I tried vinegar and honey formula but was not successful and had to discontinue.

Benefits Honey and Cinnamon – This formula of honey and cinnamon was good and helped me in maintaining my weight but did not help in reducing the weight. However this is a good remedy for certain coughs and cold symptoms.

Benefits Honey and Milk - This is a good combination and benefits in the bowel movements and reducing acidity.

Benefits of Honey and Apple- This is supposed to reduce weight but in my experience it did not help me in reducing my weight.

Benefits of Honey as a hibernation diet – This did not help me in my fight with the bulge.

There are various studies which suggest that a combination of other herbs with honey cures arthritis, Flu etc. but one should be cautious while using any of the combination. Sometimes a person may have problem with using honey alone or with other combinations and there are certain disadvantages to certain people.

Nowadays it is difficult to get pure honey and it is better to get full information before getting into any regimen. For some honey may be beneficial and there are also certain disadvantages in honey. However it is useful when combined with milk/cinnamon/black pepper. It helps in controlling some allergies and cough due to cold or even dry cough. Honey is a good food and can also be considered as a super food. But it has its own limitation. It is not a magic cure or a magic formula. It should be used with proper precautions.

Benefits of Garlic

Benefits of Garlic

The Garlic, Indian name “Laissan”, is Allium Sativum, its useful ingredients and have many benefits related to health issues. If eaten raw the Garlic causes bad breath due to its smell but has numerous health benefits. It is also available in capsule form to avoid the problems of taste and smell.

For times immemorial it has been used as a cure all remedy combined with other herbs.  We have also seen the utility of Garlic in Dracula movies. Apart from this various studies have been conducted and it has been found that the Garlic consumption on regular basis is useful in preventing different types of cancers, it helps in circulation of blood (it helps in thinning of the blood), removing cholesterol and triglycerides.  Some proponents have also given it stimulant and aphrodisiac properties. 

Garlic is also having antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal activity. Garlic is also beneficial in reducing Blood pressure, which is also known as Hypertension.  It benefits in the process of digestion. Many of the culinary preparations are done with the combination of Garlic and Ginger.

It has also helped some people in dealing with the issues of Acne.  It also helps in preventing the clotting of blood. Eating too much raw garlic may cause different types of problems. Using some drugs may also have problems. Few people may be allergic to Garlic.  Always better to consult the Doctor before embarking on any new regimen. Making garlic a part of diet is useful and definitely it will benefit the general health of the person. 

Benefits of Fruits

Fruits are one of the best foods on the earth.  Fruits come in different colors, tastes and textures.  They have different benefits for the human beings.  It gives instant energy for the person who is consuming the fruit.  It also satisfies the hunger.  Even some fruits are watery and they will quench the thirst. They are known as protective foods.

Fruits boost our immune system.  They can be taken any time of the day.  Some people who are allergic to foods and people with diabetes should take care before consuming large amount of foods. Fruits are usually eaten raw.  There are more benefits of eating raw fruits.  It is also consumed as Salads, Juices, Jams and some times in the form of pickles.  Some fruits are also roasted and deep fried.

Most of the fruits contain nutrients and usually rich in vitamin C.  They act as anti-oxidants.  Some of the fruits are considered as super-foods.

Fruits being considered as protective food protect our health from different diseases, it helps in maintaining a healthy body.  They are also considered as food for anti-ageing.  In terms of taste also they are excellent.   It also used in detoxification and reduction of weight.  Some people have reduced their weights by consuming fruits as a major portion of their diet.  Many fruits contain fiber and water in good quantity which helps in digestion and preventing many forms of cancer.  It is also alleviating the problems of constipation.   Due to fiber content, it helps in reduction of cholesterol, which is a major cause of heart problems.

It is always recommended to go in for seasonal fruits rather than unseasonal fruits.  The seasonal fruits are cheaper and are high in nutrients.