Ken Boddie

7 years ago · 4 min. reading time · ~100 ·

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Honey Heals Wounds!

Honey Heals Wounds!

AUSTRALIA 235 1953

NPA 5+ ¢ MGO 83+

Cees A

Almost a lifetime ago (in beBee long form time) I wrote about the magical healing powers of Manuka honey, ending with:

"Honey is a wonderful healer of wounds!!!!!!!
Of course we bees on beBee already know this, yes?"

My personal experience on this, following an accident and serious infection, is outlined in a relatively light-hearted way (i.e.  no graphic illustrations for the squeamish) at the following link:

https://www.bebee.com/producer/@ken-boddie/she-ll-be-right-yeah-no-way-jose-but-honey-healed-my-leg

While filing away some papers recently, I came across the article referenced below, that sparked the initial seeds of my earlier post.  

"A first taste of Australian honey's medicinal potential"
Terry Clinton, University of Technology Sydney, in New Scientist, 30 Jan 2016, No 3058, Australia.

This time it got me thinking that we bees on beBee are always finding ways to idiomise behaviours of bees, production of honey, its sweet taste and the affinity that bees have with hives.  We are therefore prime candidates for heralding the 'healing' power of honey.  We can do this in two ways as follows:

  • Figuratively - through our positive buzzes, comments and genuine engagement.  In this instance, both the 'healing' and the 'wound' are psychological and the process is a natural activity within beBee, which we take to, like a 'bee to pollen'; and 
  • Literally - by sharing an awareness of honey's real antibacterial activity.  This relates to the physical capability of honey to heal wounds, and is what I address below for those of you who are unaware of this actual phenomenon. 
So, without getting too technical, what is Manuka honey, why does it heal, how do we use it, and what do we need to know when purchasing?

1.  What is Manuka honey?
Manuka honey is produced by the European honey bee (which was introduced into Australia and New Zealand for agricultural pollination) from the nectar of the Manuka tree, more commonly called the tea tree.  With the impressive botanical name, Leptospermum scoparium, the Manuka tree grows naturally throughout New Zealand and south-east Australia. Manuka honey is much more viscous than other honeys, is typically much darker, and has a particularly strong flavour.

2.  Why does it heal?
Modern Western culture has been slow to accept the healing powers of honey, even although many sources cite ancient literatures as documenting honey's wound-healing activity.  It appears that the natural antibacterial qualities of honey were not 'discovered' by researchers until the late 19th century.  The healing property of honey is reportedly due to the following:
  • its antibacterial activity;
  • it maintains the wound in a moist condition; and
  • it forms a viscous protective barrier to reduce the risk of infection.
The antibacterial activity is apparently due to the production of hydrogen peroxide, which happens in most honeys.  In Manuka honey, however, significant antibacterial effects are displayed even when the hydrogen peroxide activity is blocked, thus making Manuka honey unique among honeys.  Furthermore, unlike conventional antibiotics, Manuka honey has not been reported as causing 'superbugs' resistant to antibiotics after multiple treatments.

3.  How do we use it?
As I can attest personally, honey can either be used as an additive contained in off-the-shelf dressings, or, in my case more effectively, by pouring the honey directly onto the open wound in between dressing changes.  Notice that I was using honey under medical direction and advice and only after bleeding had been stopped and an initial nasty infection first brought under control by prescribed oral antibiotics. 

Honey was in effect being used to encourage the skin to grow back over the wound which, I distinctly remember, was more like a meteoritic crater than a hole in the side of my leg. With persistence, however, and careful application of selected honey and sterile dressings, over a period of some five months, the skin re-established itself across my wound, which is now as smooth as a baby's bottom, although somewhat devoid of feeling and off white in colour, the latter apparently due to a lack of melanin in the new skin, compared to the rest of my leg.

Hence the purpose of Manuka honey, at least in my case, was to increase the speed of healing and to assist in fighting infection. Separate studies reportedly suggest that it can also help treat ulcers and burns.

4. What do we look for at the Point of Sale?
If you look for Manuka honey to purchase, you will see it, certainly in Australia, on both the supermarket and the pharmacy shelves.  There are reportedly some products which falsely claim to be Manuka honey and this may be worthy of a separate study.  I was advised, however, to purchase 'medical grade' Manuka honey which, of course, is much more expensive than the common or garden 'stick-it-in-your-tea' or 'eat-it-by-the-spoonful' yummy honey.

"So what do I look for?" do I hear you asking? Well you may remember (in 2. above) that Manuka honey is so unique because of its non-peroxide activity (NPA) in addition to the beneficial levels of hydrogen peroxide found in most honeys. Laboratory testing is used to determine the level of NPA (also referred as unique Manuka factor, UMF) in the Manuka honey to prove that it is 'active' and hence capable of medical benefits for wound treatment, as outlined in 2.

Another major component unique to Manuka honey is methylglyoxyl (MGO) which is also used as an indicator of the strength of NPA in Manuka honey.

Hence honey on the shelves may have both an NPA rating and an MGO rating (as in the above photo), or UMF may be used instead of NPA. The MGO rating is usually a number approximately 25 to 40 times higher than the NPA or UMF rating.

So what values of NPA or MGP should we look for in order to be sure that Manuka honey will be 'active' and provide a medical benefit for wounds? Now this is where I found information to be scant, if not a little contradictory, although one reference suggested that Manuka honey is only 'active' and hence appropriate to use for wound healing, when the NPA (or UMF) is higher than 8+, corresponding to an MGO value of approximately 200+.

Caution Summary
As I have stated in the foregoing and in my earlier beBee post, it is important to only use honey for the management of wounds under the instruction and advice of a medical professional and then possibly only in association with other methods and techniques. This post is not intended to provide medical advice, which should be sought from medical professionals.  The intent is rather to introduce awareness of the wound healing powers of Manuka honey into the greater community.

Additional information may be found on the medicinal properties of Manuka honey in the following links:

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/manuka-honey-medicinal-uses

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mānuka_honey

http://www.awma.com.au/journal/1903_14.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166/

http://www.cmttrading.com.au/en/blog/item/7-what-is-the-meaning-behind-the-manuka-honey-rating-system



...................<<..................>>...................

When not researching the weird or the wonderful, the comical or the cultured, the sinful or the serious, I chase my creative side, the results of which can be seen as selected photographs of my travels on my website at:

http://ken-boddie.squarespace.com

The author of the above, Ken Boddie, besides being a sometime poet and occasional writer, is an enthusiastic photographer, rarely leisure-travelling without his Canon, and loves to interact with other like-minded people with diverse interests.

Ken's three day work week (part time commitment) as a consulting engineer allows him to follow his photography interests, and to plan trips to an ever increasing list of countries and places of scenic beauty and cultural diversity.


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Comments

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #38

#39 Well, @Joyce 🐝 Bowen   Brand Ambassador @ beBee, perhaps this doggerel will cheer you up …. 

I remember the day, 

Several years back, you say, 

When it seemed like you’d not leave your bed, 

When you wiped clean your slate, 

Of those meds you did take, 

I must say, we’re so glad you’re not dead. 
😂🤣😂

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #37

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #36

I read this forever ago and think I read it again, too.  It was written around the time I wrote this:

Breakfast with a BEE

https://us.bebee.com/producer/breakfast-with-a-bee">https://us.bebee.com/producer/breakfast-with-a-bee

I met with another beBee member for breakfast.  I was very sick; as a matter of fact, I was dying. She noticed because it was quite obvious.

 

When I finally found out it was MDs doing the dirty deed, I got the feeling people thought I was bonkers for speaking out.

 

One person even suggested I try to ascertain how at fault I was for my dilemma--like blaming a victim for being victimized, blaming a robbery victim for being robbed and the like.

 

I buy nothing now because I confer with top research scientists here and there.  I don't want to catch anything from the genetically modified who touch the things I'd buy.

 

‘Worse Than the Disease’ – Dr. Stephanie Seneff Sounds Off on Covid Jab After Shocking Jump in Vaccine Deaths Reported at VAERS Tracking Site (AUDIO)

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/worse-disease-dr-stephanie-seneff-sounds-off-covid-jab-shocking-jump-vaccine-deaths-reported-vaers-tracking-site-audio/">https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/worse-disease-dr-stephanie-seneff-sounds-off-covid-jab-shocking-jump-vaccine-deaths-reported-vaers-tracking-site-audio/

 

Steph and I have been email chatting for 3 years.  She's a brilliant woman.

Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris

2 years ago #34

Fun fact: honey was used in antiquity as a medicine, e.g. in the battlefield. The ancients knew about its healing properties as well as the fact that it's one of the few foods that never goes bad. Cheers

Mohammed Abdul Jawad

2 years ago #33

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #32

Mohammed Abdul Jawad

2 years ago #31

Verily, there are numerous benefits of honey. In one source, it is mentioned: “Uncontaminated honey is a healthy, readily digestible, natural, and energy-rich food. It contains carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, enzymes, and vitamins. One tablespoon of honey provides 60 calories and contains 11g of carbohydrates, 1mg of calcium, 0.2mg of iron, 0.mg of vitamin B, and 1mg of vitamin C. Along with its nutritional value, honey exhibits antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, anti-diarrhea, wound-healing anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-tussive and expectorant properties.”

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #30

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #29

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #28

Ken Boddie

2 years ago #27

Ash Wellesley

2 years ago #26

I wish maple syrup had the healing powers of honey. It might justify the cost. That stuff is liquid gold in Canada, and it tastes way better on a pancake.  🥞

Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris

2 years ago #25

Very informative. Thank you for sharing. 

Preston 🐝 Vander Ven

2 years ago #24

I liked how you describe the healing power of the ‘honey’ made in the hive of bebee by it's users

Ian Weinberg

5 years ago #23

Fascinating stuff Ken Boddie - another lesson from the University of Life!

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #22

#26
#27 Brilliant idea, Deb and Paul. Honey heals hurts, but mead promotes mind over matter. As my dear mother used to say, "One glass and I'm anybody's - two glasses and I'm nobody's." 🤣

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #21

#25
Thanks for the feedback, Pat. Isn't it a pity that 'we' in Western Society tend to ignore some of the old remedies, thinking that they can't be a good as 'modern' medicine. Sometimes we need to take a tip from the attitudes and practices of our Eastern brothers. If it works, use it, and don't get hung up on how and why.

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #20

#24
Glad to be of service, Cindi. By now I'm sure you'll have found that there are a lot of publications out there on this subject. The most interesting and readable ones I found were from various Nursing papers on dressing wounds. I found the medical journals to be generally too full of jargon I didn't understand. You might say, unlike honey, they were too difficult to digest? 🤣

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #19

#22
I seem to remember reading the same thing about the Egyptians, Claire, when I was doing some research for this post. The well paired honey and healing combo is certainly not a new concept.

Cyndi wilkins

7 years ago #18

Perfect timing for the resurrection of this post Ken Boddie...I was just conversing with a client last week, (she is from Honduras) and she swears by Manuka Honey for just about everything that ails her;-) I had intended to research it for my own use and had forgotten the name of the product and voila! Here it is...Now that is synchronicity! Thanks for the links;-)

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #17

I keep mine on a string around my neck for the same reason. 👓

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #16

#18
For sure Ken Boddie lol. Search and search for my glasses, only to find them on top of my head

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #15

#17
Old age setting in, Lisa? Ha Ha!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #14

#15
Thanks Ken Boddie :-) Glad you are back and hope you had a wonderful time!! My memory has been so bad lately but I remember you saying you were leaving for Indonesia.

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #13

#14
nice to read your validation, Praveen. 👍

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #12

Hi Lisa Gallagher. Just back from an extended trip to remoter parts of Indonesia so have been off line for about a month. To answer your question about the validity of Manuka honey I suggest that you should ask if is produced by the European bee and are the hives near Manuka Trees (also referred as tea trees)? Ordinary honey also reportedly assists with wound healing but Manuka honey (if you can source it) has additional benefits for the reasons given in my buzz. #13

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #11

I'm glad this popped back up Ken Boddie! Very interesting to read about Manuka Honey. I've seen it in some of our 'fancier' stores on the shelves. If it's from Australia, would this be the form you're speaking of? We can't get scripts for honey in the US. The older I become, the more interested I am in alternative medicines that have been studied & have positive results that really do work. And, I love how your article began, pollinate & heal. Missed you, by the way!!

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #10

#4
Sorry, Kev, I accidentally missed your comment. Perhaps I should have said "saving the best for last"? So I suggest that you check in with my good lady wife who had to put up with my tantrums during this treatment and recovery process. I'm sure she would say that my mood was inversely proportional to the amount of honey being used on my leg. 😏

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #9

Your comments appear to agree with what I have read, Deb Helfrich. I guess the difference is when there may be a need to guard against further infection, such as in a deep and open wound which is slow to heal due to the size, etc (don't really want to get too graphic here). I understand that this is where the non-peroxide activity can come in to play, so that when ordinary honeys are neutralised, Manuka honey is still active. But there again I am no medical expert, but merely repeating what I have read. Is there a medic in the house? 💼

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #8

#5
Can't help you with your query, Errol. I suggest that you seek medical advice on this one. 🔬

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #7

#3
Manuka honey, Don Kerr, is quite a strong taste and may be less attractive to eat, if you have a really sweet tooth, especially if you decide to pay for the high medical grades. Personally I find it quite tasty but then again I can be quite a sour puss. 😼

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #6

#2
Thanks, Jim Murray. I assume you mean the honey and not me. 😄

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #5

#1
I have read quite a few papers, Dean-san, on this subject, as I was personally involved - my leg, my wound. Many of these papers were obviously peer reviewed from various medical journals. Very few were produced commercially. I have given a few links at the bottom of my post, some medical and a couple of commercial, to assist individuals with their own research. It is really up to you, and your medical practitioner, to decide how much benefit there is in Manuka honey over non-Manuka honey (for want of a generic term). There are a lot of publications out there, world-wide. I remember tracking down, some time ago, a couple of very graphic articles from India. Just let me put it this way - If you had a very nasty infection like I had, and a huge multicoloured leg, getting bigger, faced with a choice between buying ordinary honey over the shelf, cheap honey marked as Manuka but with no evidence of laboratory confirmatory testing (i.e. no NPA and MGO ratings), and one of the many 'medical grade' honeys sold here in Oz, I wonder which you would choose? 😕

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #4

Wonderful testimony to the healing power of honey Ken Boddie. I do have to ask... did pouring all that honey in do anything to sweeten your personality?

don kerr

7 years ago #3

Fascinating. And here I've just been using it on toast and in raspberry yogurt freeze pops! Thanks Ken Boddie

Jim Murray

7 years ago #2

Outstanding.

Dean Owen

7 years ago #1

What a mind blowing article Ken-san. I am however a little skeptical about the properties you mention that are "unique" to Manuka honey. I would like to see non-biased evidence supporting these claims, i.e. not from Aussies or Kiwis. I have seen Manuka jars of honey sell for up to $500 here. I am reminded of a certain Martin Shkreli who raised prices of his HIV drug by 5000%.

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