By Al Sears
Everybody loves sugar. And here’s another reason to keep it in your cupboard.
Sugar can heal your cuts, scrapes, burns, and even large wounds without leaving
a scar. It kills germs and repairs tissue better than any antiseptic or
disinfectant on the market.1 [ And it may get rid of your
allergies! ]
Sugar may just be the first antiseptic in history. People have written about its
miraculous properties for over 4,000 years, since early Egyptian times. But it
fell out of favor once antibiotics became available.
I [ Al Sears ] had firsthand experience during my first trip to the Amazon. When you’re
fighting your way through dense jungle, there isn’t a day you’re not cut up,
scraped, or covered with bug bites. Infection sets in quickly in the tropics.
And a cut on my arm was becoming infected.
My guide carried small packets of sugar with him at all times. I thought it was
to sweeten his tea. But when we stopped to rest, he applied a sugar paste to the
cut on my arm and covered it with gauze.
Back then I was skeptical. But he assured me it was strong, native medicine and
repeated the process each time we stopped. Within a day or two, the cut was
healed – and no scar remained.
Since that time, I’ve seen sugar used to heal throughout my travels to Africa
and Asia. Other countries such as Australia and New Zealand use honey instead of
sugar.
Sugar and honey both contain high levels of glucose, the kind of sugar your body
uses for energy. Both are almost equal in their ability to heal, with honey
taking a slight lead.2
I read an interesting review of seven studies of 264 patients treated with
honey. Honey produced better outcomes, shorter healing time, and virtually no
infection.3
After seven days, 58 percent of patients were healed with honey versus
19% with conventional antibiotics and unconventional treatments such as silver,
amniotic membrane, and potato peelings. And 85 percent of patients
treated with honey had the infection in their wound vanish compared to 30% with
the other treatments.
After 21 days, 99 percent of patients were healed with honey versus 75%
with other treatments. Only one study gave the infection rate at 21 days. It was
96 percent for honey versus 76% for a silver treatment.
Dr. Mark Moyad:
"Most sore throats will go away within a week or so. And, since viruses cause the majority of sore throats associated with colds, no effective medical therapy currently exists. Recommendations to ease sore throat pain are often the same as those used to treat cold symptoms: drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest. For extremely sore throats, drinking warm soup through a straw or sucking on ice chips may help.A recent study from Pennsylvania State University found that about one to two teaspoons of honey before bed worked as well as the leading conventional cough medicine ingredient (dextromethorphan), says Mark A. Moyad, MD, MPH, director of preventive and alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., noting that honey is soothing to the back of the throat and contains anti-microbial compounds similar to hydrogen peroxide. "I recommend honey before bed and warm salt water gargle (a half teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water) during the day along with a vitamin C supplement," he says. Because the acidity of regular vitamin C may cause stomach issues, taking a non-acidic vitamin C like Ester-C (500-1000 mg/day) may improve recovery time from colds, he continues." Melone: Honey good for sore throat
Sugar and honey prevent scarring to the extent it heals ulcers and burns without
the need for skin grafts. Scientists theorize sugar and honey encourage the
production of hyaluronic acid (HA), while it prevents stiff, stringy collagen
from forming.
HA fills out your skin by absorbing 3,000 times its weight of water. At the same
time, sugar and honey prevent the buildup of the stringy kind of collagen that
creates scar tissue. Instead, it forms a different type. A delicate, mesh-like
collagen structure that brings the skin’s surface back to normal and allows it
to heal.4,5
The next time you have a cut, scrape, burn, or open infection, try using sugar
or honey:
1. Make a paste using filtered water and sugar, or use straight honey.
2. Apply to your wound and cover with gauze or a Band-Aid.
3. Change the dressing throughout the day to prevent the gauze from sticking to the wound.
To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD
Additional Info about Honey:
Testimonials:
"My barber told me that raw honey is also helpful in reducing pollen allergies. I tried it a few years ago and found that it worked pretty well for me." Honey reduces allergies
Honey as possible cough syrup.
Honey as Disinfectant?
I've seen on TV that the Russians used to take barrels of honey with them to
battles and they used to use it and a disinfectant and antibiotic for wounds
since the osmotic pressure of honey does not allow humidity and thus will
not allow microbes to grow.
So, if you put anything inside a jar of honey, it's saved from infections.
Al Sears, MD |
|
References:
1 Archer, HG, et al. “A controlled model of moist wound healing:
comparison between semi-permeable film, antiseptics and sugar paste.” J-Exp-Pathol-(Oxford).
1990 Apr; 71(2): 155-70.
2 Mphande AN, Killowe C, et al. “Effects of honey and sugar dressings on wound
healing.” J Wound Care. 2007 Jul;16(7):317-9.
3 Moore, O., et al. “Systematic review of the use of honey as a wound dressing.”
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2001; 1:2.
4 McPherson, J.M., Piez, K.A. “Collagen in dermal wound repair.” In: Clark,
R.A.F., Henson, P.M. The Molecular and Cellular Biology of Wound Repair.
New York: Plenum Press, 1988.
5 “Why do some cavity wounds treated with honey or sugar paste heal without
scarring?” Woundcare Journal 2002; 11(2).
Canada information about honey:
Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:
HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey & cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.
ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon of honey and half teaspoon of cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.
BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.
CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.
COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.
UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.
GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.
IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscle s to fight bacteria and viral diseases.
INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.
LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to Four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increases and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.
PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.
SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.
WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three time s a day.
FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert & flexible . Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. When the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.
BAD BREATH: People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.
HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey & cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restore hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!
Melone Linda, "Taking Care of a Sore Throat: Learn why a sore throat occurs and the best ways to treat it," Everyday Health, February 20, 2009. Melone: Honey good for sore throat