Top Health and Beauty Uses for Honey

Honey has gotten a lot more attention in recent years as a natural, healthier alternative to both sugar and artificial sweeteners. 

The result is that honey recipes on the Internet now abound.  However, apart from the wonderful flavor that honey can lend to a variety of healthy desserts, there are other important benefits it can bring for both health and beauty.

Honey for a Healthy Heart and Reduced Inflammation

Everyone knows that heart disease is a big problem in this country.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), heart disease, in fact, is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States. 

With numbers like that, it is no wonder that the hunt is on for ways in which people can reduce their chances of developing a serious, heart-related conditions.

The great news is, that achieving heart health is not just a matter of a balanced diet, regular exercise and stress management – though the

AHA points out that these are helpful, too! Little lifestyle changes can help with heart health, too. 

And honey appears to be able to provide certain benefits for heart health.

One study, from the University of the Tehran, researchers found that participants who were given honey daily showed, by the end of the study, to have lower LDL and total cholesterol levels  (and higher levels of the healthy HDL cholesterol) than participants who received a placebo.

This is good news, as lower LDL and higher HDL cholesterols have been linked to decrease risk of heart attacks.

Heart health is not the only way that honey can contribute to someone’s overall well-being.

Those who suffer from the chronic pain that many inflammatory conditions bring with them know how these problems can interfere with everyday life.

But, as is the case with heart disease, small changes can help and honey could well be a great addition to an anti-inflammatory diet. 

Honey’s ability to help with inflammation has been well-documented. For example, one study of honey, published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, found that honey was also able to lower certain markers of inflammation for participants in as little as two weeks.

Honey for Beautiful Skin

One of the best ways to use honey as a beauty product is on the skin. 

The uses for honey in skin care and dermatology are virtually endless.

In one international review of honey and skin care from universities in Canada and Iran, scientists noted that honey has been shown to help promote healing and reduce inflammation, pain and redness from wounds and burns, even sunburns.

It can be used for even difficult skin problems like the painful, itchy red patches of a psoriasis breakout which are not on uncomfortable but can be socially embarrassing as well.

It can help with more minor skin issues as well.

For instance, the researchers note that if dry skin is a problem, honey can help since it is a natural humectant, meaning that it can provide deep moisturizing treatment for the skin.

The review also notes that honey’s powerful antioxidant properties are able to reduce oxidative stress to the cells and prevent damage to skin cells from free radicals, making it a natural choice to help with the appearance of aging skin.

Use More Honey!

There are a lot of easy ways to get more honey in the diet to start taking advantages of its heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory effects. 

Some of the simplest ways include adding honey to the morning cup of tea, spreading it on toast or drizzling it over oatmeal or honey in the morning. 

The American Honey Producers Association offers many great recipes on their website, including honey-pumpkin bread and a honey citrus soother.

Because more and more women are becoming aware of the beauty benefits of using topical honey on their skin, there are also many website which give recipes for DIY honey-based beauty treatments. 

This includes everything from masks to toners to moisturizers. 

These at-home beauty treatments not only can save a lot of money but are truly effective for beautifying the skin.

In short, getting a little more honey in your life is a sweet way to improve both health and beauty!

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