The drug and medicine industry is a large and profitable one, and as with all large and profitable industries, the consumer is sometimes not informed about what is best for them, but which product is best for them.
Honey has been used medicinally for thousands of years - the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks, Chinese and Romans all used honey for its medicinal values. From wound dressings to disorders of the bowels, honey was a regular feature on the prescriptions of ancient physicians.
As shifts in thinking, most prominent in the twentieth century, took effect, traditional remedies took a back seat to modern drugs. No longer was the natural world seen as a source of sustenance and vitality, but man was seen as the answer to his own problems. There was no longer a perceived need to search the bounty of creation for health and healing, but man was now thought to hold the key to life and well-being within himself.
What this meant was a loss of confidence in cheap, free or at least freely available natural remedies and a dependence upon doctors, prescriptions and the drug companies that produced the prescribed medicines. Time wouldn't allow us to go into all of honey's potential uses, but one that is pertinent in its money-saving abilities is the use of honey as an antacid.
This is not a call to throw away the Gaviscon, but after a meal before bed the other day I decided to take a teaspoon of honey. Eating so late and then going straight to bed would normally cause me heartburn to varying degrees, but with the honey I slept peacefully. If heartburn/acid reflux is a regular problem for you then honey may save you a few quid on that £5 bottle of medicine.
This is not medical advice and of course, no treatment should be sought without the advice of a physician - you have been warned!
Relevant websites:
http://www.honey4allergies.com/medicinal.htm
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/
http://www.manukahoney.co.uk/
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