Raw honey

As allergy season is once again upon us, I have restarted my habit of a teaspoon of raw honey when I wake up in the morning.  On the days when people around me are complaining of terrible allergies, I feel well.  This is saying a lot coming from someone who used to spend my childhood indoors because my allergies were so bad!

Local raw honey works well to ease allergy symptoms because since the pollen is local, it gives your body a chance to build a tolerance to the allergens.

But raw honey is good for more than just allergies!

• Throat soother, great for sore throats, and tastier and better for you than medication.

• Low glycemic index compared to other sweeteners, which means it takes longer to break down and will not spike and drop your blood sugar rapidly.

• Most honey found in supermarkets has been filtered and does not usually contain any pollen, so the health benefits are reduced.

• Honey is an alkaline food, which helps keep your pH level balanced.  This is especially important as the high consumption of alcohol, sugar, processed and greasy foods in our society lead most people to be in highly acidic states.

Note: Don’t give honey to a child under 1 as there is a risk of botulism.