"Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food."
-Hippocrates, father of medicine, 431 BC
At the state fair a couple years ago, a man was selling local bee pollen and honey, claiming they helped with seasonal allergies. I didn't pay much attention to him because I hadn't dealt with seasonal allergies since I was a child, and yes, as a child I took bee pollen capsules. They weren't "local" bee pollen capsules, we didn't know the value of the word local at that time.
Fast forward to the last couple weeks. I've been dealing with major...MAJOR...nose problems. Allergies. My allergies are back. Coupled with a deviated septum which I'm due to have repaired March 20th (no horror stories, please), I've been pretty miserable the last couple weeks.
I posted a note on my Facebook page, hoping for a cure. Local honey...local honey...local honey. That was the response I continued to get. Huh, how did I miss that one? In the (very) limited amount of research I've done, it appears that there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that allergies are alleviated by the regular intake of local honey (along with hangovers, afternoon fatigue, and anxiety). I read there is only one "official" scientific study which doesn't support the use of honey and states it has a placebo effect. So, I have to go with anecdotal evidence but I'm really okay with that since, well, I love local honey! And the more local the better - I gotta get those back yard bees.
How about you - anyone out there in blog land want to give me some positive anecdotal evidence that honey works for allergies? Tell me your story. What is the "dosage" that works, or worked, for you? Please leave me a comment or email me personally at localfoodies@yahoo.com.
Yummy, yummy, honey in my tummy!
Paula, my wife Melissa is convinced that switching over to Loyd's local honey (which we use in just about all our baking) has done wonderful things for building up her resistance to allergens. We've not scientifically tracked it, but she knows her own body best, and I wouldn't doubt her. (I should probably become more of a honey eater, and see if it helps me out as well!)
ReplyDeleteHey Russell, thanks for sharing Melissa's experience. I hope that the honey will help me as much as it has helped her!
ReplyDelete4/11/12 Where exactly can I find local honey NOW ... before all the Farmer's Markets get going in Wichita, KS Whole Foods on Rock? THANKS
ReplyDeletebjmadewell@gmail.com
If you have a producer you typically buy from at the farmers' market, try calling them (many of the producers are listed on the resource list on this website.) During the winter, we go directly to the home of our producer, because we've built a relationship with them. I'm pretty sure the Whole Foods, as you said, carries local honey as well. I've seen it there before.
ReplyDeleteThe Kansas Grown market is up and going already, and usually has honey. I need to call Bill Vinduska (247-3990, FWIW) because I got some from him at the fall Great Plains Renaissance Festival and I'm about out... though if he's at the spring one, I'm pretty sure that's in the next weekend or two.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great response Karen. You're right, the Kansas Grown Market is a great place to get some now. Where is Bill Vinduska located - I'll add him to the local producers list if you think that would be okay.
ReplyDeleteMarion, though he has hives in various places. We picked up Wichita-specific honey last year.
DeleteHowdy! Do you happen to know how to verify that the content of your portal is unique in the whole blogosphere and there is no such a person who is it without your awareness?
ReplyDelete