HI Caroline glad you are enjoying the articles.

There are several plants that are toxic to honey bees such as laurel, Rhododendron and apple but unless those are the only source of nectar and pollen available bees will generally avoid these plants.

Here's a link to a blog that has a list (scroll down to find them) of good and bad plants. Keep in mind that not all of the plants in the bad list are bad for the bees just certain cultivators in some categories and in others all of them.

Also in some cases there would have to be a lot of the plants present to cause harm to the bees or humans. Some beekeeping articles on the subject say a little bit of the toxic nectar mixed with good nectar does not cause much of a problem.

My Dad used to give us a concoction of honey, lemon and vinegar (I think this was it) . . . every day. I'm the only child who was faithful to following this and I must admit, Margaret, I am the only one of my siblings with a super strong immune system. I'm very thankful for this!!!

Good for you Becky. My Dad only gave us some mixture he made up when we had colds or where sick with just about anything else. I am going to ask my oldest brother if he remembers Dad's recipe and post it here.

I tried the sports drink mixture I found on a biking site and it really did seem to help during my exercise days. Too bad I'm out of honey or I'd mix up some more of it.

Hi Margaret and everyone.
I've enjoyed info on this thread and your article.
* Question. I think I remember a discussion once long ago that giving honey to an infant was dangerous? True? and if so, why?
* I purchase my honey from Patagonia Honey Co. in AZ. The label says they move their hives around the state seasonally to make the best honey. It crystallizes.
* I want local honey to boost my really weak immune system. Bill Clinton did this for his allergies, apparently.
* Also, I shop at Whole Foods. I was surprised to learn they didn't, until recently, carry a local honey at my store. In the last year they've made a good effort to carry locally made products in general.

Susie,

Margaret might tell you more but children under about 2 cannot produce stomach acid so the bacterial spores that are in honey never get killed. Causes infant botulism, I think.

Adults do have the acid, so the bacteria that's in honey has no affect on adults.

I think this is correct from researching an old article I wrote some time ago and also from having grown up with fresh honey.

Oh, now that you mention the botulism, Sharon, I remember reading about that. I couldn't remember what the issue was. And, naturally I question myself when I remember something like that but not the source or reason. I mean, you never know if some far off thing you remember is "an old wives tale".

But, then, maybe the old wives tales are valid and it's the FDA who pushes out the "tale" to give credence to FDA approved pharmaceuticals and products and negate homeopathic practices. Hmmmmmm.

I wonder that sometimes myself, Susie.

You also have to consider that medicinal plants have been around a lot longer than the FDA and chemically produced meds.

...and naturopathic practices, plants, extracts, methods are not patentable. No one can own the chemical or process. Granted Kava Kava used in excess (not sure what excess is) can cause liver or kidney damage but so can Lipitor.

Plus, often science replicates the properties of a natural plant. I think pharmacology has done that with the yew tree (breast cancer treatment). The yew tree provides everything you'd need... but science decided to create the cell structure... and patent $$$$.

Are we OT?

Probably not too OT since honey is medicinal.
But you are right on all counts. Sometimes the natural product has to be treated in such a way as to get the toxins out. Seems like salacin is one of them, comes from the willow tree and works like aspirin. I might have spelled that wrong, might be salicin. My computer tells me that they are both misspelled but that's the way they sound.
So yes, to all you say.

Sorry, Mindy. Even OT it's medicinal.

There is a type of honey that is being produced in New Zealand, from a specific plant found there. That honey is being used in their hospitals as a bandage after surgery. Fast healing. Not sure how it works, but I know it does.

Hello Everyone no problem with the OT since this is an article about medicine even if it is a natural one from honey.

Susie to answer your question about infants. Any child under 12 months of age does not have a fully developed immune system and therefore they can't fight the botulism spores found in any raw food including raw honey. The book Honey The Gourmet medicine did mention that raw honey can be treated with gamma irradiation to make it safe for infants without affecting the beneficial properties of the honey. An interesting note about honey and infants is that honey has been found to help prevent SIDS in infants. The book also says that you can check your local clinics and hospitals to see if they offer gamma irradiation of honey.

Sharon the honey you are thinking of as being the best is Mankua honey. This honey contains an additional antibacterial component that is only found in honey produced via Leptospermum plants.

For more on the subject and instructions for using honey to treat wounds check this link
http://pattyinglishms.hubpages...

For allergies, the honey has to be both local AND raw. Mine says natural raw pure honey. I figure if it's made within a hundred miles like this one is, that's plenty local enough!

For allergies the information is varied. Some sources say within 5 miles others say within 50 miles and still others say as long as it is from the same type of plants as what grows in your area.

You're right, Margaret. Stomach acid is part of the immune system that children don't have early on so they have nothing to kill the bad bacteria that might be in raw honey that's eaten. And you're also right about the Manuka honey. Too bad we don't have the Manuka flower growing here.

After much nagging, I finally got DH to take a spoonful of honey for sore throat. He was so surprised that it worked! (Hard-headed ol' man)

June most people don't think something that tastes so good can really be good medicine. Bet he thinks that's the best tasting medicine he's ever taken.

Two winters ago, I lost my voice for 4 days (I'm sure my friends/family loved it). The lady at the health food store sold me a jar of Manuka Honey for $25. It lasted me over 2 years, and one time when I wasn't being careful and burnt my wrist getting a pan out of the oven, I put the Manuka on it and it was pain-free in under 5 min and healed within a day.

Now, if I could only afford to replace it!

Meantime, we have a local honey-seller here. I first learned the importance of local raw honey while living in TX -- seems even the most allergen-free folks develop allegies after moving to Texas.

I've heard of that in regard to southcentral Texas, which seems to have a LOT of Texas Cedar, Juniperus ashei, which causes cedar fever in the winter (at least to those sensitive to it). Luckily I'm not allergic to that, but I have enough allergies without that one!

fiwit said: I first learned the importance of local raw honey while living in TX -- seems even the most allergen-free folks develop allegies after moving to Texas.