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Focus on Herbs: Honeyby Lynne Latella With
warm days ahead, bees will spend every waking moment busily collecting
pollen to
turn into nature’s natural sweetener. Let’s honor them for their
diligence in
traveling about 55,000 miles and visiting nearly two million flowers to
make a
pound of honey. During one collection trip alone, a bee may visit 50 to
100
flowers! Based
on prehistoric drawings, honey may well be the oldest food, medicine
and
cosmetic. It has occupied a place in every century. Egyptians believed
it was
the key to longevity, health, power and purity. No wonder it was part
of
Cleopatra’s beauty regimen! Used as a means of payment and as food for
sacred
animals, it was placed in sealed jars in the pharaohs’ tombs. Often
preferred
over gold for payment, German peasants were required to pay feudal
lords with
honey and beeswax. Known
for its disinfectant quality and the ability to draw out moisture, it
was also
used as a surgical dressing and in the embalming process to prevent
decomposition.
The Chinese covered smallpox blemishes with honey to speed healing and
prevent
scarring. Honey has always been important symbolically as well as
materially.
In many ancient cultures, honey was poured over thresholds, stones and
bolts of
sacred buildings as a means of protection and purification. Mead, an
alcoholic
drink made with honey, was considered the nectar of the gods by the
Greeks. As
early as the 13th century, the combination of honey and vinegar was
valued for its
curative ability. The Conquistadors discovered that Mexicans and
Central
Americans were already beekeepers. Introduced to the European honey bee
by
early settlers, American colonists developed many resourceful
applications for
this wonderful substance — in food and beverages, as a preservative for
fruit
and a key ingredient in cement, varnish, cosmetics, medicine and
furniture
polish. Honey,
which can be obtained from fruit, a single herb, flowers or mixed
sources, is
used in many medicinal preparations, particularly to ease colds and
coughs. A
natural humectant, it is also a good choice for many cosmetics. Since
it is a
powerful sweetener, the amount of honey can be cut if used as a
substitute for sugar.
However, in some instances, substitution may not be appropriate because
of changes
in texture or consistency. Honey
contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, depending on the richness
of the soil
in which the flowers/herbs grew. The more pollen in honey, the higher
the
vitamin C content. Since it has already been predigested by bees, it is
quickly
and easily absorbed into the body. It has been used as a mild laxative,
sleep
inducer, remedy for bites and skin problems and overall tonic. For
smooth, silky skin, honey can be applied warm to the face for about 15
minutes,
then removed with warm water. About ¼ cup added to bath water
has the same
effect. Combined with olive oil, it can also be used as a hair
conditioner. After
working a few tablespoons of this concoction into the hair, cover with
plastic
wrap or a shower cap for 30 minutes, then shampoo and rinse. The
Co-op carries honey in bulk, as well as commercially bottled, and in a
wide
variety of food, cosmetic and medicinal preparations. Honey
should be stored at room temperature. Boiling honey destroys its
natural enzymes,
so heat should be sparingly applied. If it crystallizes, it can be
placed in a
container of warm water until it just liquefies. |
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