by Lady Z

Created on: August 26, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The day I became a patriotic consumer of honey was when I had a bad cough for three months. Normally whenever I am down with flu, it would always start with sneezing which results to intermittent running and blocked nose, then followed by severe headache before the temperature rises. A week after the fever and most of the symptoms are gone, cough will slowly develop due to the thick phlegm which is still clogging my chest. Therefore, my family doctor would always prescribe the cough syrup for me beforehand as he knows my condition fully well.

The day I had this lingering cough, I had to make frequent visits to my doctor's clinic almost every week, yet none of the medication helped alleviate the sickness despite my doctor's attempt to increase the dosage or change to various cough mixtures. Finally, he had no choice but to refer me to the hospital for a proper check-up and referred me to a specialist. An x-ray showed no sign of any serious illness so the specialist doctor still put me on medication comprising cough tablets, a foreign brand of cough mixture which I have never been prescribed with and a gargle. The medication gave a temporary cure but my condition worsened at night and I was dealt with a night of coughing and frequent visits to the toilet. Thus, I decided to check the components inside these medicines and realized that both the tablets and cough mixture contained honey. I remembered keeping a jar of honey inside the far end of my refrigerator; hence I took it out, ate two tablespoonfuls of it and washed it down with warm water. Miraculously, about half an hour later, I could feel my phlegm inside my chest loosen and my cough gradually subsided. I was then able to catch some sleep for about four hours. Since then, I chucked all medicines aside and stick to consuming honey until I recovered.

I was elated with my first hand experience and began to explore the medical benefits of honey through the encyclopedia as well as the internet. According to Chinese medicine, my blood is regarded as cold blood' as my body is always cold and I am susceptible to infections. I remember whenever I stepped into an air-conditioned room; my feet and palms would immediately turn cold. My poor husband would have a hard time sharing the bed with me, as he would be awakened a couple of times throughout the night due to shock whenever our feet touched! Since the day I started to incorporate honey in my diet though, that encounter seems to fade away. I began to notice a slight increase in my temperature no, not that I am having fever but I am not feeling as cold as before. My palms feel comfortably warm and I can even spend long nights under the comforter without having any clothes on. The best part is, honey makes me aphrodisiac, hence strengthening the love bond between my husband and me ultimately!

Now I have even discarded sugar in my diet and replace it with honey; be it in my drinks or desserts. Recently I discovered that honey mixed with apple cider vinegar is also beneficial to one's health and aids in weight loss. I have just started trying it for about a week now yet to see a difference. However, my mom has been suffering from breathlessness for the past two weeks and the attack would always happen in the evening which sometimes would affect her sleep. About three days ago, I started giving her a glass of warm water mixed with a tablespoon of honey and apple cider vinegar. So far she has yet to complain about her breathing problem and I observe she has been sleeping soundly. Maybe it could be due to the honey or maybe it is the apple cider vinegar but one thing is for sure, I would always have a jar of honey stored somewhere in my cabinet!

Learn more about this author, Lady Z.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.