{"id":2658,"date":"2019-01-06T11:07:24","date_gmt":"2019-01-06T11:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=2658"},"modified":"2021-07-28T13:45:14","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T13:45:14","slug":"20-extraordinary-benefits-of-honey-for-your-skin-hair-and-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/20-extraordinary-benefits-of-honey-for-your-skin-hair-and-health\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Extraordinary Benefits of Honey for Your Skin, Hair and Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Honey has been used for literally thousands of years as not only food but also a medicinal product in many different cultures. Its natural properties make it a great addition to any diet, and actually work wonders in our bodies, from a remedy to a cosmetic product. Honey is the product of the work of bees, which gather the pollen from hundreds of flowers and process it over and over inside their own bodies to produce a highly nutritional, highly energetic product that they use to feed themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if most honey we consume in industrialized countries is processed, and for that reason loses many of its properties, raw honey is actually a better product for your health and your beauty. In this article, we review 20 extraordinary benefits of honey for your physical health, your appearance, and your styling. You will be surprised to learn just how much honey can do for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Great nutritional complement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honey is very nutritious. It is a natural product of vegetal origin that is elaborated by bees from the pollen; many natural food stores and dietary supplement stores offer pollen as a natural nutritional complement, and honey <\/a>is a concentrated, naturally elaborated product of pollen. Pollen itself is very nutritious because it is the natural precursor of seeds, so it needs many vitamins, minerals and other components that will later support the life of the early days of the new plant that will grow from the seed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey is around 4\/5 natural sugars, but it also has many other nutrients such as a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as a considerable proportion of water. Raw honey also contains a dose of pollen, that is left inside of it after the bees are done processing the honey, so you can add all the known benefits of pollen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. A natural and healthy source of energy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sugars are known to be our main source of energy; they are small molecules that burn fast and easily, quickly releasing energy for the cells of our body to use for a variety of purposes. However, taking too much sugar is also known to be harmful to our health. Glucose is the most common type of sugar <\/a>in the world, as well as by far the most frequent sugary additive of processed foods that we eat, especially in industrialized countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An excessive intake of sugar can cause us to gain weight, because we take more calories than we burn, and our fat (our secondary source of energy) starts piling up in our tissues since it is not needed. Also, high blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, the type of sugar found in honey is healthier than glucose, so honey is a great sweetener with reduced risk to your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Sugar replacement for losing weight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since honey is a healthy replacement for glucose<\/a>, it can be used as a sweetener in a weight loss diet. Overweight and obesity are among the most widespread epidemics of the first world nowadays, and people make great efforts and sacrifices to find a way to fight these conditions and prevent their many negative effects on their health, including potentially deadly disorders such as heart failure and thrombosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, being a healthy sweetener isn’t the only way honey can help you lose weight. Raw honey also lowers triglycerides, which is a type of fat that circulates in your blood when you are overweight or obese. Furthermore, some active components of raw honey can activate certain hormones such as ghrelin, which induce a feeling of satiety and reduces your cravings for food. An insufficiency of ghrelin is linked to an increased risk of obesity and overweight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. Cardiovascular benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chronic cardiovascular disease is another of the most common health affections in first world countries, and in a lot of cases, the main cause is our less than desirable lifestyle and our poor eating choices. Luckily for us, by merely adding some raw honey to our daily diet, we can help reduce our likeability of developing cardiovascular complications, and improve our circulatory health. Honey has many natural antioxidants<\/a>, which are substances that prevent and slow down the negative effect of the passing of time on our cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, these components help our blood vessels dilate, thus reducing our blood pressure. They also prevent the formation of blood clots, which when they get stuck in a small vein can cause a stroke or heart attack, or at least an obstruction of a blood vessel. Antioxidants help eliminate free radicals, and as a result, protect the health of our heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Regulation of cholesterol levels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cholesterol <\/a>is a type of fatty molecule that circulates in our bodies through our blood and when in excess, can deposit against the inner walls of our veins and arteries. Cholesterol is useful for us because it helps make our proteic structures more rigid and resistant, but as you can see, it is all a matter of proportion. Too much cholesterol can make some structures too rigid, and therefore affect their function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two types of cholesterol, LDL which is known as \u201cbad cholesterol\u201d, and HDL also known as \u201cgood cholesterol\u201d. LDL is more dangerous to our health and increases our risk of strokes. The active components found in raw honey can help our body process the bad cholesterol and turn it into good cholesterol, thus decreasing our risk of developing coronary complications or any other consequence of digitization of our blood vessels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. Antioxidant effects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We have mentioned antioxidants <\/a>before, but now let’s discuss this issue with more detail. In order to stay alive, we need thousands of chemical reactions happening in our bodies all the time, and those reactions have an outcome in the form of one or more types of molecules. Some of those are useful, like ATP, a molecule used to store energy or proteins. Others are chemical waste, such as carbon dioxide, and must be eliminated through our breath, urine or excretion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then there are free radicals, small molecules that hang around after metabolic reactions and, if not dealt with, can cause a number of diseases. Raw honey has many different antioxidants, which are substances that help catch free radicals and inhibit their actions. For example, flavonoids help fight cancer and boost enzymatic activity, and polyphenols protect our heart and also help fight the apparition of tumors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

7. Sleep improvement and regulation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping enough, both in quantity and in quality, is fundamental for our well-being and our health. When we sleep, not only do we recharge our energies and feel rested for the day to come, but also our healing processes increase, we release growth hormone<\/a>, and we sort out and organize our memories inside our brain. If you have trouble sleeping, then one or two tablespoons of honey before going to bed can work wonders, especially when combined with warm milk that will help you relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The healthy sugars of honey induce the production of tryptophan in your brain, a precursor of serotonin. Seratonin is vital neurotransmission that helps regulate anxiety and mood, and also can turn into melatonin, the hormone of sleep. Additionally, honey restores your body’s reserves of glycogen, a heavy molecule sugar that produces satiety and prevents you from waking up at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

8. Reduction or complete relief of pollen allergies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Allergies, in general, are abnormal immune responses to nonthreatening substances as if they were threatening to our health. They are a result of a disfunction in our immune system<\/a>, that fails to recognize that a certain substance or agent, such as a vegetal product like pollen, isn’t a pathogen but instead a harmless component of plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we have an allergy, our body rejects the substance and tries to get it out of our body; for this reason, in the case of pollen allergy, we feel itchy eyes, a running nose and sneeze frequently. These are all attempts of our body to clear our airways of all the pollen particles. However, allergies can be relieved if our bodies get exposed to mild doses of our allergen until our immune system learns that there is no danger. Raw honey has pollen inside of it, so taking it over some time can decrease our allergic response to pollen in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

9. Benefits in the prevention and treatment of diabetes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes <\/a>is a growing epidemy, strongly linked to lifestyle-related disorders such as for overweight, and excessive sugar intake. Though it has a genetic base, people can develop diabetes for a number of reasons; the most frequent of all is poor dietary choices. When we eat too much glucose, we force our body to deal with these high levels of sugar in our blood, and sometimes this situation damages our regulation mechanism and diabetes appears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raw honey is known to reduce diabetes risk, mostly because it is a healthy alternative to glucose. It can be as sweet as glucose and provide approximately as much energy as glucose, but the sugars present in honey are easier for our body to process and decrease our risk of excessive blood glucose levels. Also, it is a great dietary addition for people with diabetes, because the sugar found in honey isn’t affected by insulin insufficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

10. Cough relief<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps a glass of milk with honey, or honey tea, is the most widespread home remedy for cough. The active ingredients of honey <\/a>can help relieve our cough, for example when we are cursing a cold or recovering from it, or our throat is irritated due to allergies, dry or dusty air, or overuse when yelling or speaking too loudly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raw honey is known to outperform some common cough syrups that you can buy at the pharmacy, and it is much cheaper and with no side effects. Raw honey also decreases mucus secretion, which helps relief productive cough and irritative cough as well. You can take raw honey or buy honey sweets, which will work just as well for your sore throat or your cough. Mixing it with a hot beverage such as tea or hot milk will also relieve pain caused by larynx muscular contractures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

11. Topic treatment for wounds and ulcers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honey has been used for centuries as a topical remedy for wounds. In ancient times, people would put honey on a fresh wound and then cover it with bandages, sometimes for days and days, in order to let the natural actives of honey take effect and help heal the wound. This works for slashing wounds as well as ulcerations and other skin lesions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regenerative properties of raw honey are known to reduce the size of skin lesions as well as the bad odor that some ulcerations have due to tissue death and infections. Also, regenerating ulcers can help relieve the pain they cause. What makes honey great for topical treatment of wounds is that some of its components react to the fluids of our body, releasing hydrogen peroxide, a well known antibacterial substance that cleans wounds causing no pain or irritation whatsoever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

12. Tissue regeneration and erasure of scars and skin marks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The beneficial effects of honey on wounds are not limited to fresh wounds or ulcerations. They can also act on older wounds and lesions, and help prevent the formation of lasting scars or marks on your skin. When applied to a fresh wound, raw honey can prevent scarring because it stimulates the regeneration of the tissue that will close up the wound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raw honey has anti-inflammatory properties that help heald the wound faster, and the antibacterial properties of the hydrogen peroxide<\/a> it produces also speed up the process; the cleaner and faster a wound can heal, the less likely it is to leave a scar behind. Raw honey can also help old scars go away because of its high concentration of hydrating agents helps moisturize the tissue, making it flexible and preventing the fixation of scars. It also helps old scarry tissue regenerate and become healthy skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

13. Sunburn treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After excessive exposure to sunlight, the superficial tissue of our skin becomes damaged, as well as the deeper layers that aren’t directly exposed to the sun. This happens because the UV rays<\/a> contained in the sunlight are the main cause of damage to our skin, and they are so powerful that they can reach through the opaque layers of our epidermis and several millimeters deep into our body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pain and itch of sunburn happen when our skin cells become damaged and dried out due to the effect of the sunlight, so deep hydration that reaches both our dermis and our epidermis is the best way to relieve our symptoms. Honey is a great moisturizer for our skin, so it can make our sunburn better and prevent the peeling off of our skin and itches and rashes derived from accelerated skin cell renewal. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory properties of honey further repair the damage done to our skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

14. Cutis cleaning and acne cure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honey has many beneficial effects for our skin, not only health-related but also cosmetic. Many products such as therapeutic foundations, moisturizing creams, and skin cleansers can be replaced or boosted with the application of raw honey directly on our skin. For example, honey is known to help get rid of acne. As we have stated before, raw honey has many antibacterial <\/a>and antifungal properties, because when in contact with natural substances in our bodies it releases antiseptic substances that help kill microorganisms and fungi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since many acne cases, especially the most severe of all, are caused by skin infections, raw honey can help you get rid of that persistent acne. Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties, so it can help relieve rashes and irritation on your skin. Sometimes acne can leave marks on your face, but as you now know, honey is excellent for erasing scars and preventing their formation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

15. Repairing bath soak<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why doesn’t enjoy a quiet, relaxing, renewing bath soak? The warm water helps our body relax and our muscles lose tension<\/a>, the solutes on the water make our body feel less heavy, and the fragrances softly cast our minds away from our mundane worries and thoughts. The scent and texture of honey are great for a soaking bath, not only because of how good they feel but also because they have active beneficial properties that can make your whole body look better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The active components of honey, when dissolved on hot water such as a hot bath, can help repair your skin and hair from the damage they take during your daily activities. Not only will they help cancel the effects of environmental damage such as pollution, smoke, and dryness, but also those of oxidative damage that happens naturally as a result of our metabolic processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

16. Moisturizing facial mask<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now we move onwards to the purely cosmetic properties of honey. There are many home remedies that can help your skin look better and healthier, your hair stronger and shinier, and your face more perfect and spotless. They all include natural products only, most of which you can find in any kitchen, including your own. They are a cheap and natural alternative to cosmetic treatments, with the additional advantage of having no side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the best ways to use honey to look prettier is to make a moisturizing mask and apply it to your skin. You can use pure raw milk or combine it with other powerful moisturizing natural products such as coconut oil<\/a>, or lemon juice for some extra exfoliating effect. Raw honey is a natural humectant that will give back to your skin cells the moist that they lose in your daily life, making it look and feel softer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

17. Pore cleanser<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We all have hundreds of pores <\/a>on our skin. Those connect the outside of our bodies with glands under our skin that produce sweat and other moisturizing and cleaning secretions that, when in balance, help keep our skin healthy. However, these pores can become blocked by dirt, makeup or any other substance that adheres to our skin. When our pores are blocked, the substances that our dermis secretes cannot leak out of our skin, accumulate, and can cause irritation, acne and oily skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raw honey has enzymes, which are natural catalysts, that help clarify our skin and unblock our pores. Another risk of pore blockage is that small bacteria can hide inside our pores and cause small local infections, but as you know, honey produces antibacterial components that can help keep our skin free from bacterial colonies that can do us any harm, or affect the cosmetic look of our face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

18. Hair moisturizer and protector<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The last three entries on this list inform you on the benefits of honey to your hair, or the cosmetic natural effects it has on it, of which you can take advantage in order to look prettier and healthier. First of all, applying honey directly to your hair can protect it from the erosion of the elements, and even the use of shampoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more frequently you wash your hair<\/a>, the more you might damage it, because the strong components of shampoo that take away all the dirt can also wear your strands of hair and cause microscopic lesions that eventually make your hair feel coarse and less shiny. However, the humectant components of honey can help your hair retain its moisture, and therefore prevent hair dryness and fragility. Apply honey directly to the two lower thirds of your hair to make it look better and help repair the effects of shampoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

19. Hair conditioner<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Protecting the microscopic structure of your hair isn’t the only thing some topic application of raw honey can do for you. As you remember, honey is extremely rich in a wide variety of nutrients, including minerals and vitamins<\/a>, that make your hair healthier and therefore nicer to the eye. If you soak your hair in honey, it will be as if you were applying a powerful nutrient treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is great about honey is that it can make your hair stronger and shinier without making it heavier or weighing it down, which is an undesired side effect of many hair conditioners. Additionally, the nutritive properties of honey can strengthen hair follicles, which are the spots on your scalp from which your hair grows. Stronger follicles mean stronger hair that will resist the wearing effects of the environment and will be less likely to break and fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

20. Hair highlighter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Who doesn’t like to give their hair an accent of color or a lighter tone? There are products you can use to make your hair color lighter, but many of them can actually damage your hair because they wear your strands in order to take the color molecules out and make it look lighter. One of the most common products used for this end is hydrogen peroxide, and if you have been paying attention, now you know that honey can release hydrogen peroxide thanks to the action of an enzyme called glucose oxidase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apply honey to your hair for about twenty minutes before washing it away, and your hair tone will become lighter. You can use it to give your hair <\/a>a blonde tone or help your hair dye stand out more. Since honey is a natural product with many nutrients and protective factors, applying it to highlight your hair will not damage it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

<\/div>