Say Goodbye to Allergies with Raw Local Honey

Can allergy symptoms be erased by something as simple as honey?  Can the sniffling, sneezing, and watery eyes be cured just by ingesting raw local honey everyday?

One Family’s Real Life Testimony

Heather and her family moved to a new home and were surprisingly met with terrible seasonal allergies.  Heather suffered from watery eyes, sneezing, stuffy nose, and a raw throat from all the drainage.

During Heather’s worst months she tried to keep her symptoms under control with:

• allergy eye drops multiple times a day
• prescription nasal spray once a day
• benadryl every 4-6 hours
• claritin or zyrtec daily

Even with all of these medications, Heather still wasn’t feeling great.

Heather heard that taking raw local honey could help with allergies and decided to give it a try.  She started taking 1 teaspoon of raw local honey 2-3 times a day.  Heather made sure to eat a spoonful of honey at breakfast and supper every day.

Within just a few days of taking the honey, Heather started noticing a difference.  Her eyes and throat weren’t as itchy as before.  Gradually she started to cut back on her medications.  First she stopped the nasal spray.  Then she stopped the eye drops.  Next Heather stopped using benadryl.  Within a month of starting to take raw local honey, Heather was off all of her allergy medication except for the occasional claritin or zyrtec.

Heather’s entire family regularly takes raw local honey.  Her daughter has mild asthma and was also taking claritin daily.  After starting the honey, she was able to stop taking claritin and didn’t need to use her inhaler as often.

FAQ About Raw Local Honey & Allergies

Why does raw local honey help with seasonal allergies?  Raw honey is unpasteurized and unfiltered.  That means that it still contains some of the pollen that the bees bring into the hive.  When someone is allergic to pollen, the body sees it as a threat and attacks.  That is when the sneezing, watery eyes, and other symptoms start.  When someone ingests raw local honey daily, the body starts to recognize that pollen as normal and stops attacking.  This is the same way that allergy shots from a doctor works.

Is raw honey safe to eat?  There is some debate about the safety of raw honey.  You should consult your doctor before trying raw local honey for your allergies.  You’ll especially want to be cautious if you have extreme allergic reactions to pollen.  There isn’t a way to tell how much pollen is in a teaspoon of raw honey and your body’s reaction could be dangerous.  For more information about the safety debate of raw honey, read Side Effects of Raw Honey.  Honey of any kind should never be given to a child under the age of one.

How much raw local honey do you need to eat?  This will depend on how bad your symptoms are.  Heather took a teaspoon of honey 2-3 times a day during allergy season and continues to take 1 teaspoon a day during non-allergy season.  Heather and her family eat their honey at meal times just because that is an easy way to remember to take it.

Does raw local honey help with all allergies?  No.  If you are allergic to things like dust, dogs, or peanuts this will not help.  It only has the potential to help with outdoor, seasonal, pollen based allergies.

Is this guaranteed to help everyone with seasonal allergies? No.  It worked for Heather and her family, but it might not work for you.  However, if you are looking for alternatives to conventional medicine for your seasonal allergies, this is a natural option you might want to try.  As I said before, consult with your doctor.

How do you know your honey is raw?  Raw honey doesn’t look the same as regular honey.  It is cloudy and lighter in color.  It should also clearly say “raw honey” on the label.  UPDATE: I am wrong!  Raw honey can come in both ways and it might depend on your area which kind you can find.  The “cloudy” type of honey is actually called creamed honey.  It is a method used to help with crystallization that happens to raw honey as it is stored over time.  However, you can find raw honey that has not been creamed and looks like the kind on the left in the picture above.  So how do you know if your honey is raw?  Check the label and assume that it is NOT raw unless it says that it is.  It is also a good idea to only buy your honey from a trusted source.

Does it matter what type of raw honey you use?  There are several different types of honey that you can buy based on the type of plants the bees were hanging out with.  Wildflower, clover, and alfalfa are just a few of the different varieties.  You might have better results with one type of plant over another.

Where can you buy raw local honey?  You’ll probably have a hard time finding raw local honey at a regular grocery store.  Instead check with a natural foods store or local farmers’ market.  Watch out for local honey that isn’t truly local.  Many beekeepers take their hives to a warmer climate (like Florida) during the winter months.

My Story

Last year I was struggling with seasonal allergies more than normal.  Since I was breastfeeding Noah, I wanted to limit the medications I was taking.  I had heard that Heather was using local honey, so I decided to give it a try.

I used the honey daily for several days and I didn’t notice a single change in my symptoms.  I was frustrated and gave up.  I called my lactation consultant to find out what allergy medications were safe to take while breastfeeding and I started using that instead.

Months later I realized that I had been taking local honey, but it wasn’t raw!  No wonder it wasn’t working.  So I don’t have personal experience with raw local honey, but I do plan to try it this year if my allergy symptoms return.

Heather is a real life friend of mine and I appreciate her sharing her story.  Thank you so much, Heather.

Have you ever tried raw local honey for your allergies?

Disclosure: Consult a doctor before taking raw honey as it is possible to have a dangerous allergic reaction.  Never give a child under the age of one honey of any kind.  I am not a medical professional.  This post is meant to educate, not to replace the guidance of professional medical advice.