Manuka Honey

[Viiks]

Hi All,

I've read that Manuka Honey with a UMF factor of 10+ helps with arthritis related pain.

I was wondering if anyone has used Manuka honey and experienced any positive changes in health?

Also, does it have to have a UMF factor? As the price is almost £25 more than non UMF Manuka?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Hidden]

I take one teaspoon of Manuka honey in tea every day. To be quite honest with you I don't have any rational basis for this. I just take it because I've seen how it can aid the healing process on small wounds and then I heard speculation that it might help the digestive system too.

I believe it is used in some hospitals around the world on wounds / bed sores, Germany comes to mind. But I think the jury is very much out on whether or not taking it orally can help the digestion or the immune system. I always have a cup of green tea with honey in the evening so I thought I might as well use honey that could possibly do me some good.

I think the UMF is important, I go for 15+. I reckon those that don't have the UMF are just cashing in on UMF Manuka honey's reputation. It is costly but I eke it out!

[Hidden]

Oh and I don't have a lot of pain at all anymore. But then deciding why would be plain impossible .... is it Humira? Is it Mtx? Is it turmeric? Is it, possibly, maybe, anything to do with Manuka honey? Or exercise .... or perhaps just luck!!??

[Viiks in reply to Hidden]

Fair point very much appreciated!

[Hidden]

I'm very much in same camp as Postle with manuka. I get a buy one 2nd half price from a well known health food chain store and go for +15. As I avoid alcohol, refined sugar and many other costly things and as I love my teaspoon of manuka on morning porridge or occasionally on its own as a fudge like treat to nibble at - I feel it's money well spent. My RA has been in hiding for a few years now but other equally annoying symptoms have replaced it. I can't tell what's helped or not although I am not on any RA meds these days. But the rheumy nurse agreed that Manuka honey is very effective as an antibiotic with wounds and is used by the NHS for this purpose. So I feel if it works to heal infected tissue then perhaps it also helps joints and nerves to repair.

[Viiks in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for that. Do you know if the honey you use has UMF factor?

[Hidden in reply to Viiks]

I use 15+ active manuka honey for its antibiotic properties. The UMF factor costs much more but doesn't contain naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide because it's filtered out somehow. Didn't like that idea much nor huge the extra cost. Holland & Barret do special offers on all types. I'm not saying it's manuka but I've just found out that my CRP has come down from 8 to 3.7 - no other changes in supplementing or drugs to explain this drop.

[strawberryshortcake]

Hi I use manuka honey and I've found it very good. I sometimes think to myself , "does this really work?" But if I leave it off for a few days I certainly know that it does work. I used to buy 15+ on line but it was so expensive. So I know buy it from the supermarket in small jars and it's cheaper because it's a 10. Still works, wouldn't be without it. I take other natural things and seem to manage without drugs from the doctor. At least I don't get side affects from natural things.

[Viiks in reply to strawberryshortcake]

Thank you so much. May I ask what brand you use?

[strawberryshortcake]

I get mine from Aldi now. Morrisons sell it so do the health stores but it's expensive from there so I buy smaller ones fro aldi. Amazon is where I used to get it from when I first bought.

[nomoreheels]

I'm not the honey bunny in our house my h is though I do snaffle some when I have a sore throat with a cold, thankfully not recently. I'm not sure about it helping arthritis, it may do I've not tried it long term. I think he read somewhere that the UMF number can be unreliable but nevertheless he buys 10 or above. What he always does is, like everything else we don't buy regularly including normal honey, reads the contents part of labels to check there are no sugar substitutes (he's diabetic) & that it's from one source not a co-operative (similar to wine & olive oil), price should tell you the quality but that's not always the case. Information on labels aren't always reliable either, it is a bit of a minefield. Again he may have read it somewhere but the one we have is in a dark jar, something to do with it not going off so quickly.

One other thing, not all Manuka honey is medical grade. The hospital treating my h's aunt used it on her after multiple operations to save some of her toes. In her case it didn't work (she had contracted MRSA in a previous stay) but it's possible it was a case of anything's worth a try as everything else had failed. I think if I had a serious cut or infection though I'd be seeking medical attention!