Ingredient of the Month: Honey

Sometimes following the hive-mind on healthy living can be downright sticky, and it’s not easy to “bee” the queen on making health-conscious choices. This month’s ingredient helps take the sting away though, as it is nearly as sweet as I am, and it can tackle your health and beauty regimen from head to toe and inside out. Yes, you guessed it. We are talking about honey.

So many puns, so little time.

• Honey is perfect for that oh-so-annoying mixture of acne prone/ dry skin. It is naturally anti-bacterial, and an emollient. When cleansing your face each day pick up your bottle of honey instead of your cleanser next time. Your skin will end up smooth, lightly exfoliated, and richly moisturized. Want to amp it up for facial care? Try a weekly honey mask. Mix 1 tbsp of honey with 1 tsp sugar, and blend in a few drops of olive oil and lemon juice. Spread all over your face and neck, let sit for 15 minutes, lightly scrub, rinse, and then slowly caress your face. Nice isn’t it?

• I don’t think that there could possibly be a better food product for throat infections. Honey has soothed my family’s throats numerous times. Once again since it is anti-bacterial it is fantastic for infections, but also if you are pestered by an annoying cough honey is a much healthier alternative to cough syrup (which my poor daughter is deadly allergic to). Do this: Take honey, mix with raisins (a natural mucous expectorant) that you have blended the crap out of in a food processor, add lemon juice, mix like crazy. You now have home made cough syrup that is delicious, safe to use on children and adults of any age, and not filled with terrifying ingredients.

• Have dull, frizzy, fly-away hair that you can’t seem to get enough moisture into? When conditioning your hair with your favourite conditioner, mix one part honey with one part conditioner. Smooth on hair, and rinse after five minutes. I have to warn you though, you do not want to put straight honey on your hair unless you have a lot of time to waste trying to get it out. Dilute it for the love of Bruce Vilanch.

• Honey is great for burns. Just smear some on a recent burn and it will help keep out dirt and grime, disinfect any foreign agents that may have already compromised it, reduce inflammation, and help soothe. Plus you will become magically delicious.

• Try substituting sugar for honey when you are baking. It is twice as sweet as sugar, so you will use less. Less is more!

• Feeling run down at work mid-afternoon? Gobble down a tablespoon of honey, and your problems may be solved. Honey is known to produce an energy boost, plus it is filled with vitamins such as A1, B1, B6, B12, C, D, E, folic acid, etc.

• Before bed each night apply liquid honey to your lips as lip chap. You will wake up with lips that are as smooth as can be, and your smooch-able factor will increase ten fold. It’s science.

Another interesting piece of information about honey is that it’s shelf life is essentially forever. Meaning that you can stock up and always have some on hand. Why wouldn’t you?

Honey is just downright un-bee-lievable.

Oh god I can’t stop…

Honey- Just as sweet as can “bee”.