Manuka Honey, the Secret Healer

Years ago, my mom came home from a trip with what seemed to be a simple gift—manuka honey—that turned out to be something much more. She had learned about it while visiting a turtle rescue center in New Zealand. They would smother this special honey on the shells of the injured turtles because of its intense healing properties.

This special honey can only be made in New Zealand because it is from a special bush that the bees pollinate called the manuka.

Manuka honey is used for soooo many things from battling MRSA to scrapes, burns, and acne; some use it for cancer. It has a lot of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic properties. Honey in general can have great healing properties, but not all honey is the same. Some kinds can be up to 100 times more potent than others. Manuka honey comes in varying levels of strength. The good stuff is 10+ and above.

We bring ours out every day for teatime and also put a little on war wounds under a brightly colored Band-Aid. I highly recommend grabbing a jar of the good stuff; besides, it tastes great. 🙂

Here are some different strengths of honey to choose from. The number has to do with the honey’s antibacterial properties.

• 10+
• 16+
• 20+