Raw Local Honey for Allergies-Seasonal, Dogs, Cats & Dosage

How good is honey for allergies including seasonal? Can it help allergies in dogs and cats? What do studies and experts opinions say about it? What is the dosage and how long does it take to heal allergies? What ingredients can you mix with it to improve its effectiveness? Read on to find out…

Local Honey and Allergies-How is honey good for allergies?

What is link between honey and allergies?

The numbers of allergy cases keep on increasing dramatically. Almost everyone has a level of immune dysfunction where the immune system under or over reacts to invaders. According to Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, about 1 person out of every 5 people in America suffers from all types of allergies. The good thing is that honey as a home remedy will help you heal from the allergies. [1]

Raw honey contains bits of bee pollen, beeswax and propolis which are the major reason for their ability to cure allergies. Honey is very helpful especially if you suffer from seasonal allergies.

You need to first understand why you get allergies. Allergies, for instance, from a particular plant, grass or tree occur after you have been overexposed to it at one point in your life. Whenever your body senses an invader, whether harmful or harmless, you are likely to get allergy symptoms.

Honey works in an unexpected way. The allergy you have may be caused by certain pollen. When you eat local honey, you in some way ingest local pollen. You would expect that adding more pollen to your body increases the chances of getting a more severe allergy. However, honey does not work that way.

As you consume more pollen from honey, you actually become less sensitive to this pollen.  You find that, with time your body develops immunity to pollen and so the adverse reactions are decreased. After taking honey, you will realize that you get fewer seasonal symptoms of the allergy.

Raw Local honey for allergies study

The international Archives of Allergy and Immunology tested a theory that raw honey would naturally fight allergies and they found that it was absolutely true. There was a discovery that pre-seasonal use of birch pollen honey assisted people who were experiencing birch pollen allergies. This conclusion was drawn since it was found to lower the symptoms of the allergies by 60%.  [2]

National Honey Board explains that, as much as you can use honey to treat allergies, you must take it in large amounts if at all it is to work out. Raw honey is known to contain more pollen as compared to processed honey. This means that raw honey may work better if taken to cure allergies.

The Honey Board warns that taking small amounts of honey means very few pollens are ingested and that does not make honey a miracle cure. [3]

Honey and allergies mayo clinic

Mayo clinic explains that results on use of honey for allergies are still undergoing further research. This is because; they have not been duplicated in clinical studies consistently. Studies show that honey has anti-inflammatory effects and it is also a cough depressant.

Additionally, experts explain that flower pollen traces contained in honey act as an allergen.  It has been reported that repeated exposure to small amounts of allergens is a treatment for allergies.[4]

How to eat/use Honey for Allergies-Seasonal, Dogs & Cats

Seasonal and other types of allergies

How to use in human with different types of allergies including seasonal allergies

The manner in which you use honey for allergies determines how well it works for you.  You are advised to start consuming 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey each day before spring sets in. You will need to have the following ingredients and follow the procedure below.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 5 tablespoons horseradish
• ½ cup raw honey

Procedure

1. Add the above ingredients into warm water
2. For a uniform mix, stir the mixture well
3. For whichever type of allergies, take the mixture you have made for a relieve
4. Raw honey can also be mixed with olive oil and used to treat allergies

Honey for dogs with allergies

Like people, dogs suffer from environmental allergies. Different seasons such as spring, fall and summer trigger reactions in dogs such as licking feet and thighs, rubbing the face and scratching. However, you need to be sure that what your dog is experiencing is not food allergies. There are important guidelines that you need to follow when using honey for allergies.

• The type of honey to use

You are advised to buy local unfiltered and raw honey. A better type of honey is local raw wild flower honey which is from many different flowers and plants. You can easily get it from bee farms.

• Directions

How you administer honey to your dog is very critical. You will get best results if you give 1 tablespoon of raw wildflower local honey two times in a day to large dogs. Be consistent to avoid reappearance of the symptoms.[5]

Crouse says that she has to be consistent with feeding the dog with honey otherwise the allergy symptoms will always come back. This dog trainer has also pointed that it is common for allergies to come back even for other dogs she samples. Unless their owners put them on honey, she says that the dogs keep on reacting to seasonal allergens.

Moreover, Crouse advises that you can not only give dogs honey as food but you can also wash your dog with honey.  Canine Allergies and Your Dog’s Health describes how herbal honey can be used to cure a dog’s health.  The following procedure is advocated for;

1. Place packed and dried herbs into a glass jar
2. Add honey to the glass jar covering the herbs
3. Incase honey is too thick, place it in a hot water bath for very few minutes to turn it into liquid state. Not that too much heating distorts the nutrients.
4. Seal the jar containing honey and the herbs and keep it in a warm place for roughly two weeks
5. The honey is ready in 2 weeks and you can add it to your dog’s food to cure it from any allergies.
6. Repeat the procedure each time you need to cure your dog of allergies[6]

Honey for cats with allergies

Like people and dogs, cats are also exposed to allergies. All thanks to honey for its ability to cure cat allergies too. Furry Tips state that unprocessed or rather raw honey is very safe for cats to consume at home.

The local pollen in honey works the magic of relieving your cats from allergic reactions. Generally, honey boosts the cat’s immune system increasing its tolerance to seasonal allergies. For instance, if your cat is sneezy, red eyed or lethargic in the fall or spring, just add a little bit of honey to your cat’s daily food and it will fight the allergies.

You must however consider a number of things when giving honey to your cat;

• If you are giving the cat raw honey, ensure it is diluted with water since when undiluted; the honey is too sticky for the cat to swallow.
• You can either use a dropper to give your cat the honey –water mixture to your cat or rather consider adding the mixture to the cat’s food.
• When your cat has allergic dermatitis, you could rub a small amount of raw honey to the affected area.
• If it is the first time to give honey to your cat, be keen to observe any strange signs. If your cat’s start to diarrhea or vomit, see your veterinarian and do not give your cat any more honey.
• See your veterinarian also if your cat is diabetic or overweight before putting any honey to the Cat’s diet.[7]

Raw Local honey for allergies-how much to take(Dosage)

It is recommended that the dosage for honey is 1 tablespoon of honey per day for a couple of months before allergy season; then 2 tablespoons a day when the allergy season comes.

In case you realize that the dosage only worsens your allergy, stop taking honey for some time then resume taking a lower dosage of honey. You could restart taking honey with a quarter tablespoon of honey then increase with time.

However, you are advised not to give honey to children of less than 1 year old as it may work negatively for them.  Unprocessed or raw honey has a botulism risk to infants.  Always seek your doctor’s advice if honey causes undesirable symptoms like a swelling of the mouth, skin or throat as well as itching. [8]

How long does it take for honey to help allergies?

Honey may not heal you of the allergies immediately but when taken consistently the allergy symptoms disappear in few weeks. This however varies from one person to another depending on the severity of the allergy and the type of honey used.

Angela, a nutritionist, bee products expert and nutritional author explains that allergies are a very complex health challenge and how long honey takes to relieve you from allergies varies from one person to another. [9]

Angela further discusses that people who use unpasteurized honey tend to heal faster than those who use pasteurized honey. With raw honey, your allergy can heal in a few weeks.

What to Mix with honey to treat Allergies+ Recipes

Honey and cinnamon for allergies recipe

The two are considered to be super foods since they have amazing health benefits. Precisely, they have the ability to control inflammation, boost immune system and combat free radicals. This makes the mixture of the two a best remedy for allergies.

In addition to the ability of honey to cure allergies, Cinnamon was tested by researchers in Egypt and it was found to be the most potent agent in killing highly allergic house mite. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of organic cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of organic honey
• 1 cup of filtered water

Procedure

1. Place the cinnamon in a bowl
2. Heat 1 cup of the filtered water to boil
3. Add the hot water to the cinnamon
4. Allow it to settle for 15 minutes
5. Once the liquid has cooled, add honey. You are advised not to add the liquid while still hot to the raw honey as it will destroy the enzymes

Honey and vinegar for allergies

Here is yet another mixture that is very helpful for treatment of your allergies. Apple Cider Vinegar ensures pH balance of the body and promotes alkalinity. For the best results, you should use the vinegar consistently with honey. The recipe is as below:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ACV
• 1 cup of lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (not a must)

Procedure

1. Place 1 tablespoon of the vinegar in a glass filled with the lukewarm water
2. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
3. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice if you choose to include it
4. Ensure the three are well mixed then drink it three times a day

Sources

[1] https://draxe.com/the-top-5-natural-allergy-fighters/

[2] https://www.allergypartners.com/allergy-myth-busters-local-honey/

[3]http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2015/05/local_honey_for_allergies_pollen_in_honey_cannot_desensitize_the_immune.html

[4]https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2013/08/13/honey_may_be_a_delicious_placebo_in_allergy_treatment_mayo_clinic.htm

[5] https://yourolddog.com/honey-for-dogs/

[6] https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_9/features/Bee-Honey-Products-Help-Canines_15967-1.html

[7] http://healthforallpets.com/honey-for-cats/

[8] http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=can_a_spoonful_of_honey_keep_allergies_away

[9] http://www.bee-pollen-buzz.com/raw-honey-for-allergies.html