Honey is an excellent antibacterial agent and wound healer. It's use widely by most cultures throughout the world to help speed healing and provide relief.
In New Zealand, there's a special kind of honey produced from the flower of the Leptospermum scoparium flower, otherwise known as the Manuka bush.
The Manuka Honey produced from it is one of the most potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant kinds of honey out there. Let's see why.
What are the Benefits of Using Manuka Honey?
In 2007, Manuka honey gained FDA approval for wound treatments. It can help amplify burn regeneration and reduce the pain from the burns. It created a powerfully acidic wound environment that encourages healing.
Using Manuka honey on your wounds helps disinfect them and heals quicker, which is especially true when it comes to your eyes. It can create smaller scarring and less pain when used on the skin around your eyes or elsewhere.
Digestively, it can work from start to finish to promote health and proper function. In your mouth, Manuka honey taken regularly in small amounts can rebalance oral bacteria to reduce tooth decay and periodontitis.
It helps soothe the mucous membranes along the throat and tonsils, reducing the bacteria that cause strep throat.
The use of alcohol-based mouthwashes is attributed to the increase in tooth problems, especially the susceptibility of losing teeth after relatively light hits to the jaw and mouth.
When the gums are weak from repeated abuses by alcohol, small blows can dislodge the tender roots. Supporting healthy oral bacteria and reducing plaque buildup helps mitigate this issue.
Manuka honey is one of the few natural treatments proven to be effective against the H pylori bacteria that causes ulcers. And it can help relieve the inflammation of IBS. Interestingly, even though it supports most gut bacteria's growth, Clostridium difficile, otherwise known as C-diff, is particularly susceptible to destruction by manuka honey.
Brad The Wolf Man Ramsey, a featherweight MMA fighter out of New Zealand, uses a Manuka honey product and credits part of his training and health regimen – and his fantastic record – to the product right out of his home country.
Why Manuka Honey Products Should Be Your First Line of Wound Care
As martial artists, we get injured a lot. Bruises, scrapes, and minor wounds are commonplace in almost all training and sports competitions. Brush burns are particularly susceptible to infection because of having dirt and debris ground into the skin.
Manuka honey may help reduce the chances of infection, reduce the pain you experience, and heal the wound faster.
Using Manuka honey, especially in the form of a cream that can be easily transported, can reduce the amount of time it takes to heal and reduce the scarring. It can get you back in the ring or training hall faster.
Another application is Manuka honey bandages. You can carry these bandages in your first aid kit and be prepared for more minor injuries.
Every martial artist should carry their own small first aid kit, complete with standard dressings, cold pack, wound care (the Manuka honey), and a few pain relievers. This covers the majority of the injuries you'll sustain that you can take care of on your own.
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The one thing to watch is the source of your Manuka honey. It is expensive, and it has a limited supply. Many cheaper bandages and additives to beauty products contain honey, but not the true Manuka honey. Although most real kinds of honey contain similar properties, Manuka is better.
But, if you are in a situation where all you have is regular honey, it's better than nothing at all. But, we recommend choosing a product that's easy to care for and useful – and has a good reputation.
