Local honey for allergies poll

Smootchy · May 2014

Anyone use a spoonful of local honey instead of taking allergy medicine?

fancynewbeesly · May 2014

I haven't. (One of the lucky ones with no allergies!) But I know TONS of people that do and they all say it works for them.

NarwhalBacon · May 2014

We eat local honey but I haven't noticed if it helps my allergies. I've heard it does, also local bee pollen. I know people who swear by eating bee pollen.

jesuisfatiguee · May 2014

I eat local honey, but it's pasteurized (because raw is really expensive, though necessary if you're using it for allergies). I know a lot of people who say it really works, but I've never tried it. I think you have to take like a tablespoon or so each and every day for it to be effective. The theory makes sense since it's supposed to get your system used to your area's pollens, similar to allergy shots.

LuckyDad · May 2014

I'm skeptical, but it can't hurt and is delicious, so why not?

jorkz821 · May 2014

Not for allergies but for a sore throat/prevent the start of a cold. Works for me, though I just use whatever they have at the store. I assume it's not local.

jorkz821 · May 2014

WhoCanItBeNow said:
Oh, the shit people will believe.

Placebo effect?

Lolapop29 · May 2014

I always buy local honey, and local whatever else I can get my hands on. DS1 has very severe allergies, and I would never take him off his meds and put him on honey.

It wouldn't surprise me if it does work though, to some extent at least.

BankerBSN · May 2014

I tried this last summer by the recommendation of my hippie neighbor. I thought it helped, for sure didn't make them worse.

nonoemily · May 2014

Kinda off topic, but I wash my face with honey every night and it's amazing

Monkeybabe · May 2014

@nonoemily I just noticed your sig and I think that's only the 2nd time I've ever seen that name and the boy I knew would have been just about the same age. I remember he was just a month or so older than Z. I like it.

nonoemily · May 2014

Monkeybabe said:
@nonoemily I just noticed your sig and I think that's only the 2nd time I've ever seen that name and the boy I knew would have been just about the same age. I remember he was just a month or so older than Z. I like it.

Thank you! I read the name in a book about pioneers the night DH proposed. It was literally the only name on our list.

Strangely enough, a girl I barely know had her baby two days before mine and had planned to name him Elkanah, too.

colliebabe · May 2014

nonoemily said:
Kinda off topic, but I wash my face with honey every night and it's amazing

My sister does this too and swears by it. I want to start using it.

FalconCrest · May 2014

My uncle has pretty severe seasonal allergies and moves frequently for his job. He buys local honey from the place he is moving to and takes a teaspoon a day 30 days prior to moving. He swears by it. For what it is worth, he is not a hippie in the least.

Monkeybabe · May 2014

fredalina said:

My uncle has pretty severe seasonal allergies and moves frequently for his job. He buys local honey from the place he is moving to and takes a teaspoon a day 30 days prior to moving. He swears by it. For what it is worth, he is not a hippie in the least.
I have not researched this at all but I have heard that people don't usually develop seasonal allergies in new places until they've lived there a couple of years. Wouldn't that be kind of hilarious if he thought he was preventing them but really he just moved too often to get allergies?

This makes sense. I used to think Portland was a glorious place where I didn't have allergies.

winecastle14 · May 2014

SS. Not honey (though we do eat local honey when we eat it), but I take bee pollen for allergies. Works really well.

Speshul · May 2014

fredalina said:

We use raw local honey but idk if we use if often enough to have an effect. Seems to for DD and DH who both have allergies. It really does have a scientific basis. Allergy shots and allergy drops are basically just small doses of the thing you're allergic to, and by being exposed frequently in SMALL doses, your body gets used to it. People who are allergic to cats can get a tiny young kitten and sleep with it every night and never develop an allergy to it. I know people who have done that. I know someone who was very allergic to rabbits but runs a rabbit rescue. She said it was 6 months of constant irritation and then she was fine. But the honey contains pollen which is the allergen so it's like unmeasured allergy drops. https://m.hopkinsmedicine.org/sinus/allergy/sublingual_immunotherapy.html

The allergy shots work well. If eating local honey did work, I think it would have to be raw and over a long period of time.

Speshul · May 2014

Also I knew a guy who thought banning honey to children under 1 was a conspiracy to make sure the child got allergies and then would have to take medicine for life.

SandyClam · May 2014

I'm pretty sure that it has to be the bee pollen and not the honey. It actually tastes pretty good in smoothies and has a lot of B vitamins in it, IIRC. I think that you have to use it for at least 30 days to notice an effect. The thought behind it is that you're being exposed to your environment's pollen/allergens and it's supposed to let you body become accustom to the allergens.

I don't know if it works or if it's scientifically sound but it can't hurt to try. Bee pollen can usually be found in the refrigerated section of your natural food store.

wino2006 · May 2014

I asked DD1's allergist about bee pollen (not honey) when he broached the subject of allergy shots for DD1. He said it sounds good in theory, but would really only work for people that are allergic to a few things. DD1 is allergic to pretty much everything in her environment (including dust and pets). He also said the effectiveness is not proven yet and it would cost thousands of dollars a year to reach the levels necessary to help with allergies. Allergy shots are cheap and proven effective. I had them as a kid and shockingly, I have survived this spring without any allergy meds which is unheard of. Usually I am miserable despite meds. It sucks that it is coming to shots for DD1, but her allergies are only getting worse

I wish it were as easy as taking a teaspoon of honey a day.

Rxmom04 · May 2014

I'm not sure how effective it is for allergies but I can say that I've used honey as a temporary cough suppressant and I can see how it would help with the sore throat at the beginning of a cold. A large spoonful can temporarily coat the throat and soothe the tickle causing cough, nothing long lasting but helpful in a pinch or while you're waiting for something else to take effect.

DreadLoc · May 2014

i bought local (like, their store was a honor basis shit was so local) honey and used it instead of sugar in all my recipes for a couple years. this past year i noticed my allergies were very minor so i believe it helps.

too fucking bad i don't live a mile from the beekeeper anymore and can't smell the fucking orange blossoms anymore since my backyard isn't a grove and now have to find a new local producer. wompwompwomp.

slednecksmomma · May 2014

S/O Honey, I got really irritated at my last job when my bosses made us go through our stock and throw out anything expired. They made me throw out two bottles of honey even though I tried to explain that honey doesn't expire. I should have just hid the bottles and taken them home with me. What a waste.

nonoemily · May 2014

Put it on crepes with raspberries, crushed almonds and plain yogurt. Yum!

lildevil968 · May 2014

I have year round allergies, and I do the local honey everyday. It has helped curb some of the allergies, but not all, like my allergies to certain tree's.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

I use honey to soothe my throat during allergy season. I like raw honey. I buy it from a local beekeeper.

Therefore, yes I have benefitted from local honey to help with allergies. But that wasn't how you meant.

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