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Spring has sprung here in Minnesota, and brought along with it allergy season. Allergies to pollens can range from a minor annoyance to a major problem. When it is in your young child, though, you are moved to relieve their suffering. Medications can make your child drowsy, not conducive with enjoying the newly warm weather.
A trip to the local farmer's market may be just the thing to bring relief to those watery eyes and itchy noses. Honey made from local bees is said to work like an allergy shot. Rather than a drug that relieves symptoms, honey has small amounts of digested pollens that trigger responses in the body, possibly preparing it for the onslaught of spring pollens to come.
Once the body has started to be exposed to the pollen, the honey is less effective, but may help relieve symptoms. The best way to use honey is to start giving a teaspoon or two a day for a few months before the season hits to build up immunity to the allergens.
They honey needs to be local so that body is exposed to the pollens that are in the area. It wouldn't do any good to expose your child to Arizona's allergens when you are staying in Minnesota.
Using honey for allergies has not been proven to work scientifically, however, many people who use it say it works. It is well worth a try to avoid medicating your child. Honey should never be given to a child under a year old because there is one bacteria that can survive in honey, the one that causes botulism, which a child under one is more susceptible to acquiring.
Another thing I have read is that using honey that is produced during the time of year that the allergens are out. It would be best to use spring honey for spring allergies, Rather than fall honey. This is something that should be prepared for in advance. If you buy spring honey this year, set it aside and start using it in January through the end of spring. Then switch to fall honey in the summer months to prepare for fall.
Honey is a wonderful product used for many natural cures. It is also a sweet nectar to just enjoy in your tea or on your toast!
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Comments
We love honey! I had no idea local honey had such benefits! I'm going to give that a try, my husband has allergy issues.
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