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9/26/2024 Honey for the Bones (and a tangential discussion of medical research into traditional remedies)Read Now
When I think of the medicinal properties of honey, my first thoughts are of using it to reduce coughing and soothe sore throats. I think of medical-grade honey to help speed healing and prevent infections in wounds and burns. But, a while back I read this Bible verse and it made me wonder if honey was actually good for the bones.
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” - Proverbs 16:24 
In our current medical system, there is an attitude of dismissiveness to traditional medicines as a whole or to specific applications that have yet to be proven by current medical research. However, we have to remember that:
Why do researchers investigate traditional remedies? Because they work. If the evidence in support of traditional remedies was not so compelling, the research would not be undertaken. Even when we know that a treatment is effective, modern research helps us understand how it works, and that helps us know how else it can be used to our benefit. It is easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that we are at the pinnacle of human advancement and that our ancestors lacked knowledge or understanding. But we are only a point in the line of human advancement. Others will come after us and put rest to things we thought fact and prove things we theorized but were unable to prove. After all, here we are nearly three millennia later conducting research that supports the wisdom espoused by the Israelites of 700 B.C. A 2019 literature review (an evaluation of available research) described several potential benefits of honey for bone health:1
Humorously, the researchers referred to honey as a potential “novel dietary supplement to prevent osteoporosis.” Hmm…it is amusing to me how researchers have a tendency to lay claim to having discovered the medicines we have been using for thousands of years... The long list of honey’s beneficial properties do not stop here. In fact, honey is a staple ingredient in many people’s skincare routines! Famous for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, honey is a wonderful ingredient to make sure your skin remains protected and nurtured. HEALING HONEY
Quality, medical-grade manuka honey is something I recommend everyone keep in their herbal medicine cabinet. Manuka honey is made in New Zealand by bees that feed off of — and collect medical benefits from – the Leptospermum scoparium flowers. It can be taken for digestion or used topically for burn- and wound-healing. MGO numbers indicate the amount of methylglyoxal (the compound responsible for manuka’s amazing healing properties) with higher numbers indicating more medical benefits. In addition to manuka honey, I recommend keeping raw, local honey as a pantry staple.
How to find healing honey:
Warning: remember, you should never feed honey to a child under the age of one (1) year. Honey can contain botulism toxin at doses small enough not to harm healthy adults and children, but babies under 1 can not fight off this toxin and can die from consuming honey. AuthorMarney Johnson, ND, MSCI-TS, (she/her) received her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and Certificate of Natural Childbirth from National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM). Following graduation, she completed a CNME-approved Residency in Naturopathic Medicine with NUNM Health Center, a primary care clinic in Portland, Oregon. There she was trained and practiced in a variety of naturopathic and primary care. She is passionate about supporting the body's ability to heal itself with the support of naturopathic modalities and believes that everyone deserves outstanding care and should feel both safe and heard by those entrusted with their health and wellness.
REFERENCE:
1. Kamaruzzaman MA, Chin KY, Mohd Ramli ES. A Review of Potential Beneficial Effects of Honey on Bone Health. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:8543618. Published 2019 Sep 19. PMID: 31641368 
Your body is exposed to potentially toxic and harmful ingredients from the food you eat every day, which is why the passageways of food in your body are made with specialized cells, microorganisms, and enzymes to protect it. These protective agents maintain balance and ensure that beneficial substances are absorbed and nourish the body, while harmful materials are prevented from causing damage. Constant exposure to stress, unhealthy eating habits, medications, and alcohol can disrupt this balance, eventually causing damage to your intestinal lining and allowing entry of toxic elements and harmful agents into the bloodstream. Since the absorbing function of the intestinal lining is affected by different conditions, it is important to explore excellent strategies to maintain its balance and avoid absorption of toxic elements.
The Importance of Your Intestinal Lining
The microbiota present in your gastrointestinal tract is diverse and varies between individuals; it is mostly made up of bacteria and other viruses, fungi, protozoa, and archaea.1 These are highly regulated and balanced to nurture bodily processes. More than 100 trillion microbiota in your gut assist with your body’s immune response, degrade dietary fibers to facilitate its removal from the body, and regulate the function and motility of your GI tract to absorb nutrients and prevent pathogens from doing harm to the body. The microorganisms present in your gut basically defends your body from toxins and pathogens from the food you eat! Additionally, your gut helps regulate blood pressure and prevents inflammation due to hydrogen sulfide, which is produced when proteins are broken down by the bacteria in your intestines.1 To help maintain a healthy gut, it is important to learn more about how the enzymes, organisms, and specialized cells found in the intestinal lining work together to protect the body
Understanding Leaky Gut Syndrome
The collection of microorganisms found in your gastrointestinal system is called the “gut microbiota”.3 It plays an important role on the overall health of the gastrointestinal system and an imbalance, known as dysbiosis, greatly contributes to weight and metabolic disorders.2 Problems in your gut microbiota can cause intestinal hyperpermeability (a.k.a. leaky gut), leading to dysregulation on what should be absorbed into the bloodstream and what should be prevented from entering your body. This may increase your risks of developing food allergies, infection, and may cause swelling of different organs, including the liver and fatty tissues.
how Diet can affect your Gut Microbiota
The food you eat everyday interacts with your gut microbiota and frequent irritation from inflammatory foods can lead to the development of leaky gut syndrome. Since genetics and food choices vary between individuals, the interaction between a person’s diet and his gut bacteria is becoming more specific and personal, emphasizing the importance of designing a carefully tailored nutrition plan that will better suit your unique needs. Your naturopathic physicians are committed to helping you carefully and consciously select the best food choices for your health.
High-Fat Diet
Fats are essential nutrients that your body needs to store energy and absorb nutrients that keep your cells healthy. However, strictly following a diet that is high in fat without the guidance of an expert may cause damage to your gut barrier. When not properly regulated, a high-fat diet changes the composition of intestinal mucus, promoting the growth of harmful microorganisms that disrupt the integrity of your intestinal barrier.2 When damaged, harmful bacteria and pathogens can be easily absorbed into the blood. Fat quality is key! Rather than limiting your options to a high-fat diet, it is vital to listen to what your body needs through engaging in intuitive eating practices with the guidance of your naturopathic doctor. Making conscious decisions about what you eat everyday not only nurtures your optimal health, but also allows you to actually enjoy every meal without uncomfortable side effects!
High-Carbohydrate Diet
Carbohydrates are one of the primary sources of energy for humans. However, eating food or drinking beverages that contain too much refined carbohydrates and added sugar can disturb the balance of the intestinal microbiota, leading to gut dysbiosis.2 This imbalance can actually lead to worsening of sugar cravings, creating a vicious cycle. Knowing your limits and following intuitive eating practices will help you satisfy your sugar cravings while consciously nurturing your gut health!
Health Issues Associated With Leaky Gut
A leaky gut is a common sign of intestinal inflammation. When your gut barrier is damaged, toxins can easily enter into the bloodstream.2 These toxins can cause inflammatory responses that do more harm than good and can trigger other disease conditions that will greatly affect your overall health. Leaky gut can lead to the development, or be the result, of a disease.
Diabetes
Diabetes, a major health concern experienced by many people across the world, is commonly associated with gut problems. It can diminish your intestinal motility and reduce bowel movements, cause nutritional problems, and disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria. This inevitably weakens your intestinal barrier, allowing bacteria which should normally be present at the intestinal lining to translocate into the bloodstream, where they can trigger inflammation and disease.2
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
The vein that carries blood from the gut to the liver is connected to the intestine, linking all three structures together. When damaged, bacteria and other microbial by-products may easily enter and invade the liver. A gut-liver axis that does not function properly causes gut imbalance, bacterial overgrowth, and increased permeability, leading to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).2 The food you eat affects the health of your liver! Consuming a Western-style diet that is high in processed foods can trigger inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress, all of which increases your chances of developing a fatty liver.
Brain Dysfunction
Maintaining a healthy gut is important for a healthy neuroendocrine system (the relationship between your brain and hormones). Inflammation in the gut negatively affects the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which typically keeps harmful substances out of the brain. However, stress and inflammation weakens the BBB, potentially allowing harmful substances to invade the brain.
The 4R Protocol
In reducing inflammation and maintaining a healthy intestinal barrier, it is important to target the root cause of the problem and reestablish balance. Not to worry! With four easy and conscious steps, you are able to nurture your gastrointestinal health:
The Naturopathic Approach for Optimal Gut Health
Intuitive Eating
Learning to be consciously aware of what your body needs and wants helps nurture your gut health. Intuitive eating practices helps you learn to honor your body’s hunger and fullness cues, rather than eating based on emotional or environmental triggers, helping to regulate your daily intake according to your unique needs.3 Additionally, intuitive eating highlights the connection between your gut and brain, reducing potential stressors that may trigger unwanted inflammation and disease.
Botanical Medicine
Herbal remedies contain phytochemicals that promote healing by helping to regulate the intestinal microbiota and improve the function of the gut barrier. Rather than trying out herbal remedies by yourself, it is best to explore the best natural options for your optimal health with the guidance of your naturopathic medicine advisors.
At Natural Path to Wellness, we are committed to assisting you in making informed and conscious decisions about your health. We do this through the healing power of nature, allowing you to improve your nutrition and lifestyle choices based on your body’s responses, leading to optimal gut health. Through a balanced, personalized, and mindful approach, we work hand-in-hand in recognizing and addressing your body’s needs. Discover the naturopathic approach to improving your gut health today! AuthorKate Nemenzo studied in nursing school as an academic scholar. Her passion for holistic health has led her to become a registered nurse who promotes optimal care throughout her patient’s therapeutic journey. When not writing, she spends her time crocheting, watching Korean dramas, and playing the guitar!
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Societal and cultural factors have a significant impact on men’s health across the globe. Men are often implicitly and explicitly encouraged to maintain a status as a model of strength without the need for help, which is often perceived as weakness. According to the World Health Organization, men are less likely to seek medical attention for an illness. Furthermore, while engaging in medical care, they are less likely to detail their symptoms to a professional. Certain barriers exist that could impact the accessibility of health services for men. These may include but certainly aren’t limited to constraints of working hours, availability of information regarding men’s health, and stigmas surrounding access. Culturally, we need to work to acknowledge the importance of preventative health appointments, particularly for men, and encourage healthy lifestyle choices.2
The Role of Primary Care
Primary care services are important for promoting health across all populations as primary care is often a first step in incorporating preventative measures into one’s lifestyle to avoid illness. With men being less likely to access primary care, there is an increase in emergency care received by men for acute intervention.2 Not only does this prove to be a greater financial cost, such measures may not fully address the source of the illness. Preventative care has the potential to save costs, lower incidence of chronic illness, and even save lives.
You don’t have to be sick to go to the doctor. Attending primary care appointments regularly can help establish a baseline of health and allow one’s doctor to more quickly identify changes in health in order to advise on preventive measures of disease. Additionally, primary care providers can point to a network of resources including specialists and mental health professionals. A holistic approach to men’s health is necessary in order to address, for example, the psychosocial factors that affect accessibility to health services while identifying physical and emotional risk factors in one’s lifestyle. Initiatives to improve men’s health could also benefit their partners and families by improving men’s quality and duration of life. The Benefits of Prevention
Chronic illness, such as hypertension and coronary artery disease, are widely discussed as prominent factors in mortality (causes of death), but medical concerns specific to men are rarely highlighted, save for advertisements for erectile dysfunction, perhaps. In actuality, erectile dysfunction is a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Did you know that increased erectile dysfunction is also a symptom of diabetes in men? |