Honey for the Bones (and a tangential discussion of medical research into traditional remedies)

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:

• Research takes a great deal of time and money not typically dedicated to things that are not easily patented to ensure profitability. 
• Sometimes our technology has not yet advanced to a point where certain studies can be performed or where their results can be accurately interpreted.  
• There is an ongoing issue of a lack of communication between medical researchers and those who are educated and trained in the use of traditional medicines. This can lead to poor-quality research or the application of the wrong substance, dose, or form of the natural medicine being studied. In short, inaccurate results. 

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

• “Honey can protect the bone via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties”
• It contains polyphenols that help to stop the destruction of bone and its reabsorption into the bloodstream.
  • Darker-colored honey tends to have more of the beneficial phenolic compounds.
• Several included animal studies showed more rapid fracture healing with the use of various types of honey. 
• A combination of eating honey and performing jumping exercises (like rebounding!) improved bone density and diameter in animal studies. 
• Likewise, honey plus aerobic dance helped improve muscle performance and reduce bone loss in women. 

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. 

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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: 

• Buy local, raw, unfiltered honey when possible. 
  • Local & unfiltered because it will contain small particles of pollen local to your area which may help reduce your environmental allergy symptoms. Most beekeepers will strain the honey (a.k.a. microfiltration) to remove large particles, but we want to avoid ultra-filtered honey which removes the pollen. Plus, buying local reduces the carbon footprint. 
  • Raw because honey contains enzymes, vitamins & minerals, proteins & amino acids, and beneficial bacteria that are good for your health but are damaged or destroyed when heated. Buy from someone who doesn’t heat their honey at all or past about 95F, the typical temperature inside a beehive. 
• Find a reputable beekeeper. Store-bought honey (in addition to usually being heat processed, ultra-filtered, and not local) is often adulterated with corn syrup or sugar syrup. Local farmer’s markets can be a great place to find quality honey. Trust me, it’s worth the extra effort to find someone selling 100% pure honey, your tastebuds (and your bones!) will thank you.

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.  

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Author

Marney 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. 
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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