> That’s interesting and kind of surprising to me. How does one use honey as a treatment? Just eat some? How much? How often? Etc.
This is what I do when I notice the first signs of a dry or sore throat / have cough / or other types of infections in the mouth or throat:
I buy forest-originating honey (it is usually darker color and in my country it usually has the slight aroma of pine trees), but I have also used other types. I take 1-2 teaspoons honey, but I do not swallow it. I let it slowly dissolve it in my mouth, so that it can slowly go down the throat and have the eventual effect last longer.
After that, I take a cup of hot mint tea.
I am a scientist, I understand that I might be misleading myself, I know that there might not be any effect and that I might be imagining everything, but it really feels better after this.I certainly feel an immediate effect -- it is alleviating the pain or the burning sensation in the throat, but this effect does not last long. So every couple of hours I repeat the procedure.
In fact, I should say that having a spoonful of honey, slowly melting it in the mouth, and then drinking a cup of tea, should not be considered as just a procedure or a medication, but as enjoyment and one way to make you feel better in an otherwise miserable day.
If it really helps to speed up recovery - then why not? It is not harmful, unless you have diabetes or alergy.
Anyway, the point is not to dilute the honey in hot tea. Supposedly, all beneficial substance is lost in high temperatures.
In addition, I once watched a German documentary about a clinic that experiments with different types of honey and use it for treating open wounds that take much longer to heal otherwise. They used special honey, put it on bandage and put it on the wounds.
Finally, one should not forget that feeding some microorganisms with sugars might not be a good idea and can increase their growth and reproduction, so it's best that you consult a medical doctor for every illness especially if it's severe.