[dixie]

Following on from my allergies post, I thought I should share with you that I have suffered from hayfever for years and not mildly!! I started taking a spoonful of honey (YUK!) through the winter and Spring and so far (touch wood) havent suffered at all! it was local honey, produced just 2 miles away, worth a try if you suffer!

[Fluffywelshsheep]

yeap, I think it's called reversed technology (could be wrong)

take something you are allergic to something in small doses that it can help reduce the effects, The best thing to eat is supposes to be the capping but I think this has an impact on the baby bees.

Linz

[rustyme]

yes I am sure this does work Dixie,
    I used to suffer very badly from hayfever, but in the last 5 years or so it hasn't been too bad ,touch wood !!!! It has however, had the odd flare up here and there. And after reading about local honey being almost a cure for it, I had to try it during a flare up . I should say that over the last few years I have begun keeping my own bees , so you don't get much more local than 30 feet from your front door   . It works for me !!! I was already eating my own honey for some time when I had a mild flare up ,  I increased the amount I was eating and it went  completely . I can not state that it was the honey that did the trick , but since having my own honey on a regular basis , the worst case of hayfever I have had was a slight discomfort of the eyes. That was during  very high pollen activity, and at one time my eyes would have swollen and shut completely , I really did get it bad in the past. I sometimes get the sneezes too , but nothing further happens. Even if it has no effect on someone with hayfever , it is worth taking instead of refined sugar, as it is much more easily absorbed by the body and the type of sugars are more what the body wants without any of the bad effects of refined sugar.

cheers

Russ

[rustyme]

ordinary capping from the supers are ok to use Linz, they come off the comb of the super frames which have been kept for storage of honey only , the Queen has been kept out so could not lay any eggs in the supers comb.Therefore , no baby bees ...lol. The cappings are just the wax cap put on the cell when it is full of honey and they are cut off when the beekeeper puts the frame in the extractor to collect all the honey. You can also now buy pollen , collected as the bees enter the hive , on a pollen board . This is also meant to be good for hayfever I think ?. Some people also like to eat honey in the comb ,cut comb, that is honey and the wax comb . I can eat it but not sure I like it any better than just honey on its own.

cheers

Russ

[jameslindsay]

Interesting, a few weeks ago I had to go to the Dr's as my hay fever has been the worst in over 30 years. The things they gave me are helping to be honest but honey (which I do not like) is not being drug dependant I guess. May be worth a try, thanks.

[Fluffywelshsheep]

i had been given bee pollen and used to uses it in my tea but now just stick to honey (haha no pun intended)

also used capping when i was younger, but now i don't know anywhere local so mum give me some honey from gwent honey not quite local but it is better than shop bough from spain lol.

If you don't like honey as it try it in food or drink instead

Linz  

[Rosemary]

I've heard before that local honey can help prevent hay fever.

Mmm, who needs an excuse to eat honey.

[rustyme]

the homogenised carp !!! they sell in the shops is a poor imitation of real local honey . Some sold in shops is even from questionable sources !! But good local honey is lovely ... there are different types though ... so ask a local beekeeper for maybe a bland one first . This will be far less strong , generally the lighter the colour the less strong it should be. Some strong honey is too much for me too . I prefer a mild one really . If you really dislike it  , you could try using it in cooking instead of sugar , you won't notice any difference. I have no idea if it still has the hayfever cure effect then though !!!   By the way , local honey will (by law) have the beekeepers address on the label and you can contact them direct to ask about honey types they have and also about any other products they sell ie wax , candles , pollen , polish , lip balm  etc  etc.

cheers

Russ

[doganjo]

I wish I knew what causes my perennial rhinitis - I have to take an antihistamine tablet every day for the rest of my life.  I'd prefer not to but don't know how to get out of it.

[rustyme]

http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/208/main.html

some useful info on that site Annie , although you no doubt have read  most of it before . I have no idea if honey would help you ...but it wouldn't do any harm to try it   

cheers

Russ

[dixie]

I cant stand the taste of honey, but think of it as medicine, hold your nose and you cant taste it!!  doganjo why dont you give it a go? may well help you too!
Having been down the patch testing route with my son, I've learnt a lot about allergies and although the honey thing is a reverse solution in that you expose to the pollen, I'm not sure why it seems to work? allergies actually get worse the more you are exposed to the cause. They dont usually patch test children younger than 8yrs as they havent had time to build a true allergy, my son will only get worse as time goes on as what he is allergic too is in so many things! he has a terrible reaction at the moment, its horrible for him.

[doganjo]

I think it's called perennial rhinitis because it's not caused by an allergy, so not sure the honey would work - but I love honey anyway so I'm willing to give it a try.

[Fluffywelshsheep]

I have allergies like that dixie,

I went to the doctors and was told i have an unspecific allergic tendancy, Which bascially mean i could get a reaction to anything anytime, I was given some antihistamies tablet that i occasionaly uses but as I have bump i can't uses the them at the moment so i just have to afford know trouble areas or just weather it thought !!!

[Fluffywelshsheep]

Dixie, not sure if this would be any good for you it an online friend of mine eco shop http://ethicstrading.com/shop/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=3

[Greenerlife]

I have the worst hayfever ever this year, and my other half has just been diagnosed with hayfever induced asthma!  Apparently in Surrey, the doctors are being inundated with people with it.  Have just started eating local honey anyway as I have just started with a local beekeeping course and now have my own hive - so looking forward to the same cure as rustyme just feet from my door!