I love you Honey Bear

Honey is a really great substitute for sugar and has a lot of excellent health benefits if - IF you buy it raw, organic & local.  It’s actually really important that you buy good honey because most store bought honey has little to no pollen, propolis, enzymes or nutrients in it.  Basic store bought honey has been so finely filtered in order to keep it from crystalizing thus removing almost all of the pollen (side note, you can de-crystalize your honey by warming it up in the sun). The mass produced honey has been changed so dramatically from it's original form that the FDA has questioned whether or not it can still claim the name honey.  

Pollen is also the only element that helps us trace where the product is coming from. Tracing is helpful because a lot of the honey is coming from China with potential contaminants and honey from bees treated with antibiotics, which we do not need more of in our diets.  Farmers markets are a great place to get the real deal honey bear.

Local honey is also a great thing to buy when you travel if you have allergies.  Once you arrive in a new place try to quickly get a hold of a spoon full of local honey because it will expose and adjust your body to the local pollens and help you acclimate more quickly.

Honey is also great to aid in topical healing. You can put it in a bandaid over a cut, or cover a canker sores for quicker healing. You can put it on areas of your skin and rinse it off to help with acne, dark circles, scars and wrinkles. 

Honey does not spike your sugar like refined white sugars do avoiding an elevated insulin release. It can also helps you sleep because it slowly releases glycogen needed for bodily function during sleep.  If you add it to milk before bed it helps the body release melatonin, so you can sleep well Honey Bee. 

Raw Honey has so many health benefits my mom just takes a teaspoon of it every morning.  With so many proteins vitamins and minerals it would do you good to put a spoonful or in your coffee as it one of nature's most complete health foods. It's alkaline forming, boosts the immune system, cough suppressant, aids in blood sugar and cholesterol regulation & can calm an upset stomach. 

How many times did I just say honey? A lot. Honey. 

Sources: Life Hacker // Dr. Axe // Organic Facts // FDA // US National Library of Medicine

A Lemon a Day

I'm a big believer in lemons as I love both their flavor and health benefits.  Citrus trees are in full bloom with spring right around the corner. So grab some off your mom's tree or buy some at the store, and if you can manage to squeeze a lemon into a glass of water every day the nutritional benefits are huge. Lemons aid the digestive system (helps with weight loss) & the immune system, promotes skin health, contains potassium, Vitamin C, and Pectin Fibers among A LOT of other things. 

One of the most important health benefits to lemons is they help maintain ph levels in the body. We often have very acidic levels in our bodies due to low fiber, hormones in our foods, lower nutritional value in our foods due to industrial farming, alcohol, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, stress, lack of exercise, pesticides, and the list goes on.  If we allow our bodies to stay acidic in the short term we will see more allergies, asthma and colds, and it the long term things like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  Note: You can also accomplish PH balance by diluting a shot glass of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in a glass of water and maybe some raw honey (don't drink it undiluted as it's hard on the esophagus and your teeth). It tastes really bad so I prefer lemon water. 

My mom's tree is exploding with Meyer Lemons so I'm trying to preserve them the best I can.  I've squeezed the juices of quite a few and put them in Ice Cube trays to melt in a glass of water.  I've also made some lemonade by doing equal parts lemon to water and some agave (add more water and agave depending on how tart or sweet you like lemonade).  You can also add them to salad dressings (lemons, Olive Oil, salt, pepper & garlic).  Lastly you can freeze the juice in a popsicle mold with some agave and blackberries for a nice treat on a warm day.  

The options are endless and the health benefits are too.