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SERVING SIZE: 1 tsp EAT IN: "I dearly love everything about honey but it is not good for my extreme dryness (Vata). Is my intuition guiding me to..." - Abby,  SEE MORE REVIEWS & COMMENTSAbout the Author: John Immel, How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?AYURVEDIC ANALYSISThis pure and natural heavenly gift from nature was the first sweetener known to man. Honey's sweet goodness has been an icon of abundance for centuries. It's golden syrup seems to capture the very rays of the sun, reflecting nature in its purest form, and delighting your senses. Honey is a favorite ingredient in food, as a delivery vehicle for medicine, and topically in cosmetics for natural skin beauty. Many cultures consider honey sacred. Ayurveda, the vital science of life, has appreciated honey's healing qualities for thousands of years. It is honored as an ingredient in an ancient formulation called Panchamrita, literally "The Five Nectars of Immortality". Consuming honey daily as a food is advocated in Ayurveda to promote good health and strength. Lose Weight with Honey 
Bees tirelessly visit flower after flower preparing this natural sweetener from nectar. The secret behind honey's health benefits? Bees actually pre-digest honey, giving it qualities of heat, astringency, and a little dryness, qualities you won't find in any other sweetener. Yet, these qualities are essential to balancing the normally cold, damp weight gaining properties of other simple sugars. You can experience the warmth of honey as a mild pungency that stimulates your tongue, raises your heart rate, and warms your metabolism and entire body after consumption. Honey is quickly and efficiently used and absorbed by the body, and tolerated more so than other sweeteners such as sugar / sucrose / glucose used on their own. As it helps stimulate the metabolism, it helps your body burn fat. You can combine honey and lemon juice in luke warm (not hot) water for a quick morning detoxifier. A special cleansing quality of honey also suggests that it helps to lower cholesterol and clear plaque from arteries. Energizing Tonic Feeling tired? Try a spoonful of honey to wake you up. For centuries, people have swarmed to honey for its tonic properties. The ancient Greeks used honey to prevent the breakdown of muscles after heavy physical strain, to rebuild strength, virility and to improve endurance. Honey is often a key ingredient in rejuvenating and re-energizing formulas, as well as to enhance the healing properties of other herbs. The proverbial "land of milk and honey" offers us all things good and is often described as richness, abundance, and joy. Honey has even been used to increase fertility. For a delicious energy building home remedy, mix one tablespoon coconut butter with 1 tsp honey. Honey is a key ingredient in the famous Ayurveda formula chywanprash. Ayurveda also combines shilajit with honey to combat low energy in the elderly or those with weak constitutions. Colds & Coughs Studies have shown that honey is as effective (if not more so) as common over-the-counter cough suppressants. Honey won't produce mucus like other sweeteners that tend to make your congested, especially the morning after consumption. Instead, honey's 'heat' has the ability to liquefy and expectorate mucus, as well as disperse fluids that have collected in your upper respiratory system. It's a time-honored solution for soothing sore throats as it provides a rich coating effect on the back of your throat. One teaspoon of honey taken orally should do the trick. Honey's immune stimulating qualities are appreciated in popular cold and flu formulas like ginger honey, and lemon tea. It is featured in famous lung tonics such as osha and honey. External Uses for Honey Honey has anti-bacterial, anti-septic, and anti-fungal properties, which make it a superb healer and protector for skin infections, burns, wounds and even scarring. Spread liberally over wounds to prevent infection, including diabetic ulcers. Honey is a hemostatic that has been used to stop bleeding for both wounds and stomach ulcers. If your skin and hair is lacking moisture consider using honey to bring back the luster. A small dab of honey may even sooth acne and pimples, as well as speed up the healing process of your skin. Honey was also used in an ancient middle-eastern practice of sugaring hair removal, which is again becoming quite popular. A spoonful of honey restores rosiness to the cheeks. Honey has been used for allergies, insomnia, constipation and to improve vision. Contraindications As sweet as it is, honey is not recommended for infants under a year old as it may hold the risk of botulism, a type of bacterial poisoning. Diabetics or sugar-addicts may like to stay from honey due to its concentrated levels of sweetness that will affect blood sugar levels. BUYING & PREPARATIONCOOKING HONEY Browse RecipesLearn about the health benefits of Honey for FREE
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WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.Is Honey Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL QUALITIES
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary.
The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.Energy Vitality Strength: Stimulates energy , STIMULATES-ENERGYThis category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbsNutritive , NUTRITIVEAn herb that is strengthening and nourishing.Tonic TONICA tonic herb strengthens tissue, often restoring healthy function. Tonics usually target a specific organ, tissue, or system ie: brain, muscle or respiratory tonic.Heart & Circulation: Hemostatic , HEMOSTATICAn herb that stops bleeding.Styptic , STYPTICA herb that contracts tissue or blood vessels. Generally styptics are astringent. They are often used to stop bleeding.Vulnerary VULNERARYAn herb used for the treatment of wounds. Promotes healing of skin lesions and wounds/promotes cell growth and repairLung and Sinus: Soothes throat , SOOTHES-THROATSoothes throat discomfort, including from a sore or ticklish throat.Antitussive , ANTITUSSIVECough suppressant, particularly for dry coughs or a tickle in your throat.Demulcent , DEMULCENTHerbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.Expectorant EXPECTORANTHerbs that help you cough up and eliminate mucus. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus.Reproductive Health: Male Tonic , MALE-TONICGenerally increases male reproductive strength and stamina.Promotes Virility PROMOTES-VIRILITYEncourages virility and potency.Weight Loss: Hypolipidemic HYPOLIPIDEMICScrapes fats / cleanses blood vesselsBowel-Poop-Elimination: General Laxative GENERAL-LAXATIVEPromotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives...Strengthening-Tonics: Muscle Tonic MUSCLE-TONICHerbs that strengthen and tone muscle tissue. Helpful for people recovering from long term illness and debility, or after a sprain.AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONERS!(Not you? Keep scrolling!) Eat Well for Life With Ayurveda: Balance Your DoshaHOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.View Other Ingredients for SpringHoney is recommended for Spring. Check out these other Spring foods here.Comments & Impressions of 'Honey'Do you like 'honey'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something you'd like to know about 'honey'?
Ayurveda emphasizes that honey be consumed raw. From a modern perspective, many of the vitamins and enzymes that honey contains are apt to be destroyed by heating, so choose raw honey. There are as many kinds of honey as there are flowers - actually more if you include combinations. Some of them have very distinct colors, flavors, and therapeutic properties. Thyme-flower honey, for example, is highly sought-after in parts of the Mediterranean. You can bet it's a potent Kapha-buster and valuable in colds. Buckwheat honey is dark and almost molassesy while Linden honey, considered one of the finest, is light and delicate. There are even jungle honeys infamous in the foothills of Nepal for being intoxicating and even dangerous. When in doubt of what kind of honey to use go for local wildflower honey. Although honey is generally appropriate for Kapha in moderation, as a simple starch (high glycemic index) it is to be avoided in diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions.
I have been baking cakes with honey for the last year, but after reading about it in your site, it sounds like a mistake. What is the best sweeetner to bake with?
The answer depends on the person. Raw unrefined sugar and maple syrup are alternatives. For Kapha, add cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger to help with sugar metabolism.
More specifically, as "Makes sense their qualities are
different. :)"
Quess my question is: what is the difference that makes one glucose acceptable for kapha and one not.
Both are from the plant kingdom as honey are produced by a bee but the ingredient of honey is pollen from flowers, bushes and trees and maple syrup the sap of a (maple) tree.
Did the Indians (creation of ayurveda) even know about the maple tree or was the ayurvedic "knowledge" revised as they came in contact with plant from other parts of the world during history?
Apologies if the question is a difficult one but maybe you have access to this differently than I do?
namaté, Christina
I dearly love everything about honey but it is not good for my extreme dryness (Vata). Is my intuition guiding me to honey or should I use something else? If so, what is a substitute that I could try and see how I feel with it?
Abby, Canada
Dear Abby, You might try substituting maple syrup for honey and see how you feel with it.
Generally, honey has more of a heating effect on the body which stimulates digestion and balances Kapha. Maple syrup is more cooling and soothes Pitta.
a traditional home remedy for
This information has not been validated by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.
Poop 3+ bowel movements a day, Bloody stools, ConstipationReproductive Health Abortion (Past, Recent or Considering)Diet Anorexia, past or current, Sweet cravingsRespiratory Health Chronic cough, Dry cough, Ear pain/infection, Laryngitis, Seasonal allergies, Sinus Infection, Sinus pain around eyes, Sinus pain in cheeks, Sinus pain in forehead, Sore throatBlood and Circulation Chronic Fungus infection, Chronic Infection, Diabetes (Adult Onset), Feet or Ankles Swelling, Low energyDigestion Dry Mouth / Tongue, Duodenal Ulcer, Malabsorption, Stomach UlcerWeight Loss Fat back of arms, Fat on back, Fat on buttocks, Fat on thighs, Feel overweightMind Stress Sleep Fatigue / tired, Insomnia, Overwhelmed by responsibilities, Weakness / DebilityBones Muscles heavy / tired, Weak muscles
About the Author John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. |
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