Yogi the Bear's Medicine- Honey

Much of what was has been traditionally learned in natural medicine has been derived from watching which plants were consumed by animals who had fallen ill. Now, we are learning more about a common food item , honey, which is showing promise as a cough & cold remedy. This is important because parents have been seeking cough medicine alternatives since some over-the-counter formulas are being pulled from the shelves due to safety concerns. Now a study in the December, 2007, issue of The Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine showed that Buckwheat Honey given to 2-18 year olds was effective in reducing symptoms of nightime cough such as cough frequency, bothersome nature of the cough, poor sleep quality for parents and children, and illness duration for less then 7 days. Buckwheat Honey was compared to formulas of honey-flavored dextromethorphan and no treatment a and faired better then the others when given as a single dose before bedtime. Although promising, it is important to make sure a cough/cold is of an uncomplicated nature prior to assuming that honey will be your answer, so getting evaluated by your physician is always a good idea. Happy and Healthy Holidays, Dr. Rinde