Local Honey Helps Kids With Allergies

Did you know a little honey on your child's cereal in the morning may help prevent some allergies? Turns out those little bees are making some of nature's best antidote to the effects of pollen that irritate kids' eyes and noses.

Local honey is produced closest to where you live. This honey contains tiny bits of the pollen specific to your geographical area. This minimal exposure helps your child's immune system develop defenses against the particular irritants she is likely to be exposed to.

You can find local honey at your local farmer's market or health food store.

Allergies develop from continuous exposure to the same allergens. Over time, repeated exposure to the same plants builds up in your system until one day you have an allergic reaction.

It seems strange that adding more exposure to pollen through honey will help allergies, but it does. It's the same reason people take allergy shots. The amount of pollen you get from the honey (or the shot) is so small that your body is able to ‘fight it off' easier than when you get hit by a full onslaught of spring pollen. This immunity then continues into pollen season protecting the child from allergic reaction - or at least making them less severe. While it's the same principle behind taking allergy shots, honey all-natural, less costly, and tasty!

It's not all hippie nonsense. The positive effects of honey on allergies have been studied by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Alternative Medicine, where they found it was an effective substitute for expensive and potentially dangerous allergy shots. However, like all natural remedies, honey is subtle and it takes a commitment to use it over time to reap the benefits.

Remember, honey isn't safe for infants under one year of age.