About the Author

Asti Renaut

Asti Renaut (BHSc. Comp Med, BA, Adv Dip Nat, Adv Dip Herb Med, MNZAMH)

Asti Renaut is a degree-qualified medical herbalist and naturopath with over ten years clinical experience. Asti practices in Christchurch, New Zealand, treating a wide range of health issues. She especially enjoys working with infants and children, and finally has one of her own to practice on! One of the cornerstones of Asti's practice and philosophy is the importance of education and sharing information. She believes that empowering clients to understand their own bodies and health, and giving practical tips and tools to use from the garden and kitchen are just as important for wellness as qualified professional care. 

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Healing Gifts from the Bees

A spoonful of sugar may make the medicine go down (in the most delightful way), but when the medicine is Manuka honey, added sugar isn’t necessary. Medicinal honeys are known for their healing properties, and when the honey bee met the Manuka bush, nature’s alchemy created one of the most potent honeys in the world. 

The healing powers of honey are well documented throughout the ages, from ancient Egypt through the great civilisations of Greece and Rome. As with many natural medicines however, it is only recently that we have been able to understand the science behind the specific properties in honey that make it so good for killing bugs and healing wounds.

While all honeys have healing properties, Manuka honey is a queen of honeys because of its Unique Manuka Factor (UMF). UMF is a measure of a specific component in the honey called methylglyoxyl, which is strongly antibacterial and is much higher in Manuka honey than other honeys. 

Because of this our New Zealand Manuka honey has received international interest and has been the subject of much research. 

Some of the exciting outcomes of research demonstrate that Manuka honey is:

• Anti-bacterial against many bugs including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Helicobacter pylori, and even some antibiotic resistant bacteria strains.

• Anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory making it a potent aid for wound healing and tissue healing.

• In addition to this, recent studies have proven the age old wisdom that honey is an effective treatment for coughs. 

Manuka honey is a powerful aid to the immune system and to the healing of tissues and prevention and treatment of infection. Because of its natural sweetness this makes it a perfect addition to many herbal formulas, for adults and children alike. Medicine never tasted so good!