Don’t underestimate medicinal power of honey

I Fyou told our Stone Age relatives to “mind your own beeswax,” they could have done just that, say researchers from the United Kingdom’s University of Bristol.

They’ve found that beeswax was used as a sealant on 7,000-yearold shards of stoneware. And Egyptologists have discovered that ancient pyramids contain jars containing honey that is completely edible today — the oldest still-fresh sample dates from around 1000 B.C.

Remarkable stuff, this elixir that combines great flavor with the ability to smother bacteria with microbe-unfriendly acidity and a touch of hydrogen peroxide.

We do caution against added sugars in drinks and foods (it leads to inflammation, weight gain and unstable of blood glucose levels), but there’s a lot to be said for the medicinal powers of honey. It can help wounds heal and, according to new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the U.K., it should be the first choice for treating coughs in anyone 1 year or older.

That’s good news for parents, since the Food and Drug Administration cautions “children under 2 years of age should not be given any kind of cough and cold product that contains a decongestant or antihistamine because serious and possibly life-threatening side effects could occur.”

Codeine-containing products should be for those 18 and older. Antibiotics should be prescribed only for treating serious bacterial infections.

So if you or your child develops a cough, spoon out some honey, one tablespoon at a time, or add it to warm water or tea for a throatsoothing drink. How sweet that is.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily @sharecare.com.