For most, January is prime time to polish the halo and set some health and wellness goals for the year ahead. Normally by mid-January, however, the veil starts to slip, with many well- laid plans crumbling or stopping entirely by 22 January – AKA fail Friday! This year, why not make a small difference that can have a bigger, longer-lasting impact and introduce something new to your wellness plan. Often overlooked, but full of health and beauty benefits, why not give nature’s sweet superfood, Manuka honey a whirl and reap the returns. We have listed five great virtues of raw Manuka honey that will have you looking and feeling great all year round!
A spoonful a day keeps colds at bay
Swirl a spoonful of high grade raw Manuka honey into hot water with lemon at the start of the day and boost immunity. This hot treat is a great pick me up and extremely soothing for post-weekend croaky throats. Some of the world’s best actors, comedians, singers and sports people such as Scarlett Johansson, Katherine Jenkins, and Novak Djokovic, swear by this natural superfood to stay on point. Look for high quality, pure Manuka that bears the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) grading to indicate the potency of the active compounds that provide its health and well-being properties; the higher the grade, the more beneficial the honey. Drink it to help with throat ailments, cold sores and ulcers. If it’s good enough for the A-list, it’s good enough for you!
Energy boost for breakfast
Power up your breakfast with a spoonful of nourishing, all natural, raw Manuka honey on buttered toast, into your porridge or pop a drop into your morning smoothie for a sweet boost. Manuka honey’s energy source is derived from natural fructose and glucose which gives the body a quick boost, making it ideal for breakfast-time. Combine it with slow energy-releasing complex carbs such as quinoa or spelt porridge, or spread on wholegrain bread to avoid a mid-morning slump!
Smother up honey for smoother skin
For skin that’s feeling tired, lacklustre and stressed, have a honey-based, at home facial by simply smothering pure New Zealand Manuka honey onto freshly washed skin. Raw Manuka is not runny, it is thick – making it easy to spread on clean skin. Leave for 10 – 15 minutes to enjoy all of the anti-inflammatory benefits before rinsing off and patting with a towel to reveal brighter, calm skin, our honey is a natural humectant meaning that it retains and draws moisture from the air making skin nourished and full. This natural beauty trick is great for easing skin complaints such as acne, eczema and even rosacea, without stripping the skin’s natural oils. Natural crystals that remain in raw honey make it a perfect exfoliant leaving your pores feeling refreshed and revitalised.
Beat the bloat
Manuka honey gets to work on the body as soon as it is ingested, travelling gently from the throat to the tummy and spreading the benefit from top to toe before reaching the gut. The natural antibacterial qualities of Manuka can ease a host of aggravating tummy troubles such as bloating, indigestion and even help conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Stir into tea or hot water and soothe any stomach or digestive issues.
The last drop
End the day on a hive-based high with a soothing hot, caffeine free camomile tea with a spoonful of Manuka honey at night before bed to ease you into a restful, deep sleep and recharge the batteries overnight. Honey is proven to aid sleep quality so make it your last drop after a long day.
Steens is the world’s largest producer of high grade UMF Manuka honey and the only brand to have implemented innovative tracking technology that lets you track and trace your pot back to the specific region it was harvested from!