Got Allergies? Try Local Honey As A Home Remedy For Your Allergy To Pollen Or Hay Fever

Written by Lynnette on March 23, 2008 | Comments (3)

A new thing I'm trying this year to tame my allergies is: HONEY!

But not just any honey... it has to be local honey made right where you live.

Here's how it works...

Plants are pollinated by both insects and by the wind.

Honeybees will collect pollen from each of these species and it will be present in small amounts in honey that was gathered by bees that were working areas where these species are growing. When people living in these same areas eat honey that was produced in that environment, the honey will often act as an immune booster. The good effects of this local honey are best when the honey is taken a little bit (a couple of teaspoons-full) a day for several months prior to the pollen season. Source

Find Local Honey

So, where do you go to find honey made in your home state?

You might think you could find it at your local grocery stores. That's not necessarily so. At my local Kroger, there was a HUGE supply of honey products (near the bread section). Despite ALL of the different types of honey found there, none was from right here in Tennessee. Instead, they said "product of Oregon" or "product of Michigan". The other states were: Florida and Indiana. I was fairly surprised that there was no honey from Tennessee there.

I remember someone mentioning that local honey could always be found at your local Cracker Barrel store, but I haven't checked there yet. [UPDATE: I checked... My local Cracker Barrel in Tennessee only carries honey from Wisconsin.]

Living in Tennessee, I found Pick Tennessee Products to be a good source of Tennessee honey. I presume searching for upick locations in your state would yield similar results. Also, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture pointed me to a list of local honey producers, and there's even one right in my little town (Franklin, TN)!

For the most part, beekeepers are your all-time best source for locally produced honey. If they don't sell honey themselves, they'll definitely know where to find it. To find local beekeepers in your area, try these links:

Specifically for Tennessee, I found a wealth of info at Tennessee Beekeepers Association and the Nashville Area Beekeepers Association.

Now, the fun part comes with trying to find fun recipes to add honey to your diet on a regular basis -- like these honey-dipped cookies.

That, or you could just try to down a teaspoon or so a day of raw honey. But it would be easier to protect the whole family -- including kids who are finicky eaters -- if you could find some fun ways to incorporate honey into your regular meals.

More About Honey & Allergies

Others who have tried honey to treat allergies and hay fever

Local honey helps kids with allergies

Health benefits of really raw honey (...straight from the bee hive)

Local honey: Even if it doesn't work...

Put honey in your eyes to cure allergies?

Warning: Before you use local honey to treat allergies

Fun facts about honey (Psssst... it's GREEN!)

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3 Comments

bruce said:

Several years ago I was told about this treatment for my springtime allergies. Looking for an alternative to shots & pills I tried it. I have not had a problem since then
The only ones who i told about it that have not had success are those who did not use local honey or did not take it for several months before the season started.

May 18, 2008 7:51 AM | Reply to this Comment

sara jane said:

Makes a lot of sense. I think I've heard about this working but ive never had allergies myself

March 28, 2008 5:09 PM | Reply to this Comment

Karen said:

I have also read that eating foods grown locally will help keep allergies under control. We try to buy our food from local farmers whenever possible.

March 23, 2008 11:33 PM | Reply to this Comment