Did you know that honey has several health benefits? It’s known to have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammtory properties and aid in combatting seasonal allergies. That’s lots of goodness in a naturalsweetener.
The Power of Antioxidants
You’ve most likely seen honey flavoured cough drops and syrup, or been advised to add it to your tea when fighting a cold. That’s because of the antioxidant power in honey. Antioxidants come to the rescue in our bodies when our cells are attacked by free radicals that cause unhealthy conditions and disease states.
Antibacterial Action of Honey
Advocators and medical researchers alike claim that it has antibacterial or antimicrobial qualities:
Honey is a saturated or supersaturated solution of sugars that has strong interaction with water molecules. The lack of ‘free’ water inhibits the growth of microorganisms….When honey is diluted by wound exudates, hydrogen peroxide is produced via a glucose oxidase enzyme reaction. This is released slowly to provide antibacterial activity but does not damage tissue….honey also appears to stimulate lymphocytic and phagocytic activity. These are key body immune responses in the battle against infection.
DermNet
Anti-inflammatory Results
Medical grade honey (not the stuff in your kitchen pantry) has been shown to be successfufl in treating some burns. Minor, first-degree burns, indicative of pain and redness in the outer layer of skin as well as second degree burns which can involve swelling, blistering and lower layers of skin can benefit from its application.
The Medical grade version is sterilized and collected from bees in New Zealand and Australia. It is sold in gel or paste form and incorporated into dressings.
Products on the market used for treatment of wounds, ulcers, and burns include Medihoney Gel
Allergies
Consuming honey produced local to you is said to help combat seasonal allergies. That’s because it is made from the specific pollen that is giving you allergic symptoms. So, not only are you supporting local apiaries and small businesses, you would be getting the most effective allergy relief.
Burbidge Apiaries
Speaking of shopping and supporting local, I was introduced recently to Burbidge Apiaries, purchasing their ginger flavoured recipe for myself and a wildflower version for a friend. The cold weather we have here in Ottawa is perfect for sipping hot tea laced with delicious local honey.
In addition to delicious, 100% pure honey, Burbidge Apiaries sells beeswax, honey products, and honeybees, and offers pollination services. For more information, listen to this podcast from BeeKeeping Today with Jeremy Burbidge as a guest:
This article about the best anti-aging vitamins was originally posted on Ivee, adapted for posting on Loreeebee:
While aging may not be the most pleasant experience, the memories, experiences, and life lessons we learn along the way are invaluable. What if someone told you there are ways to stop, or at least limit, the symptoms of aging? With help from specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, we can help rewind our body’s biological clock by replenishing valuable nutrients that we lose with age. That being said, aging is inevitable, and symptoms are almost impossible to avoid altogether. If nothing else, utilizing this collection of nutrients can increase our body’s efficiency to improve our quality of life.
What Happens When We Age?
As we age, our body stops producing certain chemical compounds that were plentiful when we were younger. Additionally, our telomeres shorten with age. Telomereshelp protect the ends of our chromosomes from deteriorating. When our telomeres shorten, our body’s cells go through a negative transformation that drastically affects our health and lifespan.
Shorter telomeres have been associated with an increased risk of disease and lower survival rates. Most of the symptoms related to aging are cognitive. Yes, our hair turns grey and we start to get wrinkles, but the slow cognitive decline is the most reported and impactful result of aging. So let’s take a look at five supplements that can help reduce these effects.
Five Best Anti-aging Vitamins
Curcumin Photo from Pexels
1. Curcumin
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric, a spice used predominantly in Asian dishes that comes from turmeric root. Curcumin is rated highly for its powerful anti-aging effects due to its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that help protect your cells against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Additionally, this antioxidant protects our cells from cellular senescence which occurs when cells stop dividing. As we get older these unresponsive cells accumulate, accelerating the aging process and the progression of age-related diseases.
You can easily increase your curcumin intake by incorporating turmeric in dishes or by taking curcumin supplements!
2. CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is another antioxidant that is self-produced by your body. It is responsible for energy production and protecting cells from damage. As we age, our levels of CoQ10 begin to decline, and symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog become more and more apparent.
In 2015, researchers ran an experiment to test the effects of supplemented CoQ10 in 443 older adults. The study found that supplementing CoQ10 and selenium (an element that aids metabolism) over four years improved their overall quality of life, reduced hospital visits, and slowed the deterioration of mental performance.
Though CoQ10 shows the potential to be a powerful anti-aging supplement, there still needs to be more research and definitive evidence before it can be recommended as a natural way to prevent aging. Make sure to talk to a healthcare professional before trying it out.
3. Vitamin B12
This popular vitamin aids our body in numerous ways, such as keeping our nerves and blood cells healthy. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia which makes people tired and weak.
Aside from its “inner body benefits,” such as added energy and cognitive clarity, B12 can also aid our bodies cosmetically. It can help improve our appearance by reducing skin redness, inflammation, and dryness. It can also reduce hair breakage and help nails become stronger.
Our bodies don’t produce B12 naturally, but we can obtain it through various foods like fish, eggs, and chicken. Different types of vegetables, such as mushrooms, are high in B12 as well. B12 is also available as a daily supplement and can be found at your local pharmacy or natural food store.
4. Vitamin D
Weakening immune systems are also a sign of aging so catching a common cold will have a much more significant impact than it did when we were younger. Thankfully, a new UK research study has found that Vitamin D can have a positive effect on the immune system and help offset some age-related health issues.
It is also widely accepted throughout the scientific community that vitamin D compounds protect the skin against the hazardous effects of many skin aging-inducing agents, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
You can absorb vitamin D naturally through the sun’s rays, but vitamin D supplements are widely accessible at any pharmacy or vitamin shop for an extra boostif you don’t spend much time outdoors.
5. NAD+ Treatment
While we know this isn’t a vitamin or antioxidant, the potential of Nicotinamide adenine dinuleotide (NAD+)is something we cannot overlook. That’s because it is one of the most potent anti-aging molecules you can put into your body. In short, NAD+ keeps your cells “young” and helps to rewind your biological clock.
NAD+ treatment is relatively new on the scene. As of right now, the FDA has only given the green light for oral NAD+ supplements. However, injecting NAD+ intravenously is a very efficient way to receive the nutrient, as it allows for almost 100% bioavailability.
NAD+ treatment can last anywhere from two to six hours and has been reported by some as being quite uncomfortable. Some patients have reported nausea, chest tightness, and lightheadedness. Fortunately, these symptoms are short-lived and pretty much counteracted by the treatment’s lasting impact on energy levels, mental clarity, and overall sense of rekindled youth.
Conclusion
Aging is inevitable, we all know that. As we age our body slowly reduces its efficiency and there is no way around that. These supplements and treatments are in no way the “end all be all” for aging symptoms; what they do provide is a higher quality of life and help to manage current and future symptoms of aging.
Reading this information, I think my daily diet and routine cover four of five of these age reducers. My daily smoothie contains turmeric and Co-Q10 containing strawberries, spinach, and broccoli. Meat, cheese, mushrooms, and eggs are common ingredients in my meals, covering my vitamin B12 requirements. I also make a habit of getting my natural vitamin D by spending as much time as possible outdoors.
I did a little research of my own regarding NAD+ and it turns out cremini mushrooms, tuna, and salmon are all natural sources of the anti-aging compound. That means I’m covered for all five after all. I should be looking younger any day now!
