Honey was used on infections for centuries then the arrival of antibiotics took over but nature is, these days, making its mark and causing many modern medicines to be useless, as some bugs simply change, resist, and people die each year in our hospitals – inevitably causing old remedies to be re-examined.

A company called Medihoney are now carrying out trials in the UK, Germany and South Africa following success in Australia with their new product ‘Antibacterial Wound Gel’ which is a mixture of the most potent of the several thousand types of honey available worldwide. It is enhanced with other natural waxes and oils enabling it to be easy to apply and maintained on wounds. The honey, with its enzymes and hydrogen peroxide, kills germs while amino acids, nutrients and some unidentified plant-derived components speed up the growth of healthy tissue.
Research at Reading University is showing that the correct blend of honey gives exciting results when dealing with burns by reducing the amount of pain and resultant scarring. It may, claim Medihoney, act as an anti-inflammatory to treat some eye diseases. Anthony Moloney, Chief Executive of the company, told the

Now retired, both he and his colleague Dave still enjoy the pastime with 30 hives producing limited amounts of ‘Staffordshire Honey’, which is only available through selected retailers in Newcastle and The Potteries. Phil related a fascinating ‘hive of information’ – including the fact that up to 60,000 bees would be resident in just one hive, most of which can get pretty angry when the roof of their house is suddenly taken off to have the results of much hard work removed. Therefore, it is stressed, that under no circumstances should an occupied hive be approached by anyone not fully and correctly veiled and only then under the supervision of a professional beekeeper.

The average life of a worker bee is just six weeks – with the Queen being around for perhaps 2-3 years. The Drones, the Queen's reproductive partners (several hundred of them per hive) help to produce a remarkable one thousand eggs per day - most of which incredibly hatch a new bee!.

On being asked about reports of certain honey blends fighting infection and disease, Phil’s reaction was cautious but he’s aware that there ARE some remarkable ailment curing effects… for example in combating ulcers as members of the local medical profession have used Staffordshire Honey for self treatment.

Like all of us, Phil feels it would be fantastic if just some the claims of Medihoney prove to be true. We hope so.

Meanwhile, the delightful taste and natural goodness obtained by using honey… on your toast instead of butter, in tea and coffee instead of sugar, and replacing the vinegar in your mint sauce, just has to be a step in the right direction to staying healthy AND sweet!

Thanks and best wishes go to Phil Hulme of P&D Apiaries.