'I had a spoon of Manuka Honey every day to help with hayfever - the results shocked me'
A blocked nose, headache and itchy eyes that swell in the morning - like millions of people in the UK - I struggle with these hayfever symptoms in the spring and summer. To see if it was possible to ease my symptoms, I tested out the Manuka honey theory.
Dubbed a solution to 'help fight allergies and hay fever', Manuka honey is being explored as a potential relief for symptoms. Although not a straight cure, the natural product is filled with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which are said to help sufferers with their symptoms.
But how much relief does it give? Intrigued by the growing attention, I tried it out for myself. Taking a teaspoon of Manuka Doctor MGO honey every morning for 11 days - and I've been left shocked by some of the relief I've felt.
Currently offering a discount in its 'summer wellness sale', Manuka Doctor has cut its honey price by as much as 65%. For those like me looking to try and relieve their symptoms this is a chance to get it for less.
I tried three different strengths of honey - a simple multifloral of 70 MGO, a premium quality 540 MGO one and a 1000 MGO Max Strength one. On sale as we speak, the 55 MGO honey is reduced from £34 to £11.60.
For a max strength and boosted chance to help with symptoms, the higher 640 MGO manuka honey is now £40.60 instead of its usual £116 price. It's not only honey, Manuka Doctor also offers Allergy Relief Supplements for a much cheaper price - £6.30 for 30 capsules. Now, I haven't tried these out for myself, but they could be an alternative for those who don't like the taste of honey but still want the benefits.
The honey brand I used: Manuka Doctor
Harvested in New Zealand, their bee hives are lab-checked to meet standards and certified for hive-to-home use. The brand is reportedly backed by experts, including health professionals and doctors, including ITV 's Dr Hilary Jones MBE.
The key part of this is MGO—or methylglyoxal. Without going into too much scientific waffle, the molecule is vital in helping the body's natural healing process and regulating its immune response. Of course, it's not the only brand around. Holland & Barrett offers 70 MGO honey for £22.49. LookFantastic also offers a 'Manuka Honey Blend' with 30+ MGO for £9.50.
Four ways I added Manuka Honey to my daily diet
I took a teaspoon of the strongest 1000 MGO honey each morning, this way I kept it consistent and made sure I was having the same strength each day. But I did add in other doses with my meals.
My next favourite way of having it was for breakfast, drizzled over a yoghurt bowl or blitzed up in a smoothie. The latter was a simple way to mask the taste for those not keen on the flavour.
It was also simple to do during my lunches and dinners. Three or four times, I added a teaspoon of honey to homemade salad dressings. Keen cooks out there could also use it in a meat marinade. One of my favourite dishes was halloumi hot honey, to which I just added some chilli flakes.
How long did it take to feel hayfever relief?
At time of writing I've been having helpings of Manuka honey for 11 days straight. I started on July 13 and have consistently taken a spoonful of honey each morning (some neat, others added into my breakfast or morning cuppa).
By day eight, I could confidently say that I'd felt some relief in my hayfever symptoms, my itchy eyes had reduced, and I was sneezing less. The most improvement, which I started to feel on day three, was with my throat.
Dry and inflamed, hay fever has always given me a sore throat, but trialling the manuka honey has definitely helped. As well as the high MGO contents - I think that this is likely down to the simple fact that honey is soothing, and even shop-bought honey is a popular remedy for colds - like hot honey and lemon tea.
Is Manuka Honey enough to help ease Hayfever symptoms?
After 11 days, I have felt a huge lift in my symptoms. Mainly, the lack of blocked nose, itchy eyes, and sore throat. All of which have nearly disappeared.
However, it has not helped the skin symptoms I get with hayfever at all - which is puffiness around the eyes and rash. Another thing I noticed is the taste of stronger MGO honey is so different to the sickly sweet supermarket honey I am used to - the taste took getting used to.
This is where I agree that Manuka honey shouldn't be seen as a cure but rather something to try to help ease the symtoms. And going forward I will start taking an antihistamine daily to help - like Allevia which is available at Amazon for £7.59 (please consult with your doctor first).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
This Morning doctor explains how starvation affects your body in Gaza aid plea
Dr Amir Khan, GP and doctor featured on ITV 's This Morning and Lorraine had posted a heartfelt plea on his social media explaining how starvation affects the body. Khan explains that first the body uses up glucose, causing you to feel weak and shaky, then fat, stripping your body of its weight, then muscle and finally your organs shut down. The ITV doctor pleads for aid to be let into Gaza by saying, "It's not peaceful, its not quick, its a slow lonely decent into silence."
North Wales Live
3 days ago
- North Wales Live
'I used Manuka Honey for my hay fever and my eyes and throat thanked me'
A blocked nose, headache and itchy eyes that swell in the morning - like millions of Brits - I grapple with these hay fever symptoms during spring and summer. To see if I could alleviate my symptoms, I decided to put the Manuka honey theory to the test. Touted as a solution to 'help combat allergies and hay fever', Manuka honey is being investigated as a potential remedy for symptoms. While it's not a direct cure, this natural product is packed with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which are believed to assist sufferers with their symptoms. But how much relief does it truly provide? Intrigued by the increasing interest, I decided to give it a go myself. I took a teaspoon of Manuka Doctor MGO honey every morning for 11 days - and I've been taken aback by some of the relief I've experienced. Currently offering a discount in its 'summer wellness sale', Manuka Doctor has slashed its honey price by up to 65 percent. For those like me seeking to alleviate their symptoms, this is an opportunity to get it at a reduced price, reports the Mirror. I sampled three different strengths of honey - a simple multifloral of 70 MGO, a premium quality 540 MGO honey and a 1000 MGO Max Strength honey. Currently on offer, the 55 MGO honey has been marked down from £34 to £11.60. For maximum strength and an enhanced chance to alleviate symptoms, the higher 640 MGO Manuka honey is now available for £40.60, down from its usual price of £116. Manuka Doctor also offers Allergy Relief Supplements at a much more affordable price - £6.30 for 30 capsules. While I haven't personally tried these, they could serve as an alternative for those who aren't fond of honey but still wish to reap its benefits. The honey brand I used: Manuka Doctor Sourced in New Zealand, their bee hives undergo lab testing to ensure they meet standards and are certified for hive-to-home use. The brand reportedly has the backing of experts, including health professionals and doctors, such as ITV's Dr Hilary Jones MBE. A crucial component of this is MGO -- or methylglyoxal. Without delving too deeply into scientific jargon, this molecule plays a key role in aiding the body's natural healing process and regulating its immune response. Of course, it's not the only brand on the market. Holland and Barrett offer 70 MGO honey for £22.49, while LookFantastic also provides a 'Manuka Honey Blend' with 30+ MGO for £9.50. Four ways I incorporated Manuka Honey into my daily diet Each morning, I consumed a teaspoon of the strongest 1000 MGO honey, ensuring consistency and maintaining the same strength each day. However, I did incorporate additional doses with my meals. My next favourite method of consumption was at breakfast, either drizzled over a yoghurt bowl or blended into a smoothie. The latter proved an easy way to disguise the taste for those less keen on the flavour. Incorporating it into my meals was a breeze. I simply added a teaspoon of honey to homemade salad dressings three or four times. For those who enjoy cooking, it could also be used in a meat marinade. One dish I particularly enjoyed was halloumi hot honey, to which I just added some chilli flakes. How long did it take for the hay fever relief to begin? At the time of writing, I've been consuming Manuka honey for 11 consecutive days. I began on July 13 and have consistently taken a spoonful of honey each morning (sometimes straight, other times mixed into my breakfast or morning brew). By the eighth day, I could confidently say that I'd experienced some alleviation in my hay fever symptoms, with less itching in my eyes and fewer sneezes. The most noticeable improvement, which began around day three, was with my throat. Hay fever often leaves me with a dry and inflamed throat, but trialling the manuka honey has certainly helped. In addition to its high MGO content, I believe this is likely due to the simple fact that honey is soothing, and even shop-bought honey is a popular remedy for colds - like hot honey and lemon tea. Is Manuka Honey enough to help ease Hay fever symptoms? After 11 days, I've noticed a significant reduction in my symptoms. Primarily, the absence of a blocked nose, itchy eyes, and sore throat. All of which have nearly vanished. However, it hasn't alleviated the skin symptoms I experience with hay fever - namely, puffiness around the eyes and rashes. I also found that the taste of stronger MGO honey is quite different from the overly sweet supermarket honey I'm accustomed to - it took some getting used to. I hasten to add that Manuka honey shouldn't be viewed as a straight cure, but rather as something to try in order to alleviate symptoms. In the future, I plan to take an antihistamine daily for relief - such as Allevia, which can be purchased on Amazon for £7.59 (please consult your doctor first).
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'I had a spoon of Manuka Honey every day to help with hayfever - the results shocked me'
There are claims that Manuka honey and its antimicrobial MGO can help ease the symptoms of hayfever, but does it work? Editor Harriet Morphy-Morris tested it for 11 days A blocked nose, headache and itchy eyes that swell in the morning - like millions of people in the UK - I struggle with these hayfever symptoms in the spring and summer. To see if it was possible to ease my symptoms, I tested out the Manuka honey theory. Dubbed a solution to 'help fight allergies and hay fever', Manuka honey is being explored as a potential relief for symptoms. Although not a straight cure, the natural product is filled with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which are said to help sufferers with their symptoms. But how much relief does it give? Intrigued by the growing attention, I tried it out for myself. Taking a teaspoon of Manuka Doctor MGO honey every morning for 11 days - and I've been left shocked by some of the relief I've felt. Currently offering a discount in its 'summer wellness sale', Manuka Doctor has cut its honey price by as much as 65%. For those like me looking to try and relieve their symptoms this is a chance to get it for less. I tried three different strengths of honey - a simple multifloral of 70 MGO, a premium quality 540 MGO one and a 1000 MGO Max Strength one. On sale as we speak, the 55 MGO honey is reduced from £34 to £11.60. For a max strength and boosted chance to help with symptoms, the higher 640 MGO manuka honey is now £40.60 instead of its usual £116 price. It's not only honey, Manuka Doctor also offers Allergy Relief Supplements for a much cheaper price - £6.30 for 30 capsules. Now, I haven't tried these out for myself, but they could be an alternative for those who don't like the taste of honey but still want the benefits. The honey brand I used: Manuka Doctor Harvested in New Zealand, their bee hives are lab-checked to meet standards and certified for hive-to-home use. The brand is reportedly backed by experts, including health professionals and doctors, including ITV 's Dr Hilary Jones MBE. The key part of this is MGO—or methylglyoxal. Without going into too much scientific waffle, the molecule is vital in helping the body's natural healing process and regulating its immune response. Of course, it's not the only brand around. Holland & Barrett offers 70 MGO honey for £22.49. LookFantastic also offers a 'Manuka Honey Blend' with 30+ MGO for £9.50. Four ways I added Manuka Honey to my daily diet I took a teaspoon of the strongest 1000 MGO honey each morning, this way I kept it consistent and made sure I was having the same strength each day. But I did add in other doses with my meals. My next favourite way of having it was for breakfast, drizzled over a yoghurt bowl or blitzed up in a smoothie. The latter was a simple way to mask the taste for those not keen on the flavour. It was also simple to do during my lunches and dinners. Three or four times, I added a teaspoon of honey to homemade salad dressings. Keen cooks out there could also use it in a meat marinade. One of my favourite dishes was halloumi hot honey, to which I just added some chilli flakes. How long did it take to feel hayfever relief? At time of writing I've been having helpings of Manuka honey for 11 days straight. I started on July 13 and have consistently taken a spoonful of honey each morning (some neat, others added into my breakfast or morning cuppa). By day eight, I could confidently say that I'd felt some relief in my hayfever symptoms, my itchy eyes had reduced, and I was sneezing less. The most improvement, which I started to feel on day three, was with my throat. Dry and inflamed, hay fever has always given me a sore throat, but trialling the manuka honey has definitely helped. As well as the high MGO contents - I think that this is likely down to the simple fact that honey is soothing, and even shop-bought honey is a popular remedy for colds - like hot honey and lemon tea. Is Manuka Honey enough to help ease Hayfever symptoms? After 11 days, I have felt a huge lift in my symptoms. Mainly, the lack of blocked nose, itchy eyes, and sore throat. All of which have nearly disappeared. However, it has not helped the skin symptoms I get with hayfever at all - which is puffiness around the eyes and rash. Another thing I noticed is the taste of stronger MGO honey is so different to the sickly sweet supermarket honey I am used to - the taste took getting used to. This is where I agree that Manuka honey shouldn't be seen as a cure but rather something to try to help ease the symtoms. And going forward I will start taking an antihistamine daily to help - like Allevia which is available at Amazon for £7.59 (please consult with your doctor first).
