Having to cope with a cold or any respiratory condition isn’t nice, but unfortunately, this time of year is prime season for them. Many people utilize syrups and pills that claim to clear blocked noses and reduce throat pain, halt coughing, and encourage sleep.
As a result of this new research, these medications seem to be ineffective. Furthermore, they may have harmful or even fatal side effects, especially in children. As a result, some doctors are now prescribing honey as a treatment for their patients who are suffering from a cough. It’s the type of information your granny would have. Yet new research suggests the sticky, delicious oozing may have remarkable healing capabilities.
Pediatrician Dr. Ian Paul of the Pennsylvania State University Children’s Hospital in Hershey, Pa. is the author of this piece.
Many societies throughout the world have relied on honey for centuries, according to.
We decided to give it a whirl since we thought it would be suitable.
Coughs that refuse to go away.
Since treating children’s coughs has become more challenging, Paul was advised to try honey.
Coughing is a natural defense mechanism against an irritated airway. Coughing too much, on the other hand, might worsen cold and flu symptoms. Your body needs time to relax and repair itself while you’re always working. Cough medicine is often given to youngsters by their parents to reduce their suffering. For decades, they’ve been there, and their producers think that they help teenagers feel better. As opposed to those who believe they are effective, Paul believes that no such studies exist.
In children under the age of six, codeine and dextromethorphan (DM), two of the four most often used components in cough medicines, have no known adverse effects, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Drugs like codeine and DM are used to prevent the body from coughing by interfering with brain impulses that tell it to do so.
When medication doesn’t work, it’s much more frustrating. cough and cold medications might cause sleepiness and hyperactivity as well as hallucinations and headaches. Toxicities from cough syrup overdose land hundreds of kids in the hospital each year.
You’ll need a drug test.
A dearth of excellent research drove Paul to create his own, therefore making him feel better about the situation. A few years ago, he and his colleagues did a study on 100 youngsters who had colds and other symptoms of sickness, and the results were striking. In attendance were children as young as 2 and adults as old as 18.
The researchers divided the pupils into three groups. DM syrup was administered to a group of children before bed. Diphenhydramine (DPH), a popular cough syrup, was administered to a second group (DPH). The third group ate syrup that had not been changed.
In medical research, these false drugs are referred to as placebos. Researchers may compare the results of patients who received a real drug with those of patients who received a placebo to determine which is the better treatment option for them.
Parents and children alike were unsure of which group received which syrup.
Parents were asked five questions regarding their children’s symptoms before and after the syrup was taken. All of the study’s results were equally beneficial to those who drank non-medicated syrup. At a symposium in Washington, D.C., Paul and his colleagues presented their results in 2004.
Paul claims that the FDA ruled in October that parents should not provide cough medicines to children under the age of six. These medications were no longer available for use in children under the age of two as a consequence.
Exactly what I needed.
When he broke the news to them, Paul anticipated their parents’ shock and sadness. He was on the same page as I was.
In the absence of a choice, doctors must inform their patients that medication is no better than a placebo, he argues.
According to Paul, he stumbled across historical legends while researching honey’s medical potential as an alternative treatment. Wounded, coughing, and joint pain were all treated with it by Egyptian medics hundreds of years ago.
According to the World Health Organization, however, honey is recommended, despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting this assertion. In Paul’s opinion, a little honey wouldn’t do any damage. Why not give it a whirl?
His second study was structured in the same manner as the previous one.
At night, 105 unwell children received honey-flavored DM syrup, buckwheat honey syrup, or no treatment. However, neither the no-treatment group nor the other two groups were informed that they were not receiving any kind of care from the treatment group.
According to the findings of this research, children in one group had less coughing and a better night’s sleep than those in the other groups. Even their parents were able to get a better night’s rest.
For children over the age of one, Paul says honey is a safe alternative to over-the-counter cough suppressants like codeine.
According to Paul, the greatest choice for parents who want to offer their children, honey, is to use it themselves.
Why are you asking, honey?
Honey maybe use as a sugar alternative in tea or as a spread for peanut butter and banana sandwiches. What makes this delectable combination so potent?
As a result of its thick, sticky nature, a licensed dietician at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Katherine Beals, believes that it may help cover and soothe the throat. Paul’s current study funds the National Honey Board, which employs her as a nutritionist.
As far as Beals is concerned, antioxidants might be a contributing element.
Antioxidants, such as those found in blueberries, spinach, and dark chocolate, help to keep our cells healthy.
According to research, honey may boost the body’s antioxidant capacity by as much as 30%. All honey contains antioxidants, however, some honey has more than others.
According to Beals, there are around 300 distinct varieties of honey. The Colour, flavor, and health benefits of honey are all affected by the flowers that honeybees visit on their yearly foraging trips.
Bees that visit clover plants in the United States produce 95 percent of our honey. Darker honey, such as the buckwheat honey Paul used in his experiment, according to Beals, has a higher concentration of antioxidants than lighter honey, such as clover honey.
Honey has can shown to have additional health benefits. At least some strains seem to be able to eliminate pathogens from the environment. New Zealand honey has demonstrate to be effective in the treatment of wounds when applied topically. visit-bloghubsite
Beeswax intake has not been linking to a reduce risk of catching a cold, according to Beals. If, on the other hand, you have a painful throat and are unable to stop coughing, it may be helpful. Add some sugar to the mix for an extra dose of happiness.
