Blog / Honey

This is the cuticle oil for longer, stronger nails & healthy cuticles, .naturally! We all have had cuticle and nail issues and understand we need to take care of them…but what really are the purpose of our cuticles?

Cuticles are actually part of your skin that grows over the bottom of your nail and covers your nail matrix. The nail matrix is the part of your nail that grows so, the cuticle acts as a very important protective barrier for your nails!

This cuticle oil is  a SUPER simple DIY & another great natural health hack!  All you need is:

• Manuka Honey - (1) Honey is a humectant, which basically means it locks in moisture. (2) Manuka is also full of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Manuka Oil - (3) Shown to be 33x more effective against most bacteria than tea tree oil & also helps retain moisture. It can also help with brittle nails.

• Coconut Oil AND

• ACV - Both of these ingredients are packed with essential nutrients to help keep your nails strong and repair chipped or brittle nails.

All of these ingredients work together to create a hydrated nail bed, free from invasive bacteria and fungus. Simply mix the ingredients together and you’re done! While you can get inexpensive cuticle pens online and in lots of stores it is optional, just make sure you store the oil in a container with a lid. 

Simply rub into your cuticles and nails, leave for 10-15 minutes and rinse! Do this daily or, if you have problem nails, up to 3x a day.

Resources:

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5038978/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3941901/

(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7694078/

 

The dog days of summer are officially here 🥵. Whether you are keeping cool by the pool or crowded around the air conditioner, keeping hydrated is key. Especially if pool time involves margaritas 😉 

We love a good electrolyte drink to keep us in tip top shape but what we don’t need are unnecessary artificial dyes and ingredients…yuck! Thus, we took one of our favorite flavors and gave it an upgrade which, of course, we just had to share with you!

You might ask: why are electrolytes important anyway and how do they work? Well, electrolytes play a critical role in balancing your body’s pH and in moving nutrients to your cells. They also help balance the water level in your body and regulate your heartbeat. (1)

When you are low on electrolytes you can experience all sorts of issues like blood clots and muscle contractions. Luckily it’s so easy to avoid by simply drinking enough water and incorporating this drink into your summer routine! (2)

Pro tip: if you don’t like fruit punch, you can make it with any juice you prefer. Citrus is also a very refreshing choice! 

Recipe: 

1-2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Filtered Water
• 1 Tbsp Manuka Honey
• ½ Cup White Grape Juice
• ¼ Cup Apple Juice
• ¼ Cup Concord Grape Juice
• 2 Tbsp Orange Juice
• 1 Tbsp Pineapple Juice
• ½ Tsp PRI Fine Sea Salt
• ½ Tsp Beet Powder (Optional; For Color)

Instructions:

1. Add 2 cups of water to a large mason jar. Then add in 1 tbsp of manuka honey.  Secure the lid and shake well until the honey is mixed into the water. The liquid should be yellow in color.
2. Remove the lid and add white grape juice, apple juice, concord grape juice, orange juice and pineapple juice. Next, add in sea salt. If you prefer it less salty add ¼ tsp at a time of sea salt.
3. Secure the lid and shake well. If you want the color to be a more true red like classic electrolyte drinks add in ½ tsp of beet powder for color. Optional, but recommended!
4. Shake well and enjoy by itself or served over ice!

Resources:

(1) https://med.libretexts.org/Courses/Sierra_College/Sierra%3A_NUTF10_(Teh)/09%3A_Nutrients_Important_to_Fluid_and_Electrolyte_Balance/9.05%3A_Electrolytes_Important_for_Fluid_Balance

(2) https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=QX9_BZvlItgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=When+you+are+low+on+electrolytes+you+can+experience+all+sorts+of+issues+like+blood+clots+and+muscle+contractions&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiSsfjXhPb4AhWZCIgKHeg2CLEQ6AF6BAgFEAI#v=onepage&q&f=false

This recipe is a little more time consuming than our usual, but it’s just too good not to share, plus it’s not technically difficult and it only has three ingredients, one of which is optional!

Our Honey Candied Orange Peels may be a little different from the ones you’re used to. The honey gives them more of a jelly texture vs the dryer texture you get when candying with sugar but many who try them say they prefer a softer texture.  

For these, we used our Leatherwood Honey. Leatherwood Honey is considered to be one of the rarest honeys in the world. The Leatherwood tree is mostly found in remote areas of Tasmania and takes 80-100 YEARS to flower! 

Technically, you could use any of our honey for these candied peels but if you have never tried Leatherwood it is definitely an experience and, especially for its rarity, is quite reasonably priced. We put it on ALL the fruits!

We finished these by dipping them in melted Raspberry Manuka Chocolates. This part is optional…though your taste buds may disagree.

Have you been celebrating National Ice Cream Month? It’s so easy to make your own, even if you don’t have an ice cream maker! Here are our top four recipes to keep you cool:

1 - Coffee Sweet Potato Nice Cream: We really think we cracked the code on this one. It honestly tastes JUST like regular ice cream except you could literally eat this every day for breakfast and feel great!

2 - Dairy-Free Spicy Mexican Chocolate Soft Serve: Because some like it hot AND sweet! Soft serve is even easier to make without any gadgets or constant stirring and this one is dairy free too!

Introducing our new Manuka Honey labels! Featuring a clear MGO number on the front and a QR code on the lid, linking to the test results for that specific jar of Manuka Honey! Read on for how to read your test results so you know you’re getting genuine Manuka:

The independent labs that we work with are based all over New Zealand and Australia and the different labs send confirmations in a variety of layouts, which you may notice when purchasing different PRI Manuka honeys! 

However there are key points that you can look for when reading your batch certificate.  

• Sample ID OR lab reference  - Your honey's batch number - This shows the report is for and the batch that your honey came from.

• Manuka honey test results always show 4 key markers, but the two you really need to pay attention to are:

• Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) - It gives Manuka Honey its antibacterial properties, the higher the concentration, the stronger the antibiotic effect. MG is derived from the compound DHA.
• Methylglyoxal (MGO) - This compound is found in high concentration in the nectar of the Manuka Flower.

• Your test result for PRI Manuka Honey will alway show these 2 markers, which confirm what you have purchased is active Manuka Honey. 

• The activity marker that is used to determine the different strengths is the Methylglyoxal or MGO level. This is what can be seen on the front of our new labels or in our older labels it is stated on the left hand panel of the jar.

• Your report will show a number in the line or column under or beside the MGO heading. For example if you have purchased our PRI Manuka 10+ or MGO 100+  you may see the following:
• This batch tested at an MGO level of 149. 
• Every batch varies and is rarely exactly MGO 100 and is why we always put the "+" .
• In this example the honey in your jar will be at a minimum a MGO level of 100 but has actually tested higher. 

 

Leatherwood: the official honey of summer. Yeah, we know...bold statement. But would we lie to you? Never. 

One of the most unique tasting kinds of honey out there with strong floral and citrus notes and a hint of...well something we just can't put our finger on but the flavor combo paired with fruit is a taste experience you do not want to miss. 

Considered one of the rarest kinds of honey in the world Leatherwood is, of course, made by the bees and brought to us with the help of some VERY patient beekeepers. The Leatherwood tree only grows in remote regions of Tasmania and takes 80-100 years to bloom! 

Now, on to the delicious stuff... our favorite way to bring all the summer vibes to your next picnic, bbq, party, or when you just need a tasty, healthy treat on a hot day: Leatherwood Frozen Fruit.

It's really simple - 

Step 1: Pick your fruit (we chose watermelon and blueberries, but you really can't go wrong)

Step 2: Slice your fruit & mix in the Leatherwood honey, making sure each piece is evenly coated.

Step 3: Lay it on a baking sheet and freeze

Step 4: Enjoy! Eat it straight, atop your ice cream, and add it to your water or other favorite beverage...the possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Our family is really lucky to have access to some of this amazing honey and to be able to offer it at a reasonable price. We can't wait to hear what you create!

Sleep… so crucial for healing and health, but hard to get enough of! Insufficient sleep can decrease the immune system’s health, overall body, and muscle functionality. Honey is more than a sweetener! Honey can help you sleep and is one of the few sleep aids without side effects. 

Dr. Ron Fessenden has written about how honey can help with sleep. He recommends taking it before bedtime after your glycogen is depleted during wakefulness, which is associated with increased energy demand. 

Honey before bed has been shown to slowly release glycogen, which you need for essential body functions during sleep, reducing how often you wake up. 

With the increased stress levels in the last few years, sleeping problems are more common than before, but thankfully honey can be used as a health aid for sleepless nights.

Compared to melatonin, studies show it is an effective and affordable intervention to enhance sleep quality with no associated adverse effects. 

Like sugar, honey can cause a rise in insulin and release serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to improve mood, relieve stress, boost your energy levels, promote and help you fall asleep, and ensure you wake up well-rested. 

Here are three simple ways to take it:

1 - One - two teaspoons of delicious raw manuka honey straight up.

2 - The famous milk and honey tip. 

3 - Delicious hot chocolate with stress-reducing adaptogens. 

Manuka Honey is an excellent source of many health benefits as it not only contains a lot of antioxidants and vital nutrients but has greater antibacterial & anti-inflammatory properties than other honey. 

Of course, good sleep habits begin hours before you get to bed. Incorporating other simple practices into your routine alongside honey could improve the quality of your sleep even more! Here are some ideas:

-Use blue light-blocking glasses in the evening. Blue light, like that from your phone, laptop, and other devices, messes with your circadian rhythm. It signals your brain to wake up when it should be winding down.

-Aromatherapy. There are many herbs and oils associated with good sleep. One of our favorites is manuka oil!  

-Limit caffeine and alcohol intake in the afternoon & stop drinking at least 3-4 hours before bed. Caffeinated or alcoholic beverages also confuse your sleep cycle. Give your body enough time to process them first for more restful sleep.

Resources:

https://www.livinghoney.biz/the-honey-revolution.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4544655/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30390870/

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04207281

https://mytinylagunakitchen.com/recipe/adaptogenic-holiday-hot-chocolate-holiday-stress-reducing-tips/

Ditch the side effects for a dose of nature

Dreaming of hot chocolate, cozy fires & even cozier slippers…hopefully minus the sore throats, congestion, coughs and fevers that seem to also come along with the colder weather.

Unfortunately, the most common drug class for OTC cold & flu remedies including products such as Tamiflu contain questionable ingredients and around TEN common side effects ranging from nausea and vomiting to mood changes! 

Luckily for us all, nature already has the answer and more and more studies are being done to prove it. A recent study published in the Archives of Medical Research titled, “Anti-influenza Viral Effects of Honey In Vitro: Potent High Activity of Manuka Honey,” tested several different types of honey on the common H1N1 influenza strain. Researchers that conducted the study stated: “In conclusion, the results obtained showed that honey, in general, and particularly manuka honey, has potent inhibitory activity against influenza virus, demonstrating a possible medicinal value. Further investigations are required to identify the active antiviral components in Manuka honey and to determine its synergistic effects with known antiviral drugs.”

The study also showed that when manuka honey was added to the use of OTC medications, manuka significantly increased the antiviral effectiveness of both compounds. This might be necessary especially in extreme cases and is important to note. 

Manuka honey has been shown to increase the release of Cytokines, especially during an inflammatory response. Cytokines help white blood cells identify and eliminate damaged or infected tissues. 

If you are having a particularly sore throat or upper respiratory issues, physicians from Oxford University's Medical School and Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences analyzed existing evidence to see how honey affects the symptoms of URTIs. Concluding, in the article in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine "Honey was superior to usual care for the improvement of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections,” also stating "Since the majority of URTIs are viral, antibiotic prescription is both ineffective and inappropriate. However, a lack of effective alternatives, as well as a desire to preserve the patient-doctor relationship, both contribute to antibiotic over prescription."*

It’s easy to incorporate manuka into your care routine. Fun fact about manuka is that when its heated, the MGO, or active component in manuka, is not killed so you can add it to your tea! If you prefer a cold treat when ill, check out our Throat Soothing Popsicles Recipe.

And, because being sick doesn’t always mean you get to lay in bed, we have all your on the go Manuka solutions such as our own alcohol-free cough elixirs, lozenges, throat soothing lollipops & honey sticks. 

** Please note, we are not medical professionals and you should not consider this medical advice. You know your body and when you need to seek medical attention, listen to that voice! And, in the meantime, eat Manuka, drink lots of water & get some rest ❤️

Resources: 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24880005/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6594701/

https://ebm.bmj.com/content/26/2/57

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/22/health/antibiotics-surgery-cancer-england-uk-intl/index.html

Meet Terry Bone, one of PRI’s beekeepers! Terry has been keeping bees for so long, his friends refer to him as “Honeyman”.

Terry is a competitive ocean swimmer, winning gold in his age group nationally (and silver the year before – his first full year of national competition). Terry also has Crohn’s disease, this and intensive swim training are hard on his body.

He is really interested in food and natural health so Terry landscaped the backyard of their cottage building terraced vegetable gardens, planting fruit trees he could in the small space and sourcing reclaimed landscaping items.

He is currently developing a section of regenerating native trees at Lake Rotoiti. He is planting additional natives on the land and will build a simple two-bedroom cabin there. The plan is to have the shell built and to complete a lot of the internal design and fitout using recycled and handmade materials. 

Swimming and bees take most of his time, but he unwinds in the kitchen. Terry loves preparing food from scratch. He also built his own outdoor pizza oven. People who come to their house will receive a meal whether they want one or not and will probably leave with a jar of something homemade. 

Terry truly believes in supporting the holistic guardianship of the bees. The underlying ethos is that humans and bees are now interdependent for survival. This is a complex issue but we believe it is vital that we pay and empower those who raise and care for bees. Read more about what it means to be a Sustainable Beekeeper in our recent blog post. 🐝

 

Those who have it, know how difficult psoriasis is to both manage and live with. As there is currently no cure for psoriasis, those who have been diagnosed with this autoimmune disease not only have to endure internal & external pain but also live with skin lesions that can make them feel self-conscious. If you are one of the over 7 million people in the U.S. affected by psoriasis and want to learn more about how manuka honey can help, along with other management tips, click here.

If you want to know more about what psoriasis is, read on!

Like many autoimmune diseases little is known about the cause of psoriasis however, enough is understood about our immune response to understand how & why it manifests the way it does. When you have psoriasis your T cells, which normally help your body protect against threatening foreign substances, are overactive. This overactivity causes them to attack not just disease-causing substances but also healthy skin cells. 

Everyone’s skin cells are constantly dying and regrowing, a process that would normally take about a month. For someone WITH psoriasis though, this takes only a few days causing painful, red, itchy, scaly patches of build-up on the skin. 

This cycle doesn’t tend to stop without some sort of treatment and can be more or less severe depending on many factors. These factors are different from person to person but can include stress, change in the weather, cuts, burns or scrapes, seasonal allergies, and dryer weather such as in dry desert climates or during winter.

While there are not many studies directly related to the use of Manuka Honey on psoriasis, it is thought to have great promise in treating psoriasis lesions. Unlike other honey, Manuka contains a unique component known as MGO; MGO has been shown to be a great aid in anti-inflammatory & antibacterial treatments. In addition to this, there is an overwhelming number of anecdotal reports on the effectiveness of Manuka Honey in reducing the severity of psoriasis outbreaks (by regular internal use) and the management of skin lesions/ external pain (when applied externally).

Manuka oil is shown to have many of the same benefits when used externally. Additionally, both the oil and honey have been shown effective against Staphylococcus Aureus, which has long been associated with atopic dermatitis. 

Given there are no known side effects from using Manuka oil or honey in conjunction with other treatments or on their own, why not give it a try and see if it can be beneficial to your symptoms? In fact, here is a special code just for you for 15% off any PRI Manuka Honey or Oil with the code SKINHELP.

Here are some great and easy ways to incorporate manuka products into your routine:

1. Add manuka oil and/or honey to your current moisturizer, body, or face wash. Adding to your shampoo and conditioner can also be a great help if you have scalp psoriasis 
2. Apply manuka oil and/or honey directly to your skin. (Note 100% Manuka oil needs to be diluted before external use. This can be done with any of your favorite carrier oils; simply add 10 drops of manuka oil to 2 Tablespoons of carrier oil.) We also have a pre-diluted 10% manuka oil (carried in almond oil) which is great for use right out of the bottle! If using Manuka honey, simply apply to the affected area and cover before bed!
3. Add manuka honey and/or oil + Epsom salts to your bath. The salts will help you shed dead skin, while the manuka will help kill bad bacteria & fungus while locking in moisture. You can also add ground-up oats for some extra love.
4. Help remove irritating dead skin and soothe inflammation with the most gentle exfoliating technique ever: honey tapping! Using only honey and your hands or a spoon honey tapping is a great way to exfoliate sensitive skin.
5. Take at least one tablespoon of manuka honey per day to help fight internal inflammation.

And, make sure to catch some sun! Ultraviolet B rays have also been shown to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis and  as little as 10 minutes in direct sun can be enough. 

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7694078/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5562472/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/atopic-dermatitis-eczema/symptoms-causes/syc-20353273#:~:text=Atopic%20dermatitis%20(eczema)%20is%20a,irritating%20but%20it%27s%20not%20contagious

https://www.psoriasis.org/scalp/

Bees. Superheroes to every human - and really to every animal -  around the world. Essential to our survival, bees along with many other important pollinators, are responsible for at least a third of the crops we use every day. In New Zealand specifically, they team up with the mighty manuka shrub to create the most magical, medicinal honey in the world - manuka honey!

While native Maori peoples had been using all parts of the manuka shrub both medicinally and to create their homes and tools, there were no bees in NZ to make honey until 1839. This was the year Mary Bumby, sister of a Methodist missionary, brought two hives ashore and introduced European Honeybees to New Zealand. 

Brought over specifically to make honey, these bees also quickly became vital to crop pollination across the country, especially since most NZ crops are non-native. Used to pollinate everything from apples to the clover in dairy fields. Over 100,000 honeybee hives are used each year in New Zealand just to pollinate kiwifruit vines alone.

Over the years, the popularity of our favorite bee product - manuka honey - has seen a major increase. The number of hives has grown from around 300,000 to over 700,000 just between the years 2000 and 2019 more than doubled the value of pollination services in New Zealand. 

While PRI has always focused on sustainable beekeeping practices, this increase has made it more important than ever to ensure that we value and protect our honeybees to ensure not only their health but the health of our world and future generations. 

These practices are an important qualifier for PRI’s beekeeping partners. By restoring healthier bee populations and using managed care for bees, in a manner that respects their natural processes, we can help improve ecological agriculture and pollination. PRI supports research and preservation efforts to provide “best practices” education for beekeepers and farmers. Our beekeepers’ goal is first and foremost to meet our needs in a way that will also improve life for future generations. 

As part of the SAVE the BEE initiative,  a sustainable-beekeeper-only partnership committed to protecting honey bees by increasing public awareness of the role honeybees play in a healthy food supply, a portion of every purchase of our jarred honey is donated to help the bees. 

Want to know how you can help your local pollinators? Start by planting a bee garden and going chemical-free in your yard. Use this free resource to find plants native to your area, along with how many different types of pollinators will enjoy them!

Label-reading just got easier!

Listen, we don’t have hours to spend researching everything and we know you don’t either. So after months of deliberation, and gathering feedback from our loyal customers (that’s you!) we are excited to announce that we are moving to a quick and easy rating system that will help you understand your honey at-a-glance.

In June 2022, P.R.I. will be moving to a single-number MGO* on the label, and a QR code that you can scan (for those of you who crave all the juicy details about what’s in your jar.)

 "We believe making a purchase shouldn't require hours of research! To that end, the PRI team has long been in discussion to find the best way to label our Manuka Honey strengths in a clear and transparent manner. As the original importer of manuka honey to the U.S., we have used the standard rating systems originally used by all, to differentiate the strengths of Manuka. 

 However, over the years, our understanding of what makes manuka honey unique has expanded tremendously & testing and regulations have evolved along with that knowledge. MGO has now become a standard around the world for labeling the strengths of Manuka Honey. Our first step was to introduce the MGO level on our labels, putting this next to our original rating numbers. We hoped this would help customers in the transition and be able to easily compare our Manuka to that of the newer Manuka companies that have popped up over the last few years. Over the last 6 months, we have been gathering feedback from our customers and other experts in the field, and we decided to relaunch our Manuka range with just 1 number - MGO. Additionally, we are giving our customers a way to easily access test results for each batch of manuka honey we sell via a  QR code* right on the label. Simply scan the code with your phone for all the details about your honey!"

~ Kristy (CFO of P.R.I.)

*Click here to learn about MGO and how to read your test results.