Blog / manuka honey

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).

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/

Why does your face break out more during the holidays? 

It’s annoying, frustrating, and, well, a little bit our own faults - helloooo cookies! But here’s the thing - you should TOTALLY eat those cookies. There are many contributing factors as to why most people experience more inflammation and acne in the winter and, especially, during the winter holidays and most are external factors that can be naturally managed or even prevented entirely. 

One of the main reasons is simply that your skin produces more sebum in the dry winter weather. What is sebum you ask? Sebum is oil your skin glands produce and, while they help to keep your skin soft & supple they sometimes overproduce causing the cells to stick together and clog your pores.

Most sebum glands reside in the infamous “T-zone” aka your forehead, nose, and chin. The dryer it is, the more sebum your skin produces. 

Add to this the other factors that come along during the holidays such as:

• Increased stress
• Traveling to different climates 
• Eating far more sugary treats
• A less routine skincare regime
• Heavier make-up use 

Remember: Trying to overly restrict your diet can oftentimes lead to increased stress. Instead, go for balance, give yourself a little grace, and use manuka honey to help decrease the chance of breakouts and easily, naturally, treat any pimples that do arise. 

Here are a couple of ways you can help stop or reduce holiday breakouts before they start:

• Add 1/2 tsp of manuka honey to your face wash OR use the honey alone to wash
• Gently exfoliate 1-2x week using the honey tapping method to clear pores

If you do get any breakouts, help them disappear faster by:

• Spot treating the pimple. Simply dab a small amount of manuka (with clean hands) on the pimple and allow it to dry.
• Manuka honey face mask. Apply a thin layer of manuka to clean skin and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes. Simply rinse or use a damp soft cloth to remove.

There really is nothing like a hot toddy when you’re feeling under the weather and need to get in a good snooze. It’s not just an old wives tale either, recent studies show that the ingredients in a hot toddy mimic the effects of OTC products like NyQuil… Though, if we’re being truthful it’s actually NyQuil that mimics a hot toddy right?! So why not go natural? 

Our Hot Toddy is a riff on the classic with the addition of Sencha Naturals Green Tea + C for those extra antioxidants and vitamin C, PRI’s Manuka Honey & Propolis Cough Elixir for the extra cough soothing effects and some extra Manuka Honey to further support the immune system, help reduce bad bacteria and further soothe that sore throat.

If you are looking to help reduce your risk of getting sick in the first place, simply remove the cough elixir and enjoy one before bed. Keep in mind, whiskey is shown to be a great decongestant but stick with just one & make sure to keep fully hydrated!

• 1 Packet Sencha Naturals Green Tea + C 
• 1 Cup hot water
• 2 Tsp PRI Lemon Manuka Honey Cough Elixir
• 1 Tsp PRI Manuka Honey 15+
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 Shot of whiskey 
• Cinnamon stick
• Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions:

Pour one pack of Green Tea + C into a mug. Then pour in ½ cup of hot water. The mixture will foam up, so stir until the foam disappears and then pour in the remaining ½ cup of hot water. Stir until well combined. Next add in 2 tsp of the cough elixir and 1 tsp of manuka honey. Stir well again. Next, add in the juice of half a lemon and 1 shot of whiskey. Give it a good stir and then drop in a cinnamon stick and place a lemon wedge on the rim for garnish. Stir well before consuming and enjoy! 

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.)

Ranking the 16th most searched question about Manuka honey, in this blog post, we answer the question: “How to use Manuka honey for IBS?”.

First, let’s talk about what IBS is. Short for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS is a disorder of the large intestine & affects nearly a quarter of Americans, causing symptoms ranging from bloating & abdominal pain to loose stools & undesired weight loss.

IBS can have many triggers, including: 

• Stress
• Food allergies
• Hormone imbalance
• Leaky gut
• Parasites
• Yeast overgrowth
• Antibiotics
• SIBO
• Poor thyroid function
• Poor hydration.  

Conventional medicine would say it is irreversible, but clinics specializing in treating the root causes of IBS have successfully reversed many cases. Those with IBS must manage their symptoms through various diet and lifestyle changes, so how can Manuka honey help?

Among many other things, Manuka honey can:

-Reduce inflammation in the digestive tract.

-Act as a prebiotic by stimulating the growth of good bacteria.

-Actively fight against disease-causing bacteria in the gut. 

All honey does contain fructose, which can be an IBS trigger for some. It's essential to ingest the honey raw as the raw enzymes make the sugars easier to digest. 

You can take up to 1-2 tablespoons per day but space it out and take a little before each meal so you can harness its prebiotic effects. If your IBS is severe and you find you tolerate the honey well,  try a high MGO Manuka such as a 500+ or even 1000+ MGO. These strengths are typically for external uses; however, certain severe internal conditions can also benefit.

Make Up Remover

Ingredients:

• ⅓ Cup Witch Hazel
• ⅓ Cup Rose Water
• 2 Drops PRI Manuka Oil
• 2 Tsp Coconut or Sweet Almond Oil

Directions:

1. Mix all of your ingredients together
2. Stir the mixture
3. Pour into bottle
4. Shake well

Manuka Honey Face Mask

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp PRI Manuka Honey 25+
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp Turmeric

Directions:

1. Mix all of your ingredients together
2. Stir the mixture
3. Transfer to jar

Manuka Facial Oil

Ingredients:

• 1 Bottle PRI Manuka Oil in Sweet Almond Oil
• 5 Drops PRI Propolis Extract
• 5 Drops Essential Oil (Optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all of your ingredients together

These DIY gift ideas are so simple and easy to make, perfect for holidays or any gift giving occasions and can be customised with any special name, message, date or anything else important to you. Don’t forget that there’s so much more to self-care than bubble baths! When it comes to self-care products, natural really is the best!

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. 🐝

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