It’s one of the most common folk remedies that people swear by – eating local honey to ease seasonal allergies that affect so many of us.
The thinking has been that consuming local honey produced by bees acts as a natural allergy shot of sorts by exposing you to local allergens.
Bottom line: it's a tidy little theory, but there’s very little research to suggest that it actually works.
Aside from the lack of supporting research, most people who get seasonal allergies are actually reacting to tree and grass pollen, not flower pollen collected by bees.
Allergies aside, for children over 1, honey is considered as an effective cough suppressant.
And when it comes to natural allergy remedies, you might consider butterbur, quercetin and stinging nettle. Before you start taking anything, howerver, check with your doctor or other provider first.
Neti pots that use sterile saline to flush out nasal passages might also be an option for some patients. Doctors have lots of patients who swear by their neti pots. Note: don't use tap water with a neti pot.
Some patients might also consider using a HEPA air filter, especially in their bedrooms.
Top scores for safety in NC
Novant Health just received the most ‘As’ for patient safety in North Carolina from The Leapfrog Group. With a focus on safety, quality and patient experience, the national, industry-leading nonprofit, evaluates and assigns letter grades ranging from A to F to hospitals across the country. Novant Health’s hospitals with “A” grades outperform 70% of hospitals nationwide for safety and quality.
