Life is Sweet For this Family of Honey Makers

Necessity is the mother of invention, and no one is more inventive than parents trying to help their children. Five years ago, when the Johnsons moved from Montclair, NJ, to the more rural area of Hunterdon County, their son Zach’s asthma and seasonal allergies worsened. “We searched for a number of remedies to alleviate his reactions, which got more intense in spring and fall,” says Summer Johnson. “We’re always cautious about prescription medicines for the kids and look for natural treatments whenever we can, so we were optimistic when we read about the possible benefits of local, raw honey and how it could perhaps help prevent allergies.” The concept is called immunotherapy, and the philosophy behind it is to strategically expose the body to the element you are allergic to, which over time could possibly make you less sensitive to it, says Summer. “In this case, raw honey—which has not been filtered or heated—contains pollen, and the body may become more tolerant of pollen, therefore reducing the allergic reaction.”

Source: FAMILY CIRCLE (February 2020)