Cooking Well - Honey for Health & Beauty: over 75 Recipes, Remedies and Natural Treatments

Lauren Feder, M.D. is a nationally recognized physician who specializes in holistic health and is board certified in homeopathic medicine. Affiliated with La Leche League, Holistic Pediatric Association, and the National Center for Homeopathy, she is a frequent lecturer and has been featured nationally on television and radio. She has written for Mothering Magazine and Homeopathy Today and has been featured in The Los Angeles Times,DiscoveryHealth.com, ClubMom.com, and others. Author of Natural Baby and Childcare, Dr. Feder has two sons and is in private practice in the Los Angeles area. Visit her at www.drfeder.com.

I just love honey. When I get the urge to eat something sweet, a teaspoon of honey (only 20 calories) hits the spot. Even otherwise-vegans often eat honey as long as it comes from a source that treats the honeys well and feeds them something better than sugar water, and hopefully letting them keep at least half their own honey.

We begin the book with the story of honey, its different forms (ie: comb honey, liquid honey, etc.) and varieties (ie: clover, buckwheat, etc.). Did you know that in the USA alone there are over 300 kinds of honey? We are also given storage tips. Personally, when I found out about the colony collapse disorder, I stocked up on several jars. What other food can last literally thousands of years without spoiling? (This book warns, however, that after 2 years it can lose some of its aroma.)

Chapter 2 gives honey's health benefits, which include dressing open wounds--for which it has been proven to be superior to antibiotics! It is also a prebiotic, encouraging the growth of good bacteria. (Our bodies need for 80% of its bacteria to be friendly in order for the immune system to deal with the 20% bad bacteria.) Honey also helps with calcium absorption, increase antioxidant levels, and can be used in home remedies for oral health, cough suppression, and sore throats. It should not be given to infants under a year old.

Chapter 3 inspires us to use honey for beauty--and this trick has been known for millennia! Recipes for a facial mask, eye nourisher (to relieve puffiness), body polish, feet treat, foam bath and even a hair conditioner were developed by Christopher Watt, aesthetician of the Hollywood stars. (All have natural ingredients of food, and as I always say, never put on your body what you wouldn't put in your mouth!) I can't wait to try the mask--I know my face will love it!

The bulk of the book (p. 26 to 139) contains food recipes. First we are given a list of various types of honeys and their flavor characteristics with suggested uses. Most of the recipes are vegetarian-friendly, but a few of the main dishes that have meat can easily use tofu or tempeh instead. I have found eating more than a tablespoon of honey to be rather high glycemic, so what works for me is to use half honey and half yacon root syrup. Though it won't be quite as sweet, it is easier on my blood sugar.

At the end is a glossary, and a page on honey properties. I strongly disagree with the statement, "Raw honey is not generally more healthy than other types of honey." Honey that is not heated above 118 F (the temperature at which enzymes are destroyed) is very, very rich in enzymes. Some raw food experts say it is even better than taking enzyme supplements! Look for honey labeled "really raw," or "unheated."

Next is a page on threats to the bees, the worst which is pesticides and insecticides. But global warming, GMOs, and monoculture pollination also play big roles. Einstein is attributed to saying that when the bees die, humans have only 4 years left! (How can we be so foolish as to use these toxins?) Finally, a resource guide tells us where to find more recipes, locate the type of honey we want, find honey locally, and most important: how to save the valuable endangered creature that creates honey.

Susan Schenck, author of The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet
and
Beyond Broccoli, Creating a Biologically Balanced Diet When a Vegetarian Diet Doesn't Work

Book Review Honey for Health & Beauty

Honey has been a remedy I've known and used for years. But, Honey for Health & Beauty, part of the Cooking Well series, is a treasure.

It is a cooperative effort with the Introduction by Lauren Feder, M.D., Foreword by Marie-Annick Courtier and Recipes from The National Honey Board. This combined effort contains over 75 recipes, remedies and natural treatments, backed up by studies.

As Lauren Feder, M.D. said, "After reading Honey for Health & Beauty, I am now enthusiastic to increase the use of honey in some of my favorite dishes, as well as a healing agent."

Chef Marie-Annick Courtier provides tremendous insight and says, "You need to educate yourself and your palate as you would with wine. Color, concentration, viscosity, aroma, taste, finish and complexity are the most important elements in defining the best honey."

The book starts off telling the story of honey and provides all sorts of tips. Next, a fascinating chapter follows on how honey helps with health and healing. This is documented with medical studies.

How honey has been and currently is used for beauty is amazing, The book includes beauty recipes created by Christopher Watt, a licensed aesthetician. Christopher's clients include Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez. The Rosemary Honey Hair Conditioner is one I know I'll try.

Food recipes cover the full gamut of creating healthy, delicious dishes from breakfasts to desserts, peppered with valuable tips.

This 150 page book is easy and interesting to read, a great reference, and packed full of recipes that are easy to prepare. I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did.