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| honey for cough medicine |
Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, colds and other lung infections are very common in the transition seasons are difficult to predict at this time.
To fight it, many people swallowing pills and syrups, which are believed to cure the problem nose, sore throat relief, reduce coughing and improve sleep quality.
However, further evidence indicates that drugs are not always effective. Even worse, many medications have side effects that are not good, even dangerous, especially for small children.
That is why, many doctors now recommend an ancient recipe for their cough patients, namely honey.
"Honey has been used for hundreds of years as a traditional medicine in various places in the world. We thought, it would be reasonable to test it" said Ian Paul, a pediatrician at the Hospital of Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, USA.
stubborn cough
Paul is motivated to try the honey, because these days, treating cough in children has become a common problem. Coughing is the body's way to clean the irritated airways and help breathing.
However, cough too much, can irritate the lungs and throat are more severe. The cleaning also disrupt sleep, which is needed in the healing process. To alleviate the suffering of their children, parents often give in the form of cough syrup.
In 1997, the American Academy of Pediatricians warn that
And Codeine dextromethorphan (DM), two of the four common ingredient in cough medicine, not heal the pain suffered by children. Codeine and DM only works to block messages from the brain to the body's cough.
Drugs that do not work, play is bad for health. Cough and cold medicines may also cause serious side effects, including drowsiness, hyperactivity, hallucinations, dizziness, vomiting, palpitations and more. Hundreds of children end up in hospitals each year. Some of them even died after accidentally taking too much cough medicine.
Drug Trial
Frustrated by the lack of study of medicine, Paul decided to try it for yourself. Several years ago, Paul and fellow students designed a study involving 100 children, who have a cough and other cold symptoms. All were between 2-18 years.
The researchers divided the children into three groups. Before sleeping, a group of children to drink syrups containing DM.
Into two groups, receiving syrup cough medicine containing ingredients commonly called diphenhydramine (DPH).
Into 3 groups taking placebo syrup, the syrup that is usually without the drug. In the medical experiments, counterfeit drugs is called a placebo. By comparing patients who memium real drugs and those who took placebo, the doctor can see the effectiveness of the drug.
Both children and parents do not know everything about the syrup, the syrup is drunk.
Parents answered five questions about their children's symptoms, the night before and after the syrup drink. Results showed that children who received syrup without medical drugs has increased the same conditions as those who take medical drugs.
Paul and his colleagues published the results of these in 2004.
The end of October, the Food and Drug United evaluate all data, including results of research Paul, and decided that parents should not give cough medicine to children under the age of 6 years.
At the same time, drug companies to stop selling such material to children's consumption.
Paul knew that the news would make parents anxious. He also felt the same.
"It was difficult for me, as a doctor, to tell people that drugs are no better than placebo (not drugs), because they have no other solution," he said.
On his search, Paul discovered the healing effects of honey. Thousands of years ago, doctors in Egypt, for example, using honey to treat wounds, coughs and sore joints.
Paul also finds that the World Health Organization recommends honey as a remedy lozenges, although there is no scientific evidence regarding its effectiveness.
"Honey is not dangerous, why not find out if the honey can help?
" thought Paul.
He designed a subsequent study the same as before. At bedtime, 105 sick children were divided into 3 groups, namely DM drink syrups, Buckwheat honey drink, and no treatment.
This time, the survey showed that children swallow 2 teaspoons honey Buckwheat, sleep better and experience less coughing than the other 2 groups. Their parents sleep better too.
But it is worth noting, honey is not safe for children under 1 year because it can cause botulism. However, the results of research to convince Paul to recommend honey to reduce the efficacy of cough for children over 1 year.
"When parents want to give something to their children, honey seems to be the best option," said Paul
.
Why honey?
People think that honey is a good substitute for sugar in tea, sweetener on top of peanut butter and banana sandwich. So what makes this sweetener has a healing effect?
"On the one hand, and the viscosity of honey helps coat the throat," said Katherine Beals, a food expert at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
Katherine also served as a nutrition consultant for the National Honey Board, honey support group, which financed the research Paul last.
"Antioxidants are contained in honey may also be the answer," said Beals. Antioxidants are also found in foods such as blueberries (a type of strawberry), spinach and chocolate. These antioxidants can protect our cells from damage.
The study results showed that after drinking honey, the body's antioxidant levels increase. All honey contains antioxidants, but a particular type of honey contains antioxidants in higher numbers than others.
"There are over 300 types of honey," said Beals.
According to the color, aroma and health benefits depends on the type of flowers that honey bees hinggapi. Most of the honey, purchased at most grocery stores in the United States, made by the honey tree perched on clover. The darker the honey, like buckwheat type used Paul in his research, which generally has higher antioxidants than the more dilute, including the type of clover.
Honey has other health effects. At least, some kind of honey can kill the microbes that infect. One type of honey from New Zealand has proven to be good for use on wounds, topically on the skin. According to Beals, there is no evidence that consuming honey will prevent colds.
"But if the sore throat and constant cough, honey can make you feel better. Slightly sweetened certainly makes you more excited!" he explained.