Honey for the Heart
Honey has long been used for centuries both as a food but also for its medicinal effects. Honey contains polyphenols which boost antioxidants in the body. Honey also aides the body in processing of fats so decreasing the total number of cholesterol and fats in the blood stream.
As women enter menopause the risk for cardiovascular disease increases as hormone protection decreases. If women also are overweight and have elevated blood pressure their risk can increase even more for cardiovascular events. Hormone replacement therapy is widely prescribed for postmenopausal symptoms but sometimes that is not always a safe option for certain women.
Recently there has been more research on the use of honey and bee-hive therapies. There was a study done on Tualang honey and how it can have a positive impact on lowering blood pressure along with glucose. Tualang honey is found in the Mayalasion multifloral jungle and is made by the rock bee. These bees build hives in the branches of theTualang trees.
Tualang honey has been linked to anti-influenza, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. It has long been known for its skin healing properties https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21479349/ but newer research shows that the medicinal benefits of honey may go beyond this. One study revealed that 20 grams of Tualang honey a day along with 20 grams of honey cocktail in post menopausal women ages 45-65 showed a decrease in both diastolic blood pressure and fasting glucose. Not all mechanisms for this are clearly understood and further research is indicated.
The incidence of metabolic syndrome has increased over the decades. Along with this women who are post menopausal have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure which is a significant risk factor in cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death, causing one death in every 37 seconds. If research continues to prove that honey could be a protective factor in both metabolic syndrome as well as cardiovascular disease, it would be a promising nutritional adjunct to a dietary plan. So if you have a little sweet tooth, honey could be the better option.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19247469/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743976/
