Honeys Healing Touch

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Honeys Healing Touch
Presentation By Jennifer Pallister
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Background Information

• Wounds such as bed sores, venous and arterial
  ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers and burn wounds can
  become infected with microbes.

Staphylococcus Aureus
Pseudomonas
Escherichia coli
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Helpful Definitions
Bacteria- a prokaryotic cell that can either aid
another organism or be pathogenic to the
organism. Wound Infection- the presence of
replicating microorganisms which can cause the
host injury. Manuka Honey- honey produced by
bees in New Zealand. This specific type of honey
is being marketed under the name of Medihoney.
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Some More Background Information

• While it is normal to have some microbes on a
  wound, there are three factors that influence how
  bad an infection will be
• The number of microbes
• The potential harm they can cause
• The resistance of the host

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Chronic Wounds become infected with
microorganisms, especially bacteria.
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Treatment of Wounds With Manuka Honey

• Sugar in honey creates hyperosmotic environment.
• Worker bees insert enzyme into the nectar called
  glucose oxidase which reacts with oxygen.
• Effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

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Recent Use of Manuka Honey for Treatment

• Red Cross War Memorial Childrens Hospital in
  South Africa- 80 children were treated for burns
  with a honey based antimicrobial wound gel.
• The War in Iraq- honey is being used as an
  inexpensive treatment for burns in children.
• In some of these cases, the health of the
  children improved quicker than with the use of
  traditional methods to heal burns.

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References
Chamberlain, Neal R., comp. The Microbiology of
Wounds. KCOM. 10 Sept. 2007 lthttp//www.kcom.edu/f
aculty/chamberlain/Website/wound/wound.PPTgt.
Dente, Karen. Honey's Healing Touch
Antibacterial properties could make the nectar an
effective treatment for sores that refuse to
mend. Los Angeles Times, September 10, 2007,
lthttp//www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-woun
dlab10sep10,1,7976092.story?ctrack1csettruegt Ke
rwin, Mark. "Manuka Honey - Tasty Medicine From
New Zealand." Down to Earth. 10 Sept. 2007
lthttp//www.downtoearth.org/articles/manuka_honey.
htmgt. Maclellan, D G. "Chronic Wound
Management." Austrailian Prescriber. 10 Sept.
2007 lthttp//www.australianprescriber.com/upload/i
ssue_files/2301_350_2.jpggt. "National Diabetes
Statistics." National Diabetes Information
Clearinghouse. Nov. 2005. 10 Sept. 2007
lthttp//diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/
index.htm13gt. "UMF Active Manuka Honey." 10
Sept. 2007 lthttp//www.umfactivemanukahoney.com/be
e1.jpggt.