Well, to be very frank, I seriously don’t have an answer to this question on pollen allergy symptoms. After an exhaustive research on this topic, here are some facts which I would like to share it with you. Let’s read on together and try to find out the mystery behind whether local honey really helps in treating pollen allergy or not.
One of the most popular declarations made by those who suffer from pollen allergy is that eating local honey is the cheapest and safest way of treating seasonal allergy. Call it a myth or belief, the main theory behind this propagation is that local honey bee collects nectar from plants and flowers. And this nectar contains some amount of pollens, which triggers allergic reactions, in the region.
When this pollen is ingested in the body in small amounts it boosts the immune system to develop strong immunity by generating antibodies. However, this belief is far from truth as there are several facts which go unheeded. Here are some facts that I have listed:
Fact # 1: Bees, generally, collect pollens from flowers which are heavier and solely defend bees from their pollination. And the pollens of flowers do not usually cause allergic reaction.
Fact # 2: The pollens that cause allergic reactions are generally weed, tree and grass pollens, which can travel far and wide across the regions. So it is not necessary that the bee has collected nectar from the same tree or grass pollen.
Fact # 3: Majority of pollens that are responsible for causing the hypersensitivity are usually lighter and depend on the wind to help propagate and pollinate.
However, eating honey may have helped some people in treating the seasonal allergy, but it might not work for all the people. Though for some, raw honey might provide them with short term relief as it contains anti-inflammatory effect but to some it can even worsen the symptoms. If you want, you can give it a try.
Though, honey has a considerable amount of medicinal properties and over the ages it has served and helped in the treatment of a number of diseases. But the theory local honey helping in the treatment of hay fever has not been medically proven so far. So the best way I would suggest is to consult a physician, and get a skin prick test done to find out the exact cause of the allergic reaction. Once you find out the allergen, get the necessary therapy to cure it and prevent future attacks.
