Make Your Own ~ Pooh's Medicinal Honey

"Pooh's Medicinal Honey" is inspired by a love of literature, preparing a pantry and making your own medicines. Simple projects like these require a few minutes during the "good times" but are a wonderful way to increase your preparedness for both the common cold and your food storage during those "trying times". And of course, a touch of whimsey always adds a few smiles… 

Note: This post was created by gleanings from Jacqueline who shared the benefits of raw honey and cinnamon as a medicinal duo to fight colds and Annie who opened the doors to the world of "herbal honeys" to me. Thank you ladies!

Simple Supplies:

• raw honey
• cinnamon (Make sure it is REAL cinnamon ~ceylon cinnamon~ and not cassia. Read here for more information.)
• clean jar with lid
• 2 weeks of waiting ;)

Directions:

Add 4 Tbsp of cinnamon to every cup of raw honey and mix together. Place in a clean jar, cover with lid and set in a sunny spot for two weeks to infuse.  Some people let it go for six weeks and let it sit in their pantry. The choice is yours :)

"Because of its warming and stimulating properties, cinnamon is used to boost vitality, improve circulation, and clear congestion… It is also a powerful antiseptic, with antiviral and antifungal properties, and is often indicated in cases of viral infections, fungal infections, and colds and flus."

~ Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide

To Use as a Cold Fighting Medicine:

• Take 1 generous tsp., two times a day for approximately 3 days. This is intended for both adults and children. Cinnamon and raw honey are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. 

Winnie-the-Pooh

Prescription for Young Children:

• Read a chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh each night until symptoms fade, then continue until childhood fades (for it is very fast)! 

To Use as a Pantry Food (or "Larder" as Pooh would say):

• Don't worry if your cubs children keep looking for more. This could also be used as a healthy pantry food by mixing into the morning oatmeal, spreading over toast or stirring into your coffee or warm cup of tea.

To Use as a "Preparedness" Food:

• Consider storing a few extra quarts of this infusion since it will last for many years. Cinnamon kept by itself may become rock hard but mixed in honey will preserve it further. Both cinnamon and honey have so much nutritional and medicinal value that it would be a wise addition to your food storage (read some health benefits of cinnamon here and raw honey here).

Important Note: Infants under 1 year should not be given honey.

Home Education:

                   

This would also be a fun project to do with your child since it is so easy. They would love to be involved in making "Pooh's Medicinal Honey"! This is where learning takes place by measuring, stirring and learning about the medicinal properties of food while spending time with mama. Linking this project to the Winnie-the-Pooh book makes reading more exciting too! Here is a coloring page featuring Pooh and a honey jar which you can incorporate as well.

Printable Labels Because:

"As soon as he (Pooh) got home, he went to the larder; and he stood on a chair, and took down a very large jar of honey from the top shelf. It had HUNNY written on it, but, just to make sure, he took off the paper cover and looked at it, and it looked just like honey. 'But you never can tell,' said Pooh. 'I remember my uncle saying once that he had seen  cheese just in this colour.' So he put his tongue in, and took a large lick."

'Yes,' he said, 'it is…"

~ Winnie-the-Pooh

It is important to label your honey because you may have someone mistake the contents or be a bit uncertain about them like our dear friend, Pooh (label is shared below along with the recipe). You may want to include this in your herbal. Simply follow the link at the bottom of this post, download and print :)

Lastly, this would make a thoughtful gift for a friend who is under the weather, for as Pooh says:

"A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside."

HERBAL RECIPES Pooh's Medicinal Honey by JES

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Using remedies is a personal decision. Nothing I say on this blog is approved by the FDA or intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. All things on this blog are my opinion or the opinion of others.

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Make it Yourself Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Natural Living Tuesday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Homemaking Wednesdays, Homemaking Thursdays,  From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. The Winnie-the-Pooh illustration was found here.