How Active Manuka Solved Chronic Stomach

15 February 2007

New Zealand apiarist Paul Steens was one of the first New Zealanders to begin producing Active Manuka honey – the unique wild bush honey getting international acclaim for its effectiveness against anti biotic resistant bacteria. But it still took him a few years to realise it offered a solution to his own chronic stomach problems.

Collecting honey from 2000 hives in rural forest, during the busy season Paul was skipping lunch and eating late dinner for months on end. He was in constant pain from a range of stomach problems diagnosed in his 20s as chronic pancreatitis.

Constant Pain Affected Relationships

“It’s like back pain – it never went away, a burning pain which was particularly bad at night. I couldn’t sleep and it affected all my relationships. My wife Sheryl needs a medal for putting up with me,” says Paul.

Paul was just “getting by” quite unaware the answer lay before him in the honey he was collecting. During the day because he was skipping meals, “I started to eat small amounts of Active Manuka throughout the day to curb my appetite.”

Snack’s Surprising Result

That spontaneous snacking had amazing results. “After about three days I noticed I was feeling a lot better,” says Paul. “It was weird. After years of trouble, I could sleep without any pain.”

A short time before Paul had been on one of his regular medical checkups and the specialist had been concerned at high levels of Helicobacter Pylori in his digestive system. After having performed a gastroscopy the doctor decided to hold off on powerful antibiotic treatment for a short while because it was very tough on the system. The following week when Paul returned for a final check before going onto antibiotics the Helicobacter was gone.

“The specialist’s attitude was that it was very strange and he didn’t have an explanation for it,” says Paul. “It was early in Active Manuka’s production and little was known about its effectiveness with stomach problems.”

Secret of Digestive Health

Today Paul maintains his digestive health with porridge drizzled with two to three tablespoons of Active Manuka at breakfast and the honey added to his coffee or tea during the day. He says he hasn’t had a cold or flu for 5-6 years as a nice benefit, aside from the freedom from stomach problems.

For best effect Paul recommends keeping the honey in contact with the stomach lining as much as possible in the early stages of treatment. “A half a teaspoon reasonably regularly,” he suggests.

UMF Supports “Good” Bacteria

“One good thing is that the UMF is not destroyed by heat,” he says. Studies are also showing that the good bacteria in the stomach are not affected by the UMF action.
Paul says if he feels any discomfort at night he mixes a teaspoon of honey with a teaspoon of yoghourt. “That seems to work a treat,” he says.

How Active Manuka Works

Laboratory tests have shown the UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) inhibits the growth of the “stomach ulcer nasty” Helicobacter Pylori, the bacteria which causes the digestive tract inflammation. Helicobacter Pylori is believed to cause most stomach ulcers, dyspepsia and peptic ulcers.

While many other honeys – including ordinary manuka honey - show some antibacterial effect from peroxide activity, this was found not to be effective against Helicobacter Pylori.

What Does UMF Rating Mean?

Dr Peter Molan, Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Waikato in Hamilton and founder of the university’s Honey Research Unit established the Unique Manuka Factor as a method of rating manuka honey according to antibacterial activity. Active Manuka honey scoring 10 or more is recognised as having superior antibiotic strength.

The UMF numbers come from a standard laboratory test of antibacterial activity, with honey being compared with a standard antiseptic (phenol) for potency. A honey with UMF rating of 10 would have a potency equivalent to a 10% solution of phenol.

Active Manuka combines hydrogen peroxide with an additional antibacterial component - the UMF - which Dr Molan is still working to isolate. Dr Molan believes UMF works synergistically with the hydrogen peroxide.

Different Honeys Vary In Strength

“While all honeys contain hydrogen peroxide, they vary widely in potency,” says Dr Molan. “Some honeys are no more antibacterial than sugar, while others can be diluted more than 100-fold and still halt the growth of bacteria.”

While the enzyme which produces hydrogen peroxide is destroyed when exposed to heat and light, the UMF is stable and so Active Manuka does not lose its effectiveness when stored.

To be labelled at a UMF rated honey, every batch must be independently laboratory tested and rated for its anti bacterial activity. Not all manuka honey is Active Manuka with the essential UMF factor, so for guaranteed antibacterial action you need to ensure the product you buy is labelled UMF.

Try our Active Manuka Honey Today!

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