three of which are "reserve" drugs, meaning it's still hard to get them in a lot of non teaching hospitals.

It's a semi synthetic, second generation Vancomycin, one of the few drugs that still kills MRSA. VRSA has now appeared in hospitals, so it's good research is ongoing.

Now if they'll only have SHOE COVERS for nurses caring for infected patients, maybe we can keep VRSA confined to hospitals, not out in the community, the way MRSA was allowed to spread.

That it works in a single infusion is excellent, Vancomycin often takes months for infections that have invaded the bones.

The test they describe is growing the bacteria in the presence of honey. If you eat honey, it doesn't get into your bloodstream. You digest it instead.

To replicate their experiment, you'd have to inject yourself with honey. That would be an extremely bad idea.

Also, this doesn't do a damn thing against colds and most sore throats, because they are caused by viruses, not bacteria.

It's really not a good idea to get your medical advice from National Geographic.

getting colds by eating a tsp full of Manuka honey every day. (Mind you, I started referring to her as Dr. Mengele-- though, not to her face--after some very unprofessional and even reckless decisions she made regarding my daughter's treatment, so I don't put a lot of faith in her medical advice.)

I got some of the honey for my daughter because she had esophagitis after having NG tubes down her throat while engaged in a constant hacking cough from a tumor crushing her esophagus. (Plus, she had terrible reflux, and she was also throwing up a lot of green bile for a time, after they replaced the NG feeding tube with a J-tube.) Online, I read about a study investigating the effectiveness of Manuka honey (taken orally) in addressing esophagitis pain caused by chemo/radiation for lung cancer. While not my daughter's specific situation (she had had chemo for lymphoma, but no radiation...so the esophagitis had a different cause), she gave it a try. I'm not sure if it was helpful, since she started the honey right when she was released from the hospital, so there were many other changes made...(This does not contradict your point about colds, obviously.)

http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/search/view?cdrid=690182&version=healthprofessional

Manuka Honey in Preventing Esophagitis-Related Pain in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy For Lung Cancer

http://www.piedmonthospital.org/main/news-new/new-clinical-trial-studies-benefits-of-manuka-hone-1586.aspx

<<New clinical trial studies benefits of manuka honey in cancer patients’ pain management
Posted on 9/25/2013

Atlanta, Ga. (September 25, 2013) – The healing properties of honey have been recognized for thousands of years, dating back to its use by Egyptians in 1500 B.C. Today, doctors at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital are conducting a Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) sponsored clinical trial to see if daily manuka honey consumption can delay or prevent radiation esophagitis-related pain during chemotherapy and radiation therapy for lung cancer.

“There is evidence to suggest honey in any form can reduce mucositis, a debilitating complication that occurs as a result of combining chemo and radiation therapy,” said Adam Nowlan, M.D. “Patients who develop mucositis often experience a lot of pain, making it difficult for them to speak, eat and continue uninterrupted treatment to fight the cancer.”

Patients participating in this trial are selected randomly to receive one of three treatments: liquid manuka honey, given four times a day; honey lozenges taken four times a day; or medications already on the market to help with pain associated with mucositis. To date, no trials of honey in the treatment or prevention of radiation-induced esophagitis have been reported, but three randomized trials of honey for the prevention of radiation mucositis have been published and serve as the basis of this study.

“Until we prove this, it is only a hypothesis,” said Dr. Nowlan. “But, we have a fair amount of evidence that shows manuka honey will be effective. In one of the randomized trials, 15% of the patients who received honey developed complications of mucositis as opposed to 65% those who did not. And, we have no reason to believe the honey will affect a patient’s ongoing treatment.”

Manuka honey is produced by bees which mainly feed on the manuka tree flower, native to New Zealand. It is distinctively darker than most other kinds of honey and is hailed for its antibacterial and healing properties over the world. Considered the standard medical honey, manuka honey has been proven to reduce inflammation and serve as an effective wound dressing. This study is only being conducted in the U.S. due to limited supply of manuka honey. >>

Humans are great at detecting patterns. Even when there is no pattern. So before we claim that a particular drug works, we do double-blind studies so that we can't impose our pattern-seeking on the study.

This:

I became interested in the "healing powers of honey" when a honey dressing was very effective in helping to heal the Stage 4 pressure ulcer my daughter (who is disabled, but had never had a pressure ulcer of any kind before) developed during a recent hospital stay. (That ulcer, especially Stage 4, should never have happened, but that's another story...) In addition to healing her pressure ulcer, there was some evidence that Maunka honey (in particular) might be helpful in treating the esophagitis she had also developed during her stay. (See Post #8)

I don't know if the Surgihoney is just PR hype, but it does sound promising:

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2014/jan/01/surgihoney-treatment-infected-wounds

<<The healing powers of honey have been known about for thousands of years. But Surgihoney, whose natural antibacterial properties have been boosted, is proving highly effective at treating infected wounds and superbugs.

The honey is believed to work by killing the bugs, removing dead tissue and pus, and then providing a moisture barrier as well as local nutrition. Honey contains vitamins, minerals, enzymes and sugars – all of which help in the healing of wounds.

Manuka is generally regarded as the most potent honey, but it relies upon nectar from a particular tree in New Zealand, limiting its supply. That's precisely the problem which has been solved by the developers of Surgihoney. They have created a product that can be made from organic honey from any floral source. They hope it will ultimately become a global wound-care product that will improve lives in poorer countries.

Lead researcher Dr Matthew Dryden, an NHS consultant microbiologist, is optimistic that the sterile, medical honey can revolutionise wound care around the world, reduce the use of antibiotics and provide an alternative to harsh chemical antiseptics. Surgihoney speeds the healing of hard-to-treat leg and foot ulcers, pressure sores, trauma injuries and infected surgical wounds, according to the research. Potential benefits include less pain and fewer amputations...


Surgihoney can even tackle wounds infected with strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, he says, including MRSA, E coli and pseudomonas. He describes honey as "turbo-boosted".... Dryden was lead author in a study that concludes: "As a wound treatment in the tropics, [Surgihoney] is an ideal, low-technology solution which is easily stored, applied and ought to be cost-effective." And unlike more sophisticated medicines, it does not need to be refrigerated....>>

Another recent discovery I've made that helps me stave off inflammation and infection is Astragalus Root: