GASTROENTERITIS is an infection or irritation of the stomach and intestines, which may be caused by bacteria or parasites from spoiled food or unclean water, or eating food that irritates the stomach lining and causes emotional upsets such as anger, fear, or stress. Infections of the intestinal tract are common throughout the world, affecting people of all ages. The infectious diarrhea exacerbates nutritional deficiencies in various ways, but as in any infection, the calorific demand is increased. Pure honey has bactericidal activity against many enteropathogenic organisms, including those of the Salmonella and Shigella species, and enteropathogenic e. coli. Qur'anic verses The Qur'an is itself a cure. (17:82), and Honey is described in the Qur'an as a cure. (16:69) Ahadith Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment.” (Volume 7, book 71, Number 582) Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Healing is in three things: cupping, a gulp of honey or cauterization, (branding with fire) but I forbid my followers to use cauterization (branding with fire).” (Volume 7, Book 71, Number 585) Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: “My brother has some abdominal trouble.” The Prophet (pbuh) said to him “Let him drink honey.” The man came for the second time and the Prophet (pbuh) said to him, “Let him drink honey.” He came for the third time and the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Let him drink honey.” He returned again and said, “I have done that.” The Prophet (pbuh) then said, “Allah has said the truth, but your brother's abdomen has told a lie. Let him drink honey.” So he made him drink honey and he was cured. (Volume 7, Book 71, Number 588) Gastroenteritis can be cured by honey. Many clinical researches have also been done to prove honey as the best medicine in the treatment of gastroenteritis. Among them few studies are mentioned below. Clinical research First, in vitro studies of Helicobacter pylori isolates which cause gastritis have been shown to be inhibited by a 20 percent solution of honey. Even isolates that exhibited a resistance to other antimicrobial agents were susceptible. In a clinical study, the administration of a bland diet and 30 ml of honey three times a day was found to be an effective remedy in 66 percent of patients and offered relief to a further 17 percent, while anemia was corrected in more than 50 percent of the patients. Second, a clinical study of honey treatment in infantile gastroenteritis was also done, in which it was found that by replacing the glucose (111 mmol/l) in the standard electrolyte-containing oral rehydration solution recommended by the World Health Organization/UNICEF (28), as well as the solution of electrolyte composition 48 mmol/l sodium, 28 mmol/l potassium, 76 mmol/l chloride ions, with 50 ml/l honey, the mean recovery times of patients (aged eight days to 11 years) were significantly reduced. Honey was found to shorten the duration of diarrhea in patients with bacterial gastroenteritis caused by organisms such as Salmonella, Shigella and e.coli. Researchers also recommended honey as a safe substitute for glucose as long as it provided 111 mmol/l each of glucose and fructose. The high sugar content of honey means that it could be used to promote sodium and water absorption from the bowel. Also, it was discovered in 1937 that honey has antibacterial activity due to its high sugar concentration (76g/100ml), acidity (ph 3.6-4.2) and the organic antibacterial compounds present in it. Through researches, it has made us know that honey contains the following ingredients: Minerals: copper, magnesium, zinc, chromium, nickel, iodine, phosphorus, silver, sulphur, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium and sodium. Carbohydrates: fructose, amitase, prostate, glucose, maltose etc. Acids: Lactic acids, folic acids, citric acids and nicotinic acid. Vitamins: It has vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B12, C4 and K) and also contains proteins and fat and oil. The chemical constituents of honey had made it of a great value for medicine and the medicinal value of it had made it inevitable. It is used to treat digestive tract diseases, wound, skin, diseases of the eyes, lung, ulcer to mention a few. Diseases are as a result of insufficient mineral or excess of it in the body system, so the clue of honey being a healer is that it contains all useful minerals needed in the body. Honey might not have enough of the minerals needed to cure some diseases and therefore it is used with other substances to cure some of these diseases. Before medication For treatment of every disease, one must perform Nafl (supererogatory) Salah and make supplication beseeching Allah for curing the disease asking Him to put cure in the prescribed medicines. Then give alms (sadaqa) to the poor and then take medications. How to use honey In my view the Hadith narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri as mentioned above indicates to us to use the Prophetic medicines in the accurate dosage for a perfect healing. For example in the above Hadith the Companion of the Prophet (pbuh) who had stomachache might have taken honey in small quantity, so his stomachache might have not got cured. Later when he took honey more times as per the advice of the Prophet (pbuh); when the optimum dosage of honey reached he got cured. Dosage: 30 ml of honey three times a day for gastroenteritis. – The writer can be contacted on [email protected] __
