I’ve had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for as long as I can remember, but I never knew what it was. It wasn’t until I was 15 that I started experiencing the pain and cramping that comes with having IBS, but the pain was always tolerable. It would usually come once a month, tight cramping in my abdomen and stomach, and then it would be gone as quickly as it had started. But over time, the bouts became more frequent, and the duration was longer too. Then, about five months ago, the pain came and it was like nothing else. It lasted for 24 hours, and I was just beside myself. The following day I got up and went to work, but I was sent to Accident & Emergency. The pain was unbearable.

After a visit to A&E, and a doctor consultation later I was recommended to try a FODMAP diet. A FODMAP diet is where you eliminate certain foods from your diet and then slowly reintroduce them back in. The Doctor also recommended I read the book, Ultra Processed People by Chris van Tuliken. While the Doctor couldn’t quite pinpoint which foods were causing me to experience this much pain, she was certain it was food-related, whether it was something I was consuming daily or something I was overeating. Her hunch was that it may be gluten. I too could never work out which foods triggered my IBS. I’m from Portugal, and we tend to eat a fair bit of white bread, and I found that every time I ate it, it had quite an effect on my IBS. Even if the rest of my diet were completely clean, white bread would always trigger my symptoms. I gave the FODMAP diet a go, but it gave me limited relief. I needed a better solution.

I was researching online when the words ‘Manuka honey’ appeared in front of me on my screen. Words I had never seen before in my life. Of course, I knew honey was good for you, but after a deep dive into the benefits of Manuka honey for IBS, and the properties of what it’s made up of I found myself walking across to the local supermarket. I hadn’t even considered using natural IBS remedies, but here I was with a jar in hand. But I soon realised the Manuka honey I had purchased wasn’t all that good. It wasn’t authentic, monofloral Manuka honey, and it didn’t have the antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits I needed to help relieve me of my IBS symptoms. So, I jumped online and researched Manuka honey gut health and found a list of Manuka honey licensed vendors in New Zealand. I then filtered through the list to see who shipped to the United Kingdom, as well as the cost and quality of each honey product, and that’s when I found New Zealand Honey Co., and the rest was history.

I take a teaspoon of raw Manuka honey at night before I go to bed. And the changes I’ve seen in my IBS symptoms are almost hard to believe. Since taking New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka honey, it’s brought me relief from IBS and helped my gut feel balanced again. My bowel movements are now regular, I have no pain or cramping, and I’m nowhere near as bloated as I once was. That’s why I’ll never stop taking it.

After a fair bit of research, I’ve now learned, the higher the strength of the honey, the more effective it is. When the formula is more concentrated, you experience more benefits. It all started as a bit of an experiment, I initially started taking a teaspoon of the UMF™ 15+ I MGO 514+, but I also brought a jar of the UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+  to see if there was a difference. New Zealand Honey Co. suggests those suffering from IBS should use the strength UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+ or higher to see the best results, and you’re not wrong there. The difference was incredible.

No one needed to convince me to take Manuka honey, I was desperate. I was struggling and in so much pain. And I think once you’re in that position, and you’ve done the research, you’re more willing to try new things, things you may not have considered. A desperate man will do desperate things. But I’m also very open-minded, I like to try new things and I’m not afraid of a little trial and error.

I recently watched a video that highlighted the most fake foods in the world, and honey is one of them. A lot of honey in supermarkets isn’t Manuka honey, it's just regular honey mixed with sugar syrup claiming to be Manuka honey. For me, where the honey is sourced from is the real deal breaker. I need to know that I’m using authentic Manuka honey from New Zealand. So, when I received my New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka honey I scanned the QR code on the front of the jar, the traceability tool, to check the location and accreditation of the honey. Once I could see it was authentic, I didn’t need any more convincing. It was all in front of me.

My Mother is 58, and she has chronic arthritis and some other health issues, so I recommended she try New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka honey to help with her inflammation and general health, and now she’s on the Manuka honey health train too, she takes it every day.

I believe in New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka honey. You wouldn't need to convince me to sell it, I’d sell it for free because people need to know about it. I’m also not the kind of guy that would be shouting about a product, but here I am telling anyone that’ll listen. I’m sharing it with all of my friends and family, and I’ve even convinced my partner to start taking it too.

Wilson suffered from irritable bowel syndrome, a chronic condition that causes bloating, irregular bowel motions, stomach pains, and cramping. But after taking New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka honey for digestion issues, he no longer suffers from IBS. We’re so thankful to Wilson for sharing his story. If you’re looking for a product to help relieve your IBS, Manuka honey could help. Explore our product range online, or learn about the specific UMF™ grades to see which of our products is right for you.

We do not recommend Manuka honey as a replacement for seeking professional medical help. If you’re feeling unwell, please seek medical advice and always consult medical professionals in an emergency.