Not to the be purveyor of bad news, but every thirty seconds someone somewhere in the world undergoes amputation for a diabetic foot ulcer. Because people with diabetes often have poor circulation and a diminished ability to battle against infection, diabetic ulcers typically form in areas with open sores -- ending in many cases with the need to amputate.

But, this may all be changed in the future, thanks in large part to researchers at the University of Wisconsin Health Eau Clair Family Medical clinic, and to a very natural cure: Honey.

The first randomized, double-blind controlled trial examining the efficacy of treating diabetic ulcers with honey is soon to take place at the UW clinic. The researchers are hopeful that their results will prove favorable, as honey was used by one of the UW doctors to successfully treat a patient years ago who was facing amputation after all other medical options had proved unsuccessful.

Currently, diabetic ulcers are treated with antibiotics. But, the problem is, after a while the ulcers become colonized with drug-resistant organisms, thereby rendering the antibiotics ineffectual. Honey, however, is essentially immune to resistance, making it a powerful agent against infection.

Doctors hope that the use of honey may help prevent the exacerbation of diabetic ulcers, but also stress that successful care also involves avoiding walking and putting weight on the sore, and also the sterile removal of dead skin and bacteria from the wound.