With the particularly gnarly strain of flu that's going around, we wanted to remind you folks of our sweet herbal ally, Elderberry and how effective it can be in keeping our immune health in top shape.
Elderberry
A Deliciously Natural Immune Booster
We hear a lot about Echinacea to boost our immune system, but there is a tastier way to defend ourselves from the endless waves of colds and flus that come about during the cooler seasons when many of us are stuck indoors. Thank you, Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)! Used in preserves, tinctures, wines and cordials by the indigenous peoples of many continents for thousands of years, Elderberry has become quite popular as a gentle medicine to help prevent and treat cold and flu symptoms. Read on for more info, recipes and more!
Description:
European elder fruit is a berry-like drupe, native to Europe, Northern Africa, and Western- and Central Asia with a long history of traditional use among European herbalists documented since ancient times in the writings of Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Pliny the Elder. Elder berries have long been used for making preserves, wines, winter cordials, and for “adulterating,” i.e., adding flavor and color to other wines.*. Elderberries, used in traditional medicine over many, many years, has been used for constipation, colic, diarrhea, colds and rheumatism.
*From American Botanical Council
**Caution: Although there are no known contraindications for the berry of this plant, it should be noted that only the Black Elderberry/Elderflower-Sambucus nigra should be ingested. All other parts of the plant and various species may have a toxicity if not processed properly.**
Method and Dosage:
How: tea, pressed juice, syrup, lozenge, extract (Sambucol is a popular variety)
How much: If using the standardized extract or syrup, a generalized recommendation is for adults to take about 2 teaspoons for times per day at the first warning signs of cold or flu. For childen: 1/2 - 1 teaspoon, 4 times per day.
Juice: 1 glass, 2 times per day
Tea: Adults drink 1 cup several times per day. Children 1-2 cups per day.
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