With back-to-school season upon us the weather starting to change…we all know what that means. All the germs. If you or your child has ever had a rough case of the common cold or the flu, you know how miserable it can be. Especially for moms, it is awful to see your children feeling so bad and not be able to fix it. When it comes to viruses, rest is all your doctor can prescribe.
Thankfully, mother nature provides some remedies that can help avoid minor illnesses and shorten the duration and ease symptoms if you do get them.
Elderberries are one of the stars of cold and flu season. The dried berries of the Sambucus nigra plant are naturally high in immune-boosting compounds that are scientifically shown to help beat the cold and flu more quickly.
Elderberry syrup is one of my most-used go-to remedies for cooler months. Easy to make and much more cost effective than pre-made syrup, this recipe can be pulled together in an hour and lasts for 6 weeks in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:
- 3 ½ cups filtered water
- 2/3 cup dried elderberries
- 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon (or 1-2 cinnamon sticks)
- ½ tsp ground cloves (or 5 whole cloves)
- 1 cup raw honey
I like to buy my dried herbs and spices from Frontier Co-op or Mountain Rose Herbs (both brands ship through amazon as well). Get the raw honey from your local farmers market.
Instructions:
- Pour the water into a medium saucepan and add the elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
- Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat. Let simmer with lid on for 45 min to 1 hour
- Remove from heat and let cool (not completely, just enough to handle).
- Pour through a strainer into a 16 oz. glass jar. Discard the leftover herbs.
- Add the honey and mix well.
- Store the glass jar in the refrigerator.
Standard dose for prevention is ½ – 1 teaspoon for kids and ½ – 1 tablespoon for adults. Upon first signs of illness, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear.
If you just aren’t into the DIY route, you can find pre-made syrup at your local health food shop. In the Niceville/Valparaiso area two of my favorites place to buy elderberry syrup are Growing Green Families and Staff of Life.
