Hey all! As we move s-l-o-w-l-y into spring, the colds and flus that have generally subsided by this time of year seem to be lingering longer than usual, so I thought there would be no better time to introduce one of my favorite homeopathic ingredients: elderberries!
I, unfortunately, caught the dreadful flu earlier this year, and at one point was lying in bed resigning to life. I decided I had a good run thus far, and if that flu was what was going to take me, then so be it. Luckily, a good friend from school reminded me of an elderberry syrup that we had made together in my herbal supplements course, which ended up being my (figurative) life saver.
Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) is one of the most important herbs we can use to help fight off viral infections this time of year, as it has long been used for its antiviral, immune modulating, and antioxidant properties. It has tested positive in killing 3 out of at least 13 strains of the influenza virus, acting an inhibitor of the virus' attachment to human cells. To do this, a constituent of elderberry, called Sambucus Aglutin Nigra 3, blocks the hemagglutinin spikes on the virus which allows attachment to your cells. Without the spikes, the virus cannot attach and use your cells for replication!
The deep blue/purple color of the berries also indicates the presence of a subset of flavonoids called proanthocyanidins. These have very strong antioxidant properties, and help to protect the cells of the body against damage, while also repairing any damage the cells may have already received. This helps to not only shorted the duration of the illness, but to decrease the associated symptoms while healing as well!
Many studies have been completed surrounding Sambucol, a pre-made elderberry syrup currently available on the market, and they have found it to be extremely effective in shortening the duration of the flu by a number of days. This means that you can use elderberries medicinally to not only prevent the onset of the flu, but also to help shorten its duration if you do contract the virus!
From personal experience, I know this to be true. After dealing with my symptoms for 3 days and the doctor telling me I could expect 2 more weeks of torture, I began taking a tablespoon of my homemade (or classmade, rather) elderberry syrup every 3-4 hours that I was awake - and I was feeling better by the end of the week! The recipe below is the one I used in class, enjoy!
Elderberry syrup (From Rosemary Gladstar's, Family Herbal)
- 1 ounce dried, or 3 ounces fresh, elderberries
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 to 1 cup honey (or your choice of preserving sweetener)
1. Add elderberries, dried or fresh, to 2 cups cold water in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat, simmering until the liquid has been reduced to one cup. (To know when the liquid has reduced in half, measure the water level at the beginning by placing a chopstick into the mixture and mark the waterline with a sharpie. As the liquid begins to reduce, place the chopstick back in and when the liquid line falls halfway below the original mark, you are good to go!)
3. Once the liquid is reduced in half, allow the mixture to cool to handling temperatures, and strain and compost the elderberries using a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Make sure to squeeze and press out as much liquid from the berries as possible before composting!
4. To each cup of the liquid, add your desired amount of honey. Gently stir the honey into the liquid until they are well mixed. (If using raw honey it is important to stir it in while off heat, to ensure that the vital enzymes are not destroyed.)
5. If you would like to thicken your syrup, slowly decoct it down keeping the temperature below 100° F.
6. Pour your final creation into sterilized bottles, label with name and date, and store in your refrigerator. It can keep up to 6 months in your fridge!
And there you have it - good luck staying well out there, and lets hope this spring weather begins to ramp up soon!
