We are not out of the woods yet! Flu season is still here and I have seen many people at the store sneezing, coughing and complaining about a sore throat. While unpleasant, colds are typically not a need for concern and with adequate fluid intake, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and a couple of days of rest, you are quickly back on our feet. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to get the rest, or have the time to prepare a good old fashioned chicken soup. Instead, many of us go about our daily routines with the help of over-0ther-counter cold medication. While these products may provide a reprieve from symptoms, they don’t support the body’s immune system in fighting “bugs” and viruses.
Mother Nature, on the other hand, offers many herbs that can either help prevent a cold/flu virus from settling in your body, or strenghthen immune system and ease congestion, fever, cough and sore throat.
One of my favorite cold-fighting herb is Elderberries (Sambucus nigra). It is well-studied and one of the most popular herbs for cold and flu prevention/treatment in Europe. Elderberries have immune enhancing and decongestant properties. They are also powerful diaphoretics which means they induce sweating and thereby help reduce fever.
Elderberries can be taken as a tea, tincture, capsules or syrup. My personal favorite is the syrup which you can easily make yourself.
All you need is 1/2 cup dried elderberries, 3 cups water, 1 cup honey.
Bring the water and the berries to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes. Than smash the berries to get all the good properties out. Strain the mixture and add 1 cup of honey. If you like it a little thicker or sweeter, you can add more. Fill the syrup in a bottle or glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
As a preventative, take 1 teaspoon 2-3 times per day, or take 1 teaspoon every 3-4 hours at the onset of a cold to shorten its duration.
During the winter months, I always have a bottle of Elderberry syrup in my fridge and it has come in handy on several occasions already.
