Flu Season is Here! Yikes!!!

Elderberry syrup.. And the flu! Our friend Becky just informed us that Tucson has 4500 cases of the flu... Tis the season!it's kind of hard to avoid it. But the good old standbys that my mom always used to tell me till I was tired of hearing it, is wash your hands! And if you go anywhere public just don't even think about touching your face your nose your eyes your mouth until you get somewhere where you can wash your hands! Also immune-boosting stuff is important. Eat healthy. Eat lots of good healthy slow food! Like farm or homegrown meat and veggies!! HYDRATE!!! Get your rest - sleep deprivation is one of the worst things you can do to yourself. Garlic is a potent bug buster; just cut a clove into fourths, let it sit on the countertop to activate the allicin- then swallow each piece like a pill - repeat 2 or 3 times a day. And elderberry syrup really can help. Ours is made from elderberries we grow here. In addition it has raw honey, glycerites of echinacea angustifolia and purpurea, as well as marshmallow and yarrow; and it has ginger, cinnamon and cloves. It is shelf stable due to the glycerites, but I keep mine in the fridge anyway, and it should last for many many months. Here's some info on elderberries you might find interesting, from the websitehttps://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/natural-health-…/…/elderberry

"Elderberry/Elderflower Benefits Immune System Elderberries are particularly rich in flavonoids, especially anthocyanins which are responsible for their deep purple (almost black) colouring. These powerful antioxidants work to keep the immune system strong and resilient. Dr Gerhard Rechkemmer is the President of Germany’s Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food. His research has shown that the anthocyanins in elderberries boost the production of cytokines – proteins that act as messengers within the immune system – thereby enhancing the body’s immune response. Cytokines play a crucial role in the immune system’s response to disease and work in ways very similar to hormones. They can be both inflammatory or anti-inflammatory depending on what is needed and are released by immune cells either directly into the blood stream or locally into body tissue during an immune response. These tiny berries are also believed to contain antiviral agents– compounds so potent they are thought to deactivate viruses. Viruses are unable to multiply on their own and need to get inside a healthy cell to do so. They are cleverly coated with something called “haemagglutinin spikes” to help them pierce the cell wall. These viral spikes are also covered with enzymes which the virus uses to break down the cell wall. Elderberries have high concentrations of bioflavonoids which appear to inhibit the action of this enzyme, thus deactivating viruses and rendering them unable to pierce the cell wall and replicate. The Elderflower is also packed with bio-flavonoids that help to boost the immune system. Research has shown that Elderflowers are also effective in killing common pathogens. Colds/Flu The humble elderberry is perhaps most famously used for the treatment of colds and flu. There is much evidence for its effectiveness, with a double-blind, placebo controlled trial conducted during an outbreak of influenza B in Panama in 1995. The study found that within 2 days there were significant improvements in symptoms, including fever, among 93.3% of those taking elderberry syrup. 90% of the elderberry group were completely well again within 2 – 3 days compared to 6 days in the placebo group. In 2016 another study by School of Pharmacy, Griffith University, Australia published in “Nutrients” , showed that supplementation with elderberry can reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold in air travellers. Travellers who used elderberry for 10 days before travel and up to 5 days after arriving overseas experienced an average 2 day shorter duration of their colds, and a noticeable reduction in their symptoms. The Elderflower is an "anti-catarrhal" herb, meaning it is extremely effective for runny noses and congestion. Anti-catarrhal herbs prevent excess mucous formation and aid in removing mucous and reducing inflammation in the body."