How to make Elderberry Syrup (and how self care is our social responsibility!)
Life is a little bit overwhelming right now to say the least. Our daily routines have been interrupted, the news changes from hour to hour, and we’re encouraged to practice social distancing as much as possible. Social distancing is a way for us to actively protect our communities by preventing the spread of the Corona virus—it is our responsibility to our community. Taking care of ourselves right now—as best we can with what we have—is also part of our responsibility to our community. Self care IS community care and our social responsibility. It is an act of love.
That said, one of my favorite ways to take care of myself is to be creative—to make things, to take photos and to share them. Another way, I like to care for myself, is to nourish my body with nutrient dense foods and herbs. So this post hits two of my self care targets, and my hope in sharing it is that maybe it will be helpful and/or healing for you, too! I also hope you are doing something today to nourish, nurture, and be kind to yourself.
As I mentioned on my instagram, I’ve been getting into herbalism lately and learning all about the healing properties of different plants. It’s fascinating stuff—plants are amazing! Elder is particularly interesting. It’s where Elderflowers and Elderberries come from and, according to WebMD, Hippocrates called the Elder tree his, “medicine chest.” (As you know, anything coming from that guy is a pretty big deal).
I won’t get too much into the benefits of Elderberries here because I am not a herbalist and don’t want to spread any misinformation but if you’re interested as to why people take elderberry syrup to prevent and/or treat certain illnesses, including viruses and the flu, here are a few resources that I found helpful: Medical News Today: Elderberry, Elderberry Medicine by Herbal Jedi, WebMD, Elderberry compounds could help minimize flu symptoms, Science Daily. As always, remember to read about the side effects of any herb before using it to understand if it will be compatible with your body or not.
Elderberry Syrup
**makes approx 1 cup of syrup**
Ingredients: (choose organic if possible!)
1/2 cup dried Elderberries
2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup raw honey
Juice of 1/4 of an Orange (can include the orange peel, too, just make sure it hasn’t been dyed (yes, that’s a thing))
1/4 tsp vanilla
Method:
Place dried elderberries in a pot with water, orange juice, vanilla and heat/simmer on low for 45 mins. Do not bring to a boil.
After cooking, pour liquid and elderberries through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
Use the back of a wooden spoon to press out any additional liquid or goodness from the berries.
Let the liquid cool down a bit. When it reaches a slightly warm temperature, add raw honey. It’s important not to add the raw honey when it’s too so that you maintain its nutritional value.
Place in a mason jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Enjoy a teaspoon of Elderberry Syrup a day as prevention from flu like sicknesses. You can take more if you are currently sick and your body needs extra help. Just don’t take long term/year round.
Learn more about Elder!
A few side notes:
You can add any herbs or spices you like to make this healing syrup your own. Think: fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, cloves, lemon, echinacea, etc!
Elderberry syrup can also be used on pancakes, or waffles, or added to cocktails (although I’m not sure it would be good for your immune system in that case, but delish nonetheless!)
Be well Everyone Xx
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!