Now that I’m in a state of a bit of ‘overwhelm’ in my Master
Herbalist program component of my PhD, I thought it would be helpful to me
(& possibly to you!) if I take some of the most commonly used herbs &
give you the ‘Down & Dirty’ info you need to decide if it would be of
benefit to you and/or your family.
The use of herbs has been a part of people’s lives for
centuries, although falling out of the current health track due in part to
pharmaceutical drugs, ‘high tech’ medicine & our love, as a society, for a
‘Quick Fix.’ I consider the use of herbs
as a simple and SAFE way to target health challenges as well as building
prevention into our busy lives---being proactive is a good thing! It’s not an either/or issue with western
medicine practices. Herbs can be used
quite safely along with medications, although accurate information from a
qualified practitioner is critical. One
quick reminder: the use of herbs
typically doesn’t provide the ‘Quick Fix’ solution (although sometimes results
are pretty darn quick!)…rather, they provide your body with what it needs to
function in a healthy way again.
So here goes…
Since we’re being inundated with
Flu Vaccine promotions everywhere we look, I thought I’d start with a great,
safe herb that has great benefits especially during the flu season: Elderberry
(sometimes called Black Elderberry or Sambucus). The berries contain more vitamin C than any other herb except
rosehips and black currant, which means it’s a great antioxidant as well (think
cancer-prevention when you read antioxidants).
Elderberry strengthens the immune system to fight viral
infections (flu is a viral infection… ‘colds’ are as well). It prevents the
flu virus from attaching to our cells thus shortening the duration and severity
of the flu. It is used around the
world to enhance immune function and increase antibody response during
infections. It also has an
anti-inflammatory effect, which is yet another cool benefit since inflammation
can have short-term and long-term effects on our bodies.
Elderberry is available as a liquid, syrup, tincture,
capsules, and lozenges. There are no known safety issues when taking---a very
cool benefit! In addition to the years
of use around the world, there are solid studies to support what so many people
have found with using Elderberry. I’ve
included two references below with their brief conclusion:
Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of
rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract
compared with placebo. Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and
cost-effective treatment for influenza.
No
adverse effects were observed in either group indicating that the proprietary
elderberry extract is safe and highly effective in treating flu-like symptoms. Kong F, Pilot Clinical Study on
a Proprietary Elderberry Extract: Efficacy in Addressing Influenza Symptoms,
Online J Pharmacol Pharmacokin 5:32-42, 2009.
Elderberry
is widely available at health food stores, most commonly found as a syrup
(great for kids!), capsules and lozenges.
Even if you live in the boonies, it’s quite easy to order online! This is a staple in our home. It's great to be able to ‘nip it in the
bud’ if we ever feel a cold or the flu coming on…or if we’ve been in close
contact with ‘sickies’!
Let
me know if you have questions…or if there is a specific herb that you would
like discussed…in the meantime, enjoy this beautiful Autumn season!
To
your long-term health…
Just me...Sana...to let you know I have absolutely no idea why some of the paragraphs are highlighted in white...crazy! :)
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