I have experienced the reality of this immune booster and antiviral for years now- periodically I take a "course of elderberry" for a couple weeks, a little more than seasonally. This refers to drinking a shot of delicious rich infusion of elderberries formulated with a few other herbs for additional protection. I am rarely sick, and if I do contract a minor cold or flu it is resolved within a day or two. I believe we can learn about and do things to keep ourselves strong and to support our immune system and related body systems.
Over the years we have all seen and enjoyed syrups, particularly elderberry syrup and other "syrups" from old apothecary recipes. In days of yore, when refrigeration may have been scarce, syrups were developed because heavy sugar contents could preserve. (think of that fruitcake in the attic for 20 years). But since about the 1950's, most places in the US have had refrigeration, or at least an "ice box" as my grandmother called it.
Today, and for many years previous to this day, our national culture has been plagued by the ills of sugar. Candida, mental illness, hormonal imbalances, digestive imbalances, cardiac inflammation, dental, skin problems and much more arise out of the extremes of sugar in our food sources. So here's the thing- we no longer need sugar- and a syrup is made with an Extremely high content of sugar- to keep herbs and formulations preserved for relevant amounts of time. That dose of herbs comes with far too high a price when it is mixed with sugar.
Our Elderberry elixir is made with quality dried berries , purified water, and some spices which of themselves inherently preserve food and are antiviral, and add a tasty element to this delicious beverage- yes, this Elixir is a beverage you can actually quench thirst with. We add some natural pure sweetener (honey often) at about 95% less quantity than a classic syrup would deliver. And this is why we call our antiviral and heart healthy tonic an " elixir ". My goal is to deliver the most fresh and potent therapeutic product without any side effects, and I believe excess sugar adds unwanted side effects.
I made some a year ago- actually 14 months ago. Our whole class tried it this past weekend (Sept 21, Happy Equinox!) and it was fresh and delicious, with an awesome and unique flavor only Elderberries can deliver. We refrigerate our Elixir and recommend you do too, unless you will be drinking it within a day. Currently we have Elderberry Elixir packaged up in pint jars and also in re-usable handy pint pint bottles in our apothecary & dispensary. And kids love it!
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