Elderberry Syrup

It seems like everywhere I go people are coughing, sneezing blowing their nose and are generally under the weather. With the kids going back to school after march break, and the weather fluctuating so drastically, it has been almost impossible to get through the last few weeks without catching some kind of cold or virus.

I woke up just over two weeks ago with a scratchy throat which quickly progressed into a horrid cough and the stuffiest nose I have ever had! I had to call in sick to work three days in a row because I literally could not get out the bed and walk downstairs to get a drink without feeling totally and utterly drained! No amount of sleep, rest or medication could touch this bug! It has been the worst cold/flu I've had in years and it really seems to be spreading like wildfire! As hard as I tried to isolate and quarantine myself I did manage to spread it to my husband who had convinced himself that he was in fact dying of the plague! Instead of loading him up with over the counter drugs that lead to grogginess and other lovely side effects, I took to the inter webs to find something natural, safe and effective in treating his plague cold. I found this great tutorial for Elderberry syrup which is supposed to be fantastic for treating any cold or flu!

Elderberry is said to be an antiviral as well as having antioxidant and antibacterial qualities. Some even say that it helps with inflammation, alleviating allergies and cancer prevention. Any way you look at it elderberries are looking pretty good to me right now while I listen to my husband coughing away!
Here is how to make it:

Elderberry Syrup
1/2 cup dried Elderberries or 1 cup fresh or frozen
1 cup wild or raw honey
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 medium strainer
1 mason jar or other lidded jar

In a small pot add all the ingredients except the honey. 

Cover and heat on high until boiling.

Turn down the heat to get a nice simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. This should take about 20-30 minutes. 

Strain the liquid into a bowl or your jar and make sure to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the berries as possible. 

Add the honey and stir until combined. 

Let cool and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. 

Not only will this help ease the effects of the flu in my husband, but it will also help me prevent against getting any more colds this year! 

If you are sick take 1 Tbsp every hour. If you are trying to prevent a cold, you can have 1-2 Tbsp per day. 

This is a great tasting syrup that is packed with awesome elements to prevent colds or help you feel better if you're unlucky enough to catch something. The cinnamon, cloves and ginger are used to help warm when you've got the chills, honey helps a sore throat and cough, and the elderberry is just an all around awesome little miracle plant that will do the rest of the work for you!

Here's to diving right into spring healthy!