Repost – Part II: Elderberry….what is not to love?

Be sure to read Part 1 here. 😉 

In my research I find that I’m not alone in my elderberry flower/fruit obsession. It seems that elderberries.com has created a ning network of folks that are as passionate about this botanical as I am!  Yayy!  There are several recipes on this site that could be of interest. I believe it is sponsored by a spice company.

Many of the recipes that I’ve tried have come from The Essential Herbal magazine.  The folks there are very helpful and accessible for any questions you might have. If you have questions about what an elderberry bush looks like, the elderberries.com forum has many good pictures of the bushes. A common mistake in identifying elderberry bushes is thinking that the purple berries of pokeweed or  even the deadly nightshade –  is the plant. It is crucial to know the difference. Pokeweed might make an excellent natural dye but is poisonous to ingest! Deadly nightshade speaks for itself. No touchy!

If you are concerned about identifying this plant, snap a few pictures and ask knowledgeable folks! Most will be more than happy to help. Remember that “respect the ocean” blurb I wrote about in Part 1 of this article? Ditto! Always, always be sure of the plant you have before proceeding.

H1N1 is a flu virus strain that has been around in recent times as well as in the past. We all know from recent media reports that the risk groups for this strain are the weakest and the youngest. The youngest are the most at risk with most viral strains. The older generation are usually included in this group when it comes to viral strains.   They are not as effected because they’ve been exposed to this virus strain before and most have antibodies to prove it. Folks that are in the middle and with compromised immunity could also be at risk since unlike the older generation, they have not had contact with this particular strain.  There are reports that Elderberry components bind with viral components and prevent them from infecting us.  These studies have been done in vitro.  Does that mean that test tube babies are a part of the study? NO!

It just means these tests were conducted in a test tube much like the in vitro fertilization of babies.  The reason I point this out is that in vitro has become synonymous with alternative forms of baby making much like band-aid has become synonymous with bandages to many people. (Did I really just say that?!? Yes)  It took me a bit of time to get past this myself.

Think of it this way, the testing done in the study is conducted in a closed environment. No animals or organisms are involved, just virus and elderberry. Here’s the study.  If you have trouble sleeping and are not a scientist, by all means, read it cover to cover with a nice cup of lavender tea. It’s guarantied to put you fast to sleep. 😉  The crux of the study is this: While the test was certainly NOT conducted on animals or humans, the chemistry is very promising.

While we share amazing information about this plant in this post, do know that all medical or health claims that elderberry is the cure all for everything just in fact can’t be. As much as I would love it, there is no way that elderberry could be a quick fix for everything wrong with your health. Will it prevent you from getting the flu or lessen the symptoms? That question is still widely up for scientific debate.  I don’t plan to wait for the studies to come in and say, Yep elderberry is a grand plant to have in your medicine cabinet. It’s there and part of my regimen.  We’ve been far less sick this fall and winter with its active use. Arm yourself with facts and decide for yourself.

Happy Washing!

~Regina

a few sources:

The Essential Herbal Magazine

Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Herbs

Herbs by Leslie Bremness

The Medicinal Garden by Anne McIntyre