Every year, millions of people get a seasonal flu vaccine to protect themselves against the potentially life-threatening influenza virus. And while these vaccines do offer some protection, they are not 100 percent effective or safe. The fact is that the seasonal influenza vaccine only offers protection against the three most common strains of the flu virus – not against them all. Additionally, those who opt for the flu vaccine do so at the risk of developing negative side effects such as headache, fever, muscle aches and pain at the injection site.

Rather than take your chances with this often unsuccessful vaccine, why not opt for a safer, more natural remedy? Elderberry syrup, also referred to as Sambucus Nigra, is a well-known herbal remedy that has been clinically proven to both prevent the flu and significantly reduce the duration of the illness. In addition to being a “time-tested” remedy for the flu, multiple studies have proven its safety and effectiveness in adults and children.

Proven Effectiveness

In 1992, Israeli researchers tested the effectiveness of elderberry syrup on a group of flu patients in a hospital setting. Half of the patients were given elderberry syrup upon the onset of their symptoms, while the remaining patients were given a placebo. Among the group of patients who took the elderberry syrup, 20 percent noticed a significant improvement in their symptoms within the first 24 hours. That number increased dramatically over the next few days, with 75 percent of patients reporting a significant improvement in symptoms after 48 hours and 90 percent of patients reporting significant improvements within 72 hours! For those on the placebo, it took a full six days before 90 percent of patients were feeling better. Of that group, only 8 percent showed any signs of improvement within the first day.

A similar study was conducted in Oslo, Norway during the 1999-2000 winter season with similar results. In this study, patients who took 15 ml of elderberry syrup 4 times a day for 5 days recovered an average of 4 days sooner than those who took a placebo.

How it Works

There are several reasons why elderberry syrup is an effective treatment for the influenza virus. First, it activates the immune system and makes it more difficult for viruses to overwhelm the body. Secondly, it inhibits the flu virus from attaching to cell walls by disarming the hemagglutinin “spikes” it uses to latch onto the cells. It also inhibits the virus’ enzyme, neuraminidase, which it uses to break down the cell wall.

Where to Find Elderberry Syrup

You can purchase commercial varieties of elderberry syrup in natural food stores and in some pharmacies. Formulas are available for both adults and children.

Alternatively, you can easily make elderberry syrup at home with dried or fresh elderberries. This is a much more cost-effective way to obtain elderberry syrup, as it is very inexpensive to make and requires only a few basic ingredients. Formulas vary depending on where you find your recipe, but generally include distilled water, ginger root, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and raw honey. If you’re making the formula for children under the age of 2 years old, make sure you omit the honey, as it can cause botulism.

Fresh elderberry syrup can be stored in a clean glass jar and stored in the refrigerator for up to two months.

Dosage Requirements

To take elderberry syrup as a preventative measure, adults should take 1 tablespoon daily. When ill, increase the dosage to 1 tablespoon, taken 4 times a day, for up to 5 days.

Children may take 1 teaspoon of elderberry syrup a day as a preventative measure. When sick, increase the dosage to 1 teaspoon, taken 4 times a day for up to 5 days.

Contraindications

Although elderberry syrup is considered safe for most people, you should avoid it if you have an autoimmune disease such as muscular sclerosis, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. An effect of elderberry syrup is that it stimulates the immune system, which may enhance the symptoms of individuals with these diseases.

Rosehips are the fruit of the rose plant. Roses come in all shapes and sizes and when the leaves have fallen, if left alone you notice a small like berry grows and when left until the first frost will soften and turn bright red. The most abundant amount of fruit are found on the old-fashioned shrub rose, Rugosa. They are tangy yet sweet and used mainly as tea.

Rosehips have been around and in use as an herbal relief of joint pain for centuries. Today it is used an alternative remedy of conventional drugs, offering relief without the undesirable side effects of the pain killers or anti-inflammatory medications on the market today. In studies, rosehips have shown quick relief and pain reduction which was surprising to researchers.

Using rosehips to prevent joint pain, researchers in their case studies have administered it in various forms, from an extract to a powder and also in pill form. One group were given a placebo while the other study group given rosehips. Those treated with the rosehips had a cessation of pain by 40%, a very high percentage compared to todays conventional medicines.

In some studies, with the use of capsules containing rosehip powder, patients with severe symptoms have shown a marked improvement in six months time. Research has also found that those given rosehip supplements need less traditional painkillers which over time can cause ulcers and stomach bleeding, which no doctor wishes his patient to be taking.

The extract of rosehips have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties and work well with conventional medical treatments. This suggests that this form of treatment can postpone or even eliminate the need for more expensive drugs. Folklore promotes drinking rosehip tea daily as both a preventative and pain reliever, providing relief to many throughout the years.

Rosehips as a preventative to all forms of arthritis, can be bought in many health food stores, both online and in local stores. No matter the form you are using, whether an extract or powder great care should be taken in choosing your rosehips, from reliable and organic farming practices to making sure you are receiving top quality herbs free from pesticides.

Calcium is a mineral we need daily for building strong bones and teeth, and for preventing osteoporosis. The amount of calcium needed over a lifetime change with age. During the years a child is actively growing, a lot of calcium is important. The mid-life years require a bit less, just to maintain strong bones. However, later in life, the need increases once again to prevent bone loss.

Ninety-nine percent of the body’s calcium stores are in our teeth and bones. The other 1% resides in the blood and soft tissues of the body. Osteoporosis is a serious disease and a result of the body pulling from it’s own stores of calcium within the body. Bones become very fragile and are more likely to break. This is why we need to either eat plenty of calcium or take supplements to ensure we get enough each day.

Calcium also has several other seldom known benefits. Calcium plays a role in nerve conduction, blood clotting, muscle contraction, cardiac action, and milk production (for young nursing mothers). It is a key player in the metabolizing hormones and enzymes. Calcium has been shown to bind free fatty acids and bile acids, which could help to prevent certain types of cancers.

It plays an essential role in the transformation of light to electrical impulses in the retina (eye). Calcium combines with phosphorus in the bones to lend strength to the skeletal structure. Studies have shown also that those who are well-supplied with calcium in their developmental years tend to live longer and avoid more serious illnesses later in life.

We can get our required amount of calcium daily by eating foods rich in calcium. Such foods would include milk, cheeses, broccoli, kale, eggs, fish, kefir, peas, potatoes, lentils, soybeans, yogurt, collard greens, calcium-fortified breads, strawberries, fruit juices, oranges, rice, some seafood such as salmon and some cereals. Drinking water may also contain calcium.

Now, in order for the body to absorb calcium, it needs Vitamin D. Food sources of Vitamin D are egg yolks, liver, cod liver oil, multivitamins, and milk fortified with Vitamin D. It is also recommended we get 15 minutes a day in the sunshine to help us get our daily dose of Vitamin D. If for some reason you are unable to get enough calcium through food each day, supplements are a viable substitute.

As you read the label, make sure to check the amount of calcium contained in each dose. The recommended dose of calcium per day is about 2500 mg between food and supplements. Avoid taking calcium and iron supplements at the same time, as they interfere with each other’s absorption.

Calcium is essential for development, resisting diseases, and for staying healthy, so try to eat a balanced diet or take supplements to get the much-needed daily amount.

For that reason, I’m a strong believer in one taking vitamin supplements on a daily basis to give the body what it requires on a regular basis, allowing it to nourish and grow into a healthier being.

I recommend seven ways to ensure you take your vitamins daily:-

(1) Keep your vitamins in a small bottle that you can carry with you in your pocket or bag wherever you go.

(2) Set daily alarms on your phone to remind you to take them as many times as prescribed on the vitamin packet or bottle.

(3) Put up a post-it note on your wall each day you get to the office to remind you what you have to do.

(4) Add it to your daily to-do list and make sure you tick it off like you do with the other items on that list.

(5) Get a friend to remind you at the time. (How can you make sure your friend doesn’t forget to remind you? Please send them these tips.)

(6) Be accountable to someone. Make sure you take your vitamins daily. And each day report to a close friend or family member telling them you have. If you haven’t, do something massive (as a forfeit) in return for that person. You’ve got to pay the price of not following through, right?

(7) Make sure you know WHY you’re taking them. Don’t just take them because you’ve been told. Realise why you’re taking them, the benefits they’re having (or going to have) on your life and how you’ll feel more vibrant.