Elderberry

[Guest guest]

Tom Wolfe is a co-owner of Smile Herb Shop. See www.smileherb.com . If you forward this, please delete my name and email address. Thanks! Elderberry and Friends Herbal Allies Both New and Ancient For Viral Fears, Cold Woes, and Flu Challenges By Tom Wolfe AHG Professional Member American Herbalists Guild As a board member and treasurer of the

Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, I recently had the opportunity to hear the five major disaster relief agencies for the DC area describe the realities of large-scale influenza in a major metropolitan area. These groups lead by the American Red Cross were working with leaders of the eleven religions in the Interfaith Conference to educate congregations to deal with the issues of “Flu Challenges”. Many well thought out strategies are available through the Red Cross, and they welcome the chance to share their educational materials with groups of proactive citizens. Virtually all of the strategies relied on professional medical help after the flu strikes and the strain on the medical community would (will?) be enormous. As an herbalist I found myself pondering the glory of herbs, and the need to educate folks also to available herbal allies in order to keep people standing strong through any upcoming viral or influenza challenges. Elderberry: Sambucus

nigra, is a hearty shrub, very easily grown and productive in the DC area and is our main ally here. This Pathways article will build our relationship with Elder and other herbal allies that both the ancients and new herbal folks know to help ward off and treat viral fears, cold woes, and influenza challenges. So walk slowly with me readers of Pathways on a healing pathway lined with Elderberry and friends, to build strength for this winter’s journey. We walk with the ancients who well knew the subtle energy and healing power of Elderberry. We walk as well with our modern herbal friends who have compiled western science’s validation of the ancient wisdom. We also walk with the herbalists and business people who have discovered how to best prepare Elderberry in order to preserve the wisdom of the whole plant in extracted form. With all these people joining us, it is not as intimate an herb walk as it started out, but all three of these wisdoms are needed when

flu challenges startle us with their strong and strange power. So let’s walk with all three: those who hold the reverence of ancient knowing, those who hold the research of western science data knowing, and those who have invested in finding the best methods of extracting Elderberry. Before we begin I would like to share one great healing story about Elderberry that came to me this week as I was asking various herbalists about their experiences with this sister we name Elder. One of the long term herbalists (ten years) at Smile, Cecily Green, who I have seen many times for her healing touch and expertise in Shiatsu, a form of Asian body work shared her success with a customer with herpes. Cecily, ( I call her the green one), told me of a gentleman who had calmed his first outbreak of genital herpes with a combination of Elderberry syrup and New Chapter’s Saint John’s Wort. When the stress in his life brought on another outbreak she added Lemon Balm (in

tincture form) to the mix and he has been symptom free since. These are the kind of stories we hear all day long at Smile that need to be studied further to make public the benefits of Elderberry and friends for viral issues. First, let’s find out first what the ancients felt in their relationship with Elder. In short Elder was sacred. An ancient poem reads "Elder be the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed you'll be”. Since Elder was sacred to the Goddess. It could only be cut while singing a song/chant to the divine mother. This was to ensure her permission in the use of the tree. Without such permission, ill would befall the user. In Medieval England it was believed that the Elder could protect the dead from harm and unrest, and the living from fevers and rheumatism. Elder wood was also used in charms to protect crops and livestock from harm. There was also a Medieval belief that the Elder was the very tree from which the Cross of

Calvary was made, and so the tree held sacred and melancholy awe for the country people. This belief still affects the countryside today, as there are many who are hesitant to cut or harm the tree in any way. Although there are those who gladly use the fine white wood for carpentry and the making of musical instruments, there are also those who would not dare allow even a small branch of the Elder to be burned with the firewood. Elder was also closely associated with the Otherworld, the realm of Fairy. Those who stood under the tree on Midsummer Eve would see the King of Fairyland ride by; and those who slept beneath a flowering tree could be transported to the Fairy world. Torches made of the pith of the Elder tree are said to reveal with their light those who would work evil. Although the beliefs surrounding this fascinating plant are quite different in tone and style, one thing is common to all—the Elder is a powerful and valuable plant to humankind.

Secondly, the western science data objective knowing. First studies on Elderberry were performed in the late 1990s in the United States on people who had recently contracted the Type B strain of influenza. 93% of the folks who were given the elderberry extract recovered from their symptoms in just two days, compared with six days of illness for the unlucky members of the placebo group. Dr. Erling Thom, who ran the 2nd study, (presenting his findings at the 15th Annual Conference on Antiviral Research in 2002) credited the extract’s effects to immune system stimulating flavonoids and anti-inflammatory anthocyanins. His 2002 study performed at the University of Oslo in Norway found similar results with people infected with the Type A strain—90% of the group that got the real herbal extract recovered in two to three days; the unlucky ones who got the placebo suffered twice as long. More recently in studies of a new extraction from

the new Chapter Company named Blockade (more about Blockade later), in-vitro, laboratory studies of this extract have demonstrated up to a 100% success rate in inhibiting the entry of enveloped viruses (like influenza). Elderberry in this form has been shown to seek out viruses, bind to them, and create a coating around them. This coating is like a fence around the virus that blocks its ability to attach to and enter cells. Finally for the western science herb walk, one of (if not the) foremost researcher of western science and herbs, Dr. James Duke in his US Department of Agriculture database found that elderberries also contain more than a dozen direct anti-viral compounds, any or all of which could account for the fruit’s effectiveness. Dr. Duke’s list of naturally occurring flu-fighting phytochemicals in Elderberry: Analgesics (pain relievers): caffeic acid; chlorogenic acid;

ethyl-salicylate; ferulic acid; menthol; myrcene; quercetin; ursolic acid. Antibronchitics (relieve throat inflammation): menthol; linalool Anti-inflammatories: (relieve swelling and inflammation, like aspirin, Advil, Naproxen, etc): alpha-amyrin; betulin; betulinic acid; caffeic acid; chlorogenic acid; cycloartenol; ferulic acid; hyperoside; kaempferol; lupeol; menthol; n-hentriacontane; oleanolic acid; quercetin; rutin; ursolic-acid. Antitussive (cough suppressant): terpinen-4-ol Antiviral: betulin; betulinic acid; caffeic acid; chlorogenic acid; cyanin; ferulic acid; hyperoside; kaempferol; limonene; linalool; lupeol; oleanolic acid; quercetin; rutin; ursolic acid Expectorants (loosen phlegm): astragalin; limonene; linalool; menthol Immunostimulants (boost the immune system): astragalin; benzaldehyde; caffeic acid; chlorogenic acid; ferulic

acid Third, we ask ourselves as flu guardians which Elder preparations are most likely to capture and hold the healing power of this sister so she is available for prevention or when sorely and urgently needed. The folk preparations used since the beginning (for Eve loved Elderberries) are Elderberry syrups known as “Robs”, Elderberry wine, and Elderberry tea. Modern science has given us less sugary ways to make Elder syrups and “Robs”, as well as two new very inspiring preparations named Sambucol and Blockade which use the latest in whole plant extraction technology to preserve as close to 100 percent of all of the wisdom that god put in Elderberries. Almost from time immemorial, a 'Rob' (a vegetable juice thickened by heat) has been made from the juice of Elderberries simmered and thickened with sugar, forming an invaluable cordial for colds and coughs, To make Elderberry Rob, 5 lb. of fresh ripe, crushed berries are simmered with 1 lb.

of loaf sugar and the juice evaporated to the thickness of honey. One or two tablespoonsful mixed with a tumblerful of hot water, taken at night, is used for colds, flu, coughs and fevers. The undiluted syrup can be bottled and stored for the winter. Elderberry Wine has ever been held to have a curative power of established repute as a remedy, taken hot, at night, for promoting perspiration in the early stages of severe catarrh, accompanied by shivering, sore throat, etc. Like Elder Flower Tea, it is one of the best preventatives known against the advance of influenza and the ill effects of a chill. A little cinnamon may be added to taste. Sambucol. is a cough-syrup like liquid, imported from Israel by the American herbal supplier Nature’s Way. The directions say to take two teaspoons four times a day to fight a viral infection and two teaspoons total a day to prevent one. That’s right, prevent—although the studies were performed on people who

were already sick, Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, the virologist who developed the extract, says it should also actually help reduce the chance of becoming infected. We have sold Sambucol for years at Smile and its slightly higher price is offset by the testimonials we get from thankful users. Blockade is a 100% Herbal Virus Blocker made from Elderberries that provides the full range of bioactive chemistries of the natural herbal source, thanks to the combination of supercritical extraction and a breakthrough technology for validating potency, called DART (Direct Analysis in Real-Time). While other commercially available natural products contain fewer than 150 components, Blockade contains over 1,000 natural chemistries and the key bioactives in each dose. Because Blockade is a fast dissolving, great tasting, all natural lozenge that you hold under your tongue, it enters and starts working in your bloodstream in minutes, not hours... unlike anti-virals whose primary

delivery mechanism has to work through the GI tract (stomach lining). Elderberry is also available in stores with developed herb sections in about a dozen other prepared forms such as tinctures, juice extractions, bulk berries, bulk flowers, and in capsules. There are also many other warm herbal friends that are waiting for you to call on them to help. These herbs are organized by the western science action appropriate to colds, influenza, and other viruses. The idea here is to choose the action that you want and then enjoy experimenting with the choice of several safe herbs that provide that action. Anti-Virals Elderberry Sambucus nigra Lemon Balm Melissa Officinalis Thuja Thuja occidentalis Anti-Microbials Garlic Allium sativum Oregano Oreganum vulgare Thyme Thymus vulgaris Echinacea

Echinacea purpurea, angustifolia, pallida Wild Indigo Baptisia tinctoria Myrrh Commiphora myrrha Immune Tonics Astragalus Astragalus membranaceus Reishi Ganoderma lucidum Diaphoretics Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum Yarrow Achillea millefolium Elderflower Sambucus nigra Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis Rosemary Rosemarinus officinalis Alteratives Burdock Arctium lappa Yellowdock Rumex crispus Cleavers Galium aparine Nettles Urtica dioica Red Root Ceanothus americanus Sarsaparilla Smilax officinalis Red Clover Trifolium pratense Oregon Grape Root Berberis aquifolium Oh—and

never forget that frequent hand-washing is also a great way to dodge the flu—especially once we enter the season when the virus is actively spreading. An interesting moment happened when the Red Cross was teaching us at the InterFaith Conference about how to prepare for the flu. They had found that research shows that the most important thing they could get across to folks was the need to wash your hands a lot during a flu outbreak and not cough into your hands which will spread the bugs further. So, their official advice was to wash your hands five times daily and cough into your elbow instead of your hand. I shared a great glance and moment with Imam Johari, past leader of the Muslim community at Howard University, because the prophet Muhammad taught to wash your hands five times daily up to the elbow as preparation for prayer. It did not seem like a coincidence if any of us still believe in coincidence. Seemed more like a Godincidence as we all work together in our

common humanity to define health in a world of challenge. My prayer is that this article helps you on your herbal journey to unity.

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.