I love Elderberry syrup it is so delicious and such a wonderful natural medicine used traditionally for the treatment of colds, flues, viruses, chesty conditions, sinuses problems and excess mucus, Plantago is good for excess mucus too, you know the plant that kids use as soldiers?
Elderberry is very good for the lungs and immune system in general.
So easy to make.
Find a beautiful sacred Elder tree (Sambucus Nigra) in nature and collect your berries when they’re lovely and ripe. You will be lucky enough if you manage to get them before the birds! They know where all the good stuff is. And if so make sure to keep some on the tree for them, sharing is caring even if they won’t!
It is good to remember not to eat the berries raw when you’re a human as they’re toxic for us in their raw state.
Put in a pot after washing the berries. Add about half a kg of sugar, as we have heard before, a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down. And will help to keep it longer. Slowly bring to the boil and simmer very gently for about 15 mins, strain into clean, sterilised bottles the hot syrup.
Et Voilà! You’re good to go. Keep it in the fridge. After giving away to friends and family you will be left with a nice batch for the winter ahead. It is really good if you’re unwell but honestly, I make it because it’s so delish and the colour is divine. Yum.
You can also add some common thyme, Thymus Vulgaris, in the pot if you have some on hand in your herb pots or garden, thyme is excellent for the lungs and an antiseptic too.
Elder berry syrup is available in all health food shops and good pharmacies.
In the summer the flowers of the Elder tree make a gorgeous refreshing cordial which is super easy to make.
And you can also dry the flowers and use them as an infusion tea with some lovely honey for the immune system and whenever you feel a bit under the weather.
Just make sure 100% that you recognize the tree properly and if in doubt do not touch. I sometimes hear people say “it’s natural so it has to be safe” but this is not technically true. In this case a little knowledge can be dangerous.
Plant medicine is very powerful and as such must be treated with respect. And really all power comes with responsibility. Some plants are extremely poisonous and could be mistaken for a healing plant as they may look very similar and the correct dosage is very important too. As too much of a good thing could have the opposite effect. We have heard of the great philosopher Socrates who was poisoned for his political beliefs with Conium-Mac/poison Hemlock.
So I would advise to only use what you have been shown by someone experienced. There is nothing like the direct experience of smell, touch, sight and taste to really know a plant and definitely I would not rely on internet photos for recognising a plant.
For example did you know that Fox glove is a very toxic plant and very dangerous? It can induce heart attacks.
Digitalis / Foxglove
How truly beautiful it is. But safer left on its stem. Pharmaceutical companies use digoxin in tiny doses for heart problems but it can be dangerous, even in that state and they thankfully now have an antidote to the poisonous component digoxin, poisonings have happened, if someone takes too many of their tablets by accident for example etc.
We also use it in homeopathic practice and as a homeopathic remedy it is safe to take for certain types of heart problems. Treating like with like is one of the homeopathic principles. But as always under the care of a qualified and registered practitioner.
Vincent Van Gogh portrait of Dr Paul Gachet
You can spot the digitalis in the vase. There is a story to the digitalis too.
But did you know that Dr Gachet was a homeopathic doctor?
Apparently Vincent was in love with his daughter Marguerite and painted a lot of beautiful paintings of her.
Marguerite Gachet at the piano by Vincent Van Gogh.
Dr Gachet studied under Dr Jean Jacques Molin, the Homeopathic physician to famous composer Frédéric Chopin. The amazing composer Ludwig Van Beethoven also had a homeopathic physician named Dr Braunhofer and he had such appreciation for him that he composed two canons in his honour.
Dr Gachet was a friend and homeopathic doctor to a lot of famous painters including Van Gogh, Cézanne, Renoir and Monet too. He was referred by The times [of London] as the ”unsung godfather and friend of Impressionism and Post Impressionism”.
Greatness loves company too.
Well it makes me think insanity and genius are closely related, two sides of the same coin. If we can integrate them both as one we’ll ace it.
Integrity.
Balance.
Wholeness.