Destroy a virus with Elderberry

Not many things will destroy a virus. If you go to the doctor, they really don't have anything to give you. It's up to your immune system to handle it. That's not good news for those with weakened immune systems.

But there is a wonderful, completely natural solution: Elderberry. The berries of the elder tree have been found to actually deactivate the spikes on viruses so they can no longer enter your cells and replicate. Studies have shown elderberry to neutralize and reduce the ability of influenza viruses to infect the body. Israeli researcher, Madeleine Mumcuoglu, Ph.D. found that the elderberries seem to be designed as a specific weapon against the flu virus. Viruses form tiny spikes that enable them to penetrate the wall of a healthy cell and set up shop inside it, replicating more viruses. The active ingredient in elderberry breaks down these spikes within 24-48 hours, so the virus cannot spread. Patients in the study who took the elderberry juice syrup reported a much faster termination of symptoms than those who didn't take it. 20% were better within 24 hours, 70% by 48 hours, and 90% were well by 3 days.

The ability of viruses to alter their genetics and create new strains makes it difficult for modern medicine to come up with vaccines or anything to effectively treat them. But this doesn't stop elderberry from working...it keeps on inactivating those viruses no matter what kind they are.

And if that's not enough to get excited about, elderberry also reduces fevers, alleviates sore throats, tonsillitis, and respiratory illnesses, such as viral bronchitis. I gave a teaspoon of elderberry concentrate to my daughter, who had a fever of 101 at bedtime, and she slept great all night and woke up without the fever.

To summarize elderberry's benefits:

• Anti-viral
• Colds and Flu
• Tonsillitis and Laryngitis
• Bronchitis
• Sore Throats
• Fevers
  
• Upper respiratory infections
• Anti-inflammatory
• Immune support
  

Now that's a cool herb!! So, before you run right out to the health food store for some elderberry, you need to know the best kind to buy. Herbs vary tremendously in quality. Most of the cheaper supplements are cheap because the companies buy their herbs from the most inexpensive places possible. They buy herbs at pennies per pound from India, Mexico, China, and other countries. The quality is never checked, pesticides could be used, and when they are imported to the US, they are sterilized with chemicals, such as ethylene oxide. So, you could be getting toxic chemicals on your herbs. And usually, these herbs are old and have lost their potency in the drying and encapsulating process. Capsules of elderberry are just about worthless. The best form is a liquid concentrate of the elderberry juice. It is more potent, more available to the body, and even tastes good. Take 2-3 teaspoons three times a day for maximum effectiveness for an adult. You can take it all winter long for protection from the flu (along with your cod liver oil) as well as taking it when you get sick. This is one herb I don't want to be without!!

Recipe: Butternut Squash with Apples and Cranberries

Just in time for Thanksgiving, here is a delicious recipe for a side dish using butternut squash.

Butternut Squash with Apples and Cranberries

Ingredients:
1 Butternut Squash
3 small Granny Smith Apples
½ cup dried Cranberries
¼ cup unrefined sugar, such as Rapadura or Sucanat (or sweetener of choice)
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp coconut oil or butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil the casserole dish.
Peel, seed and cut the squash and apples into cubes and place in casserole dish with cranberries.
Melt oil/butter and pour over top then sprinkle with sugar and salt
Toss or stir to coat.
Cover dish and bake 45 min. to 1 hour (until squash is tender)
Stir once half way through baking time.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

How to Get Rid of a Plantar's Wart

My very first introduction to herbalism began when I was about 10 years old. I had gone to summer camp and come back home with a planter's wart, thanks to those lovely communal showers. For those of you who do not know what a planter's wart is, it is a wart that grows on the bottom of the foot. They are caused by a virus that infects the superficial layer of skin producing a thick, callus-like growth that is very painful.

After someone at church had mentioned an herbal cure for planter's warts to my mother, she gave me the choice: Either I go to the doctor and have them dig it out of the bottom of my foot with a sharp metal object, or we apply an herbal paste to the wart. Gee, I wonder what sounded more appealing to a 10 year old. Of course, I chose the herbs.

Once we started looking around our backyard, we found this particular herb growing everywhere! My mom gathered some leaves and ground them up in a mortar and pestle. She put this moist herbal mash right over the wart and covered it with a bandage to keep out all the air. After sleeping all night with it on, she applied another fresh poultice the next night.

I think we were all amazed when she removed the second bandage and found that the wart just fell off of my foot!

This experience had a huge impact on me as a child. I believe it sowed the seeds for a love of herbs and natural medicine that would not come to fruition until I was an adult.

So, what was this herb? Common wood sorrel, or oxalis acetosella. It is a small, creeping perennial plant that looks similar to clover, but the leaves are shaped like hearts. It grows in shady areas mainly, but I have even seen it growing in my pasture in full sun.

It is good for warts, and is also good for getting rid of cysts under the skin.

Stay Well This Winter

Winter is a wonderful time of year when we get to celebrate the holiday season with friends and family. No one wants sickness to get in the way. With the increased amount of time spent indoors, less exposure to the sun and fresh air, and the consumption of holiday sweets, our immune systems can weaken, making us more susceptible to illness. So here are a few of my favorite things that I recommend for staying well throughout the winter season.

Good health begins with a good foundation. That foundation is the food that you eat everyday. When your body is getting the nutrients that it needs, you will be much more resistant to illness. It is not the germs that we are exposed to that determines whether we get sick or not, but rather the condition of your health at the time of the exposure. Keeping your immune system strong and eating well are the keys to staying well. When you eat refined carbohydrates and sweets in excess of what your body needs, then you are setting the stage for illness. Sugar depresses the immune system and decreases the activity of infection-fighting white blood cells for up to 5 hours after you eat it.

Another important factor that influences your susceptibility to illness is the amount of sleep and relaxation you are getting. People tend to be so busy this time of year that they do not ever really rest and relax. Continual stress puts pressure on the body and inhibits the body’s ability to regenerate and repair. Stress and poor sleep habits, like a poor diet, sets the stage for illness to gain a foothold. When the body is under stress, it uses up nutrients more rapidly and can become deficient, leading to illness. Stress weakens the adrenals and the immune system. Sickness can also happen because we have been pushing ourselves too hard and for far too long. In this case, the best thing to do is REST. Do not try to take supplements or herbs so you can push through it. That is not a holistic approach to health. Reducing stress levels and getting plenty of rest should be a high priority for maintaining health.

With a good diet as the foundation, the most important supplement to be sure to take regularly is cod liver oil. Cod liver oil is rich in the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. Vitamin A helps to maintain resistance to infections. Vitamin D is normally produced in our body when we are exposed to the sun. But lowered sun exposure during the winter months can drastically reduce our vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is essential for proper calcium absorption and for the health of the immune system. Adults should get at least 2000 I.U. of vitamin D and 20,000-40,000 I.U. of vitamin A per day in the winter months. Higher amounts can be taken for a few days when you first start feeling flu-like symptoms and can be remarkably effective in restoring health. Vitamin D levels should be monitored by a physician if you take more than 2000 IU of vitamin D regularly as it can be toxic in very high doses.

XenoForce, a supplement by Energetix, is very beneficial for cold and flu prevention in combination with Cod Liver Oil. It contains Vitamin C, Zinc, Beta-Carotene, Echinacea, Ginger, Licorice Root, and Wild Cherry Bark. Echinacea is an herb that has well documented immune stimulating characteristics. XenoForce can be taken on a regular basis to help keep the immune system strong as well as at the first sign of a cold.

XenoForce and Cod Liver Oil can be ordered on my website, www.getpurevitality.com. All of the basic supplements I recommend are on the site, along with specials each month.

Natural remedies are best taken at the very first sign of illness and can be most effective at that time. Do not wait until sickness becomes well established before taking herbs or natural supplements. If you wait until sickness has really set in, it can be harder to heal naturally. At the first signs of illness, double your cod liver oil for a few days and take XenoForce (1-2 capsules for children, 4-6 capsules for adults). Eat only nutritious and easy-to-digest foods like homemade soups with chicken broth, green vegetable juices, and raw foods. Starchy foods, like grains and breads, sweeteners of any type, and dairy products are best avoided until you are well.

In conclusion, the best way to stay well this winter is to get the proper nutrition for your immune system to stay strong. Reducing stress and getting plenty of rest should be a high priority for maintaining health. Take care of yourself during this time of year and you will have a healthy holiday season.