My plans for caring for my family during the Cold n Flu season.

October Blog Party: Bio-regional herbs for Colds and Flu

Cold n Flu season is upon us and well I have been trying to get prepared ahead of time. Normally if someone got sick they would be sent to bed immediately and bundled up, served fluids and soup. My great grandmother use to give us Catnip tea when we had upset tummies or baby was colicky; though I never remembered this (too little I guess) I took great joy in listening to my uncle tell me stories about great grandma serving us herbals. So to help my family and friends I have picked local Elderberries (as well as baught some), Elderflower, Yarrow, Peppermint, Blackberry leaf, & Boneset.  I have made tinctures out of them all, have some dried, and I have made some Elderberry Syrup. I also have bought Chamomile tea to have on hand because this is the first year I have grown Chamomile and want it to get established before I go plucking it for medicines.

The Elderberry Syrup - I have made with fresh and dried berries. I add Ginger (great for the belly & warming the body), Cinnamon, Lemon, & Honey. Normally if I made a 8 oz. batch I would top it of  with 1 1/2 oz. of Brandy or Vodka (80 proof or better). This year I used an Elder Tincture to put the 20% alcohol in, and increase the elder healing potency! I give this to my family at the first sniffle, sneeze, or cough; and I give 1 tbsp. 2 to 3 times daily. My children are all adults now so for my grand children I substitute out the Honey and use Glycerin or OG Raw Sugar Unrefined. I also may or may not use the Alcohol too. I would give them 1 tsp 2 to 3 times a day depending on how sick they were or how often they tend to get sick. My Sons friends come over when there sick and ask for some..... They don't care for the taste but they do ask for it cause they know it works. Great Anti-viral!

The Blackberry leaf - tincture I made to keep on hand for those bouts of diarrhea.

Yarrow - is great for inducing sweating to help get rid of illness quicker, anti-inflammatory, & anti-microbial.

Peppermint - I love for when ever any of us get a cold, it helps with opening the air passages so we can breath better, relieves upset tummies, and good for fevers where your clammy and skin feels cold.

Boneset - I just learned about this summer at a Renaissance(sp) festival from an herbalist whom has a shop there and she said its for fevers, aches n pains that go bone deep. Then over the rest of the summer I kept hearing about it so now I have some on hand. unfortunately not a lot but I'm sure we will do fine.

The Chamomile - Tea besides tasting yummy it relaxes yeah, eases some pain, good for fever in the young ones, and is calming.

Elderflower - I'm new to using but have it on hand to use during a full swing flu, and to use for the children for fevers.

So far I haven't had anyone come down with major illnesses, and have put a road block up when my son seemed to be getting sick and started giving him the syrup right away. This is part of my getting prepared for what we perceive to be a LONG cold winter, which brings illness with it.