It starts with a tickle in the ears and throat, a headache creeps in slowly as your energy drains and dread sets in. We’ve all been there – a case of the common cold or the flu is likely in your future. As a mother, it can be miserable to carry on when feeling ill, but worse to watch your children suffer without being able to do much to fix it. Of course, there is a time and a place for western medicine and doctors visits. But unfortunately, there isn’t much that your family doctor can do for a common cold or even a mild case of the flu.

When it comes to helping myself and my family keep a strong immune system, I know from experience that natural supplements and a healthy diet can make a big difference when it comes to the number of illnesses in a year. All I have to say is, thank goddess nature provides remedies that can help avoid or shorten the severity of symptoms if you get to them in time. 

That’s why one of my favorite immune-boosting tricks is supplementing with Elderberry syrup! As a classically trained herbalist, I absolutely love making homemade remedies. It is a fun way to slow down, get back to my witchy roots and get in touch with what nature provides to stave off severe symptoms and help to keep us healthy year-round.

 amazing syrup that you could do a shot of every day just to you know keep that immune system going or if you do get sick you can start taking a teaspoon or a couple of teaspoons of it every hour or so until you start feeling better it’s amazing you can also add things like ginger and cinnamon and other routes to it too really spruce it up otherwise it’s as simple as some elderberry some hot water honey and brandy. 

Here’s what you need to boost your immune system with my homemade elderberry syrup:

Ingredients:

• 1 quart filtered water
• 1 bag fresh or frozen elderberries
• 1 cup Brandy
• 1/2 cup raw honey

Directions:

1. Pour the water into a saucepan and add the elderberries
2. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring to a boil
3. When boiling, cover and reduce to simmer for about an hour or until the liquid is reduced by half.
4. Add the brandy
5. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature
6. Mash the berries with a flat utensil to release all of the juices
7. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a glass jar and discard the elderberries.
8. Lastly, add the honey and stir (or close the jar and shake) until all of the honey is combined.
9. Store in the refrigerator!