Elderberry Decoction Healing

Ripening Elderberries in My Garden (Sept 8th)

I have been nursing a family of snotty, coughing sick folk for the last 10 days all the while protecting myself with the wonderful Elderberries, thank you for being around right at this time of need. It is all very well making syrups and Tinctures and drying things for storage but there is nothing better than Fresh vibrant medicine straight from the tree.


I just started to get a sore throat this morning.....but I guess my body need a rest. So a day in bed directing my personal nurse on how to best make my Elderberry decoction is in order!

1. Firstly go n pick 10-20 heads of the berries, then pick the berries off into a pan with a fork (mind all the spiders) 
2. Cover with about a litre of water.
3. Add a cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 2 star anise, pinch o grated nutmeg and allspice (from our myrtle bush).
4. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 mins mashing with a potato masher to squab all the berries.
5. Strain through a sieve
6. Add half a lemons juice and some honey.
7. Drink freely -makes you wee tons!

Chemical constituents in elderberries help reduce swelling in mucous membranes, such as the sinuses, and thus help to relieve nasal congestion. Elder has anti-inflammatory, antiviral making it perfect for helping the bodies natural defences to shake off flu's n colds. Containing high proportions of flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties helping prevent damage to the body’s cells. 

Flavonoids, an amazing array of over 6,000 different substances found in virtually all plants, are responsible for many of the plant colors that dazzle us with their brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red. from the Latin word flavus meaning yellow their colour in nature

Classified as plant pigments, flavonoids were discovered in 1938 when a Hungarian scientist named Albert Szent-Gyorgyi used the term "vitamin P" to describe them because of the effect they had on the permeability of vascular capillaries.

They are organic compounds called secondary metabolites because they are not directly involved with the normal growth, development or reproduction of an organism, they are mainly involved with a plants defense mechanisms like UV filtration.