Elder & Hawthorn &



This month "Beaver Moon" is in the constellation Taurus, an earth sign ruled by Venus. (There are many interpretations about what this means online.) I love that I've made a recent commitment to make medicines each time the Full Moon comes around - perhaps it will ground me into a workable structure. Tonight I am cooking up an Elderberry Hawthorn Syrup and a tincture of Echinacea root.

Elder (Sambucus) and Hawthorn (Crataegus) are both naturalized to the Pacific Northwest. You can learn to identify them and follow proper harvesting techniques to obtain nature's gifts.

Elder, from the honeysuckle family, is said to be anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer -- treating colds, flus and allergies. The berries help reduce swelling in mucous membranes, such as the sinuses, to relieve nasal congestion. [1] They act by inhibiting enzyme, neuraminidase, which viruses use to penetrate cell walls. They contain flavonoids (antioxidant) as all good, dark berries do, and high concentrations of Vitamin C. Despite being foraged by many species of birds, it's recommended that the berries are cooked. Perfect for making decoctions or syrups! I've used lozenges purchased from the market in previous years and I'm excited to make my own medicine this time.

Hawthorn (rose family) is revered as a heart medicine for humans, as well as an important food source for birds, moths and butterflies. The hawberries also contain flavonoids, one in particular, proanthocyanidin, which plays a role in dilating blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation [2]. What if you already have low blood pressure? What if you happen to love garlic and other herbs that lower blood pressure? Last time I was at the doctors I was told, "Treasure your low blood pressure now, as it's only going to increase as you age". I'm curious how that will unfold. Anyway here I am creating a delicious, antioxidant berry syrup to help me prevent the onset of winter flu (will last a solid 2-3 months, stored in the refrigerator - all winter long).


The recipe was based off one I found from Dandelioness Herbals:

.5 oz Sambucus nigra
.5 oz Crataegus
4 c well water
3/4 c raw honey

I've also created another Echinacea tincture (good for several years):


I've always used Echinacea purpurea (daisy family) to avoid or shorten colds and flus. Yet I recently read in Matthew Wood's book The Earthwise Herbal that Echinacea may be taken to bolster the immune system in cases of putrefaction, functioning as an internal antiseptic. Which is interesting when we consider that the plant was traditionally used to relieve blood poisoning. Putrefaction results when cell metabolism becomes sluggish permitting foreign antigens to invade, causing the breakdown of tissues. In addition to exercise (!) herbal antiseptics like Echinacea (and yarrow, and lavender) can stabilize cell metabolism in order to keep viruses out. 

Echinacea's effectiveness is quite controversial despite how popular it is in natural medicine. In 2009, Echinacea aroused sales of $132 million in the U.S. [3] The herb has an interesting consumer history: In the 1800's, H.C.F. Meyer (dubbed "snake-oil salesman") marketed the herb as a panacea "cure-all". It was later introduced into Germany by physician Gerhard Madaes in the 1930s where it was popularized in Western medicine. Contemporary studies demonstrate mixed evidence: it likely combats various infections, reducing inflammation and attacking yeasts and fungi directly [4]. Yet it's effectiveness doesn't appear much better than a placebo. Still recommendations are made to avoid the plant if you are on immunosuppresants, or are a heavy caffeine taker. More carefully monitored studies need to be conducted. 

My recommendation: know your body, observe your reactions, and stay open in your experiments.      




Works Cited

[1] Ehrlich, Steven D. "Elderberry". May 7, 2013. University of Maryland Medical Center.
     November 6, 2014. <http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/elderberry>.
[2] Hudson, Tori. "Hibiscus, Hawthorn and the Heart". July 2011, Vol 3, Issue 7. Natural Medicine
     Journal. November 6, 2014. <http://naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2011-07/hibiscus-
     hawthorn-and-heart>.
[3] Novella, Stephen. "Echinacea for Cold and Flu". December 22, 2010. Science-Based Medicine.
     November 7, 2014. <http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/echinacea-for-cold-and-flu/>.
[4] "Echinacea". Medline Plus. July 7, 2014. U.S. National Library of Medicine. November 7, 2014.
     <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/981.html>.

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