How (Not) To Get Sick This Holiday Season

      Spending 2 days in bed just doesn't fit into my lifestyle, so I pull out all the stops at the first sign of a scratchy throat or a runny nose.
       Spoon-fuls of local honey, multi-vitamins, Emergen-C packets, throat coat (or any) tea, kombucha, plenty of water, fruits and veggies, early bedtime, light exercise, fresh air and, most recently, homemade elderberry syrup!
    Elderberry syrup is said to ward off colds and viruses, which is especially necessary in these fall and winter months. My cousin recently shared this recipe with me(Thanks cuz!). I used cheese cloth and local/raw honey from my co-op; I ordered the elderberries on Amazon here----->Buy Elderberries

What you'll need:
Local Honey
Elderberries (linked above)
Cheese cloth

1. Place the whole bag of elderberries in a large pot. Cover with 1-2" of water & bring to a boil. (Optional: Add ginger, cinnamon and/or clove)
2. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Drain berries and let cool so they are still warm but not hot.
4. Wrap berries in cheese cloth and squeeze the liquid into a mason jar. Discard or compost berries.
5. Mix in honey to taste, about 1 cup.
6. To preserve, refrigerate(or add brandy, 2 TBSP per cup)
7. Take 1 TBSP daily, 5x per week. Take every 2-3 hours if experiencing cold or flu symptoms.

Happy & Healthy Holidays!