A Midwest Journal

If you thought pork from Washington was bad and out of control — how about those journalists spreading the H1N1 hysteria?!?

But at a farm show today,  I ran across some very fascinating data – which turns the fictions churned out by our “main-scream” media.

Where I started out today was from visiting with a local farmer who had bottled elderberry juice available for sale – that he had raised and gotten processed. The info sheet he had told about this flu property of elderberries, so I thought to look it up tonight.

And so much for mandatory shots with mystery compounds that drive the conspiracists nuts.

Research centered on Sambucu nigra, the black European elder shows that while elderberry doesn’t prevent one catching the flu, it is able to give almost incredibly fast relief.

His approach is to create a tincture (alchohol based) from the dried berries.

6. How to make elderberry tincture(or any herbal tincture)? Use any REALLY clean, preferably sterilized, glass jar – size does not really matter, but quart canning jars seem to be preferred for ease of storing, sterilizing, and filling. In ANY size glass jar, fill the jar 1/3 full of dried black (S. nigra) elderberries, this does NOT have to be exact, eyeball measurement is just fine. One pound of dried elderberries will eyeball fill 3 quarts with a bit left over or you can just evenly divide a pound of the dried berries between 3 quart jars. More really does NOT make the tincture stronger. Now fill the jar almost to the top with vodka, not less than 80 proof. DO NOT USE any other alcohol you happen to have in your stash no matter the proof, brand or type. VODKA = TINCTURE; Other alcohol = non-medicinal alcohol. Now, cap the jar securely, give a shake or two, and store in a cool, dark area for 7-10 days. That is the universally accepted time period to produce tincture. Longer does not make stronger; phases of the moon MAY have some effect but there is no documentation on that so far. After the 7-10 days you can strain off the liquid and toss the berry residue. DO NOT think to reuse that residue, the resulting liquid will not work as you expect. Your tincture is now ready to use should there be influenza in your area. You do not have to strain off the liquid, but the tincture is not going to get any more medicinal just sitting there soaking the berries. The alcohol molecules fill up to capacity within the 7-10 days and can absorb no more no matter how long it soaks.

7. How do you use elderberry tincture? Since elderberries medicinal properties work directly on Influenza A or B virus present in the body it is NOT a preventative, so taking it in hopes of avoiding infection will not work. When an adult exhibits symptoms of influenza infection i.e. sudden onset of high fever, dry persistent cough, weakness, commercially prepared elderberry preparations suggest taking internally 2 teaspoons of preparation every 4 hours i.e. Sambucol. To use homemade elderberry tincture consensus of opinion seems to be that taking 2 Tablespoons every 6 hours or so for 8-10 days will do the trick. There will be a reduction in symptoms within 2-3 days of taking elderberry tincture as per recommended above, but the virsus will still be present so take for the full 8-10 days just like taking an antibiotic for a prescribed treatment course. Some are hesitant to take after infection due to elderberrys’ VERY slight immune boosting properties.

And this author suggests you make a syrup for children and those who’d rather not use alchohol.

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WebMD had other favorable reports, stating in unqualified terms that relief from flu symptoms started within 72 hours.

In folk medicine, flowers from the black elder bush have been used to ease flu symptoms, colds, and sinus problems. In recent years, researchers have begun formal studies of Sambucol — a formulation of elderberry extract — to better understand this herbal remedy.

A small study published five years ago showed that 93% of flu patients given Sambucol were completely symptom-free within two days; those taking a placebo recovered in about six days. However, the study took place during an outbreak of influenza B — so it was unclear whether Sambucol worked with type A virus.

This current study shows that, indeed, it works for type A flu, reports lead researcher Erling Thom, with the University of Oslo in Norway.

Thom’s findings were presented at the 15th Annual Conference on Antiviral Research in 2002. The study has been accepted for publication in the Journal of International Medical Research.

The study involved 60 patients who had been suffering with flu symptoms for 48 hours or less; 90% were infected with the A strain of the virus, 10% were infected with type B. Half the group took 15 milliliters of Sambucol or and the other group took a placebo four times a day for five days.

Patients in the Sambucol group had “pronounced improvements” in flu symptoms after three days: Nearly 90% of patients had complete cure within two to three days. Also, the Sambucol group had no drowsiness, the downside of many flu treatments.

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Another report – just as recent as Nov 5 – says a clinical study confirms its efficacy against H1N1 virus

In a randomised, placebo controlled, double-blind in-vitro study the black elderberry extract was found to be 70 per cent effective in preventing the H1N1 virus from infecting healthy cells and reduced intracellular replication by the same amount. The extract, commercially available in the UK under the name Sambucol, was shown to have a significant effect on cells after just five minutes incubation time. Details of the study are available at www.blackelderberry.info.

This new research suggests that black elderberry extract could provide a two-fold solution to both the prevention and treatment of the H1N1 swine flu virus. The study also substantiates earlier trial findings which showed that the black elderberry extract was effective in reducing the duration of influenza symptoms by four days. In comparison, Tamiflu only reduces the duration of symptoms by one day. Previously, an in-vitro study also found black elderberry extract to be 99 per cent effective against the H5N1 strain of Avian Flu.

Following these results, scientists are investigating the possibility of applying for permission to engage in in-vivo studies on swine flu sufferers – something which is currently prohibited under European law.

Black elderberries are thought to contain a compound which coats viruses and prevents them from penetrating and infecting healthy cells. As a result viruses are unable to replicate. Any virus infected cells are then killed and ingested by the body’s white blood cells to remove the virus from the body.

Of course, that’s from a Press Release promoting the drug.

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And the natural cures are more effective than the unnatural ailments.

But hasn’t that been the Way all along?

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