WWW.SPIRITUALDAWN.COM

[Home]
[Up]
[Body & Soul]
[Natural Health]
[Divination]
[Development]
[Inspiration]
[Whats On]
[Spirit Workers]
[Founders]
[Guest Writers]
[Links]

Yes it’s nearly that time of the year again and the Elderberries are just beginning to form on the trees. The fruit is ripe when the tussles hang upside down.

Elderberry Syrup

The extracted juice of Elderberries baked to a syrup with sugar and spice for hot drinks is an old cure for winter coughs & colds.

I have used both of the following recipes, and would not like to go into winter without having them in my store. My grandson who is now 4 years has been drinking it for the last 2 years, so it is very safe.

1) Put a jar full of Elderberries into a hot oven until the juice runs, Strain off and to 1 pint of juice add ½ lb sugar and ¼ teaspoon (or large broken stick) of ground cinnamon. Cover and boil slowly until thick.

2) Put about 2 quarts of Elderberries in a covered casserole dish in a cool oven, as the juice forms keep pouring it off. Finally strain the berries through 2 layers of muslin or use a jelly bag. To each quart of juice add 1lb sugar and 12 cloves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 mins. Strain and bottle.

The Elder, which flourishes in gardens and hedgerows, was traditionally believed to be the tree from which Judas Iscariot hanged himself. To go near one after dark was to put yourself at the mercy of witches, though one growing by your door gave protection from enchantment.

The Elder fruit was nicknamed the "country medicine chest" by Colonial Americans for its wide variety of medicinal uses. The fruit of the Elderberry shrub has a long history of usage dating back thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians used Elderflowers to improve the complexion and heal burns. Many early Native American Indian tribes used Elderflower water for eye and skin lotions and elderflower extracts in medicinal teas. In the 17^th century, the British often drank home-made Elderberry wine and cordials to cure the common cold and relieve asthma and bronchitis.

Modern research shows that the extraordinary benefits of the Elderberry are due to its high concentration of Vitamin C, Bioflavonoids, fruit acids and special pigments called anthocyanins. In addition to influencing many of the body’s enzyme systems, these compounds have been found to help maintain the walls of small blood vessels, as well as play various roles that positively influence cellular function and protection in the human body.