DIY Flu Stopper
This is the third year I have revised this article. You have to make this stuff!! It is a staple in our home.
A few years ago I found myself desperate. I had three children at the time and was stuck in bed with strep throat and the flu…Oh, and my husband was at the fire station. In an attempt to get myself out of the bed as soon as possible I started looking for some home or herbal remedies to speed up the process. I couldn’t afford to be out of commission for very long.
Through all of my research everything kept pointing back to elderberries and all of the amazing properties they contain to prevent and even fight against the flu. Up until this point I had never even heard of elderberries, but like I said, I was desperate. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try.
I went to the store to get my ingredients for a recipe on elderberry syrup I found on the blog jillshomeremedies.com. This recipe is frugal friendly and makes a lot. Once at home I wasted no time making it and started taking the remedy soon after. Since I was so sick I consumed it every hour starting that afternoon until bedtime. I slept the best I had all week.
When I woke up, I’m not kidding, my symptoms were gone!!! I was still a bit weak from not eating or drinking but the sore throat, fevers, and body aches were no where in sight. I was able to care for my children and get back into life.
From that moment on I started telling everyone!! If someone came by my house not feeling well, I served them up my concoction. I have had numerous people in my family and friends talk about how wonderful the elderberry syrup was and how fast it took away their symptoms.
Every flu season I make a fresh batch. I have even made some to give as part of birthday presents this time of year. My goal is prevention for my entire family. I take thrill in the least amount of doctor trips as possible.
Here is the recipe I use. If you go to Jill’s recipe she also includes a video tutorial that is really great.
Elderberry Syrup
- 1 cup dried elderberry I purchase mine from the Bulk Herb Store.
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups of raw honey
- 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
Simmer elderberries in water for 30 minutes. Mash them, then strain into your quart sized jar. Add in honey and vinegar. This keeps for 6 months in the fridge.
Kids 5ml
Adults 10ml
For prevention you can take it just once a day. If you end up getting sick it is safe to take every hour until your feeling better 
My kids love the taste and ask for it everyday. The raw local honey and the apple cider vinegar only add to the awesome health benefits of this syrup.
I could seriously pour this on pancakes.
DIY Flu Stopper…Again
I am posting this again due to the fact that just about everyone I know has gotten sick with the flu, stomach bug, or has caught something yucky. I BELIEVE in this stuff. Over the course of time I have found a lot of great information off of the blog Jill’s home remedies. Go check it out and find natural alternatives to staying healthy.
Last year, out of a desperate attempt to get myself out of the bed from the flu and strep throat I started looking for some home or herbal remedies to help. After all, when you have three kids to tend to you can’t afford to be out of commission for very long. I ended up finding lots of information about elderberries and all of the amazing properties it contains to prevent and even fight against the flu if you have it. Up until this point I had never even heard of the stuff, but like I said, I was desperate. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try. I went to the store to get my ingredients for a recipe I found on the blog jillshomeremedies.com. I had no idea you could even buy the stuff premade! Jill’s recipe is much more frugal friendly and last longer as well. After consuming my homemade elderberry syrup every hour starting that afternoon until bedtime I slept the best I had all week. When I woke up, I’m not kidding, my symptoms were gone!!! I was still a bit weak from not eating or drinking but the sore throat, fevers, and body aches were no where in sight. From that moment on I started telling everyone!! If someone came by my house not feeling well I was serving them up my concoction. I have had numerous people in my family and friends talk about how wonderful the elderberry syrup was and how fast it took away their symptoms.
I made a fresh batch for flu season yesterday. My goal this year is prevention for my entire family. I am excited to see the difference in how many doctor trips we take this year compared to the last. So here is the recipe I use. If you go to Jill’s recipe she also includes a video tutorial that is really great.
I use the second recipe on her page and cut it in half. This fills up almost a quart.
Elderberry Syrup
- 1 cup dried elderberry ( You can get this at health food stores, I go to Healthy Home Market.)
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups of raw honey
- 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
Simmer elderberries in water for 30 minutes. Mash them, then strain into your quart sized jar. Add in honey and vinegar. This keeps for 6 months in the fridge.
Kids 5ml
Adults 10ml
For prevention you can take it just once a day. If you end up getting sick it is safe to take every hour until your feeling better
My kids love the taste and ask for it everyday. The raw local honey and the apple cider vinegar only add to the awesome health benefits of this syrup.
I could seriously pour this on pancakes
Family Traditions
…Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people… Nicholas Sparks
Every year my family gets together to make Christmas cookies. It’s never anything fancy. Most of the time someone burns something or forgets an ingredient with a last-minute trip to the store. It’s always the same every year. It truly is the people who make the family traditions. I am so thankful for all of the people in the picture above and all of the others in the kitchen. (Especially for bringing me cookies to eat while I carried around a sick baby)
Here is a picture of the awesome cookies I made before the crowd came with my sister Lily.
Salted Chocolate Chip Carmel Cookies
AMAZING….
I got this recipe off an awesome website I found through Pinterest called saorganics.com
Ingredients
2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
16 wrapped caramels, cut into 4 or 5 pieces each
sea salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
With an electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms (may take a couple of minutes of stirring). Fold in the chocolate chips (do not add the caramels yet). Do not overmix the dough at any point in this process.
Chill dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to 5 days) in the refrigerator. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Press a few pieces of caramel onto the tops of the cookies. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. The centers should appear very soft and puffy. Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt while they are warm. Let cool completely and enjoy!
DIY Flu Stopper
This is the third year I have revised this article. You have to make this stuff!! It is a staple in our home.
A few years ago I found myself desperate. I had three children at the time and was stuck in bed with strep throat and the flu…Oh, and my husband was at the fire station. In an attempt to get myself out of the bed as soon as possible I started looking for some home or herbal remedies to speed up the process. I couldn’t afford to be out of commission for very long.
Through all of my research everything kept pointing back to elderberries and all of the amazing properties they contain to prevent and even fight against the flu. Up until this point I had never even heard of elderberries, but like I said, I was desperate. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try.
I went to the store to get my ingredients for a recipe on elderberry syrup I found on the blog jillshomeremedies.com. This recipe is frugal friendly and makes a lot. Once at home I wasted no time making it and started taking the remedy soon after. Since I was so sick I consumed it every hour starting that afternoon until bedtime. I slept the best I had all week.
When I woke up, I’m not kidding, my symptoms were gone!!! I was still a bit weak from not eating or drinking but the sore throat, fevers, and body aches were no where in sight. I was able to care for my children and get back into life.
From that moment on I started telling everyone!! If someone came by my house not feeling well, I served them up my concoction. I have had numerous people in my family and friends talk about how wonderful the elderberry syrup was and how fast it took away their symptoms.
Every flu season I make a fresh batch. I have even made some to give as part of birthday presents this time of year. My goal is prevention for my entire family. I take thrill in the least amount of doctor trips as possible.
Here is the recipe I use. If you go to Jill’s recipe she also includes a video tutorial that is really great.
Elderberry Syrup
- 1 cup dried elderberry I purchase mine from the Bulk Herb Store.
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups of raw honey
- 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
Simmer elderberries in water for 30 minutes. Mash them, then strain into your quart sized jar. Add in honey and vinegar. This keeps for 6 months in the fridge.
Kids 5ml
Adults 10ml
For prevention you can take it just once a day. If you end up getting sick it is safe to take every hour until your feeling better 🙂
My kids love the taste and ask for it everyday. The raw local honey and the apple cider vinegar only add to the awesome health benefits of this syrup.
I could seriously pour this on pancakes.
Hey Y'all! My name is Brittany Styron. Sweet Country Roots is a place I hope to encourage, inspire, and bring a chuckle. Grab yourself a cup of coffee and join conversations about marriage, babies, homeschooling, frugal living, good food, and an old fashioned way of thinking.
