Sambucal

[Guest Guest]

I have a terribly sore throat, so am going to try some of the Sambucal that I ordered. I also ordered Elderberries, and will make a tincture as soon as I can get to the liquor store for some Vodka. I should go to the Dr. but the co-pays have gotten so darn expensive. Guess i'll see if I am better in a few days.

[Bamboo]

Mare, I hope you are feeling better soon.

[gardnmom]

If it doesn't work, try a tsp. of raw honey. It will coat your throat and the antibiotic action will help it heal.

[Guest Guest]

For a sore throat (before I discovered Halls) my mom would always boil me some water with honey and lemon juice. I don't know if it was the heat, the honey, or the lemon that did it, but I always felt better. And it sure tastes better than Halls. Good luck Mare!

[Guest Guest]

Thanks. It's not getting any better, and seems to affecting my left ear now, so I have a Dr. appt tomorrow.

[bee1425]

Mare, I hope you feel better soon.

[ricardo]

Just out of curiosity, in this situation what would Mare

do if there were no doctor to go to? The doctors are

always prescribing antibioctics for everything. It's a

cure-all for them.

 

Would the elderberry help the ear and the throat if

they are infected? Wrong way to state this and might

get me into trouble. Here it is again.

 

What is the elderberry good for? Isn't sambucal,

elderberry extract?

 

If there are no more doctors aren't more people going

to die of infections like they used to? I'm not talking

about an ear infection. What would happen if an ear

infection were not treated? Wouldn't you loose some

hearing or does it just go away (the infection, I mean)?

 

Sorry for the questions, but after the New Orleans crisis

I am looking for more insight. It's a scary world we

live in (sometimes).

 

[redhenfarm]

A long time ago in this town (1890s or so) there was a woman doctor who came through and treated people. Also there were women in the community who helped nurse sick people - our family friend's mother was one of these. Some people built up skills and helped others. They also used some Chinese medicine from the recently immigrated Chinese community (also bought their vegetables). I think it's possible we would return to committed local doctors and the "ladder climbers/pocket fillers" would move on. They especially leave small communities like this but even in the 50s the several doctors who served this community served it and raised their families here just like everyone else. We also have several chiropractors, naturopaths and a certified herb lady who I believe would stay and they work for less than the doctors and don't rely on all the labs/prescriptions in the same way. Many of us have come to "think for ourselves" when it comes to medical needs. My journey with this started when I chose natural childbirth. Which reminds me - we have midwives in this area. I know my pastor's wife delivered her own last two grandchildren. There are resources but we've become such an isolated society we have to rebuild those things.

[gardnmom]

3 drops of colloidal Silver put in the ear 3 or 4 times a day took care of my nieces ear infections in 5 doses, this was after it was well established and they found that she was allergic to one med and had to wait 3 days to try something else. While they were waiting they tried the CS and it worked.

And yes we would have to go back to a lot of the old ways. But the diagnostics were not nearly as accurate. I am not familiar with the properties of elderberries, I'll look it up.

[ricardo]

Quote:

I have a terribly sore throat, so am going to try some of the Sambucal that I ordered. I also ordered Elderberries, and will make a tincture as soon as I can get to the liquor store for some Vodka. I should go to the Dr. but the co-pays have gotten so darn expensive. Guess i'll see if I am better in a few days.

My daughter got a sore throat and I had her take some
Sambucal. I first had her take a taste with her finger.
That's the medicine test with my kids. To see the flavor.
She said it was so horrible. I read were you could put
it with some juice. She drank the juice.

I'm not giving her the intense treatment. I'm giving her
the immune treatment. So that she builds up to it.
I couldn't give that to a child right off 4x a day!
This way her body is getting used to it. I will keep her
at once a day for a month. Any suggestions, on that?

Mare, have you made any tincture yet? I am waiting for
my elderberries to arrive. Did you use fresh or dried
elderberries? I just ordered them, so they won't get here
until next week.

I am nervous, yet excited, I have never made a tincture
before. I guess it's like anything else. I was this way
with soap, it turn out great. I love doing it. Cooking
things from scractch. It's results are worth all the
ingredients and time. Maybe it's just me. I'm like a kid
at the doctors office. Full of nerves but not scared.

That describes me to a T.

[Guest Guest]

You are so cute Grubby...

 

You have a knack of putting into words thoughts and feelings we all have towards the same thing...lol

 

((((grubby))))

[Guest Guest]

Sorry Grubby, I haven't been on for a few days. I was recovering, and I OD'd on news coverage so I took a few days off from the computer.

 

I bought dried Elderberry for making the tincture, and dried Elder flowers...I don't remember what for. I'm just now getting around to putting the berries into Vodka. Tastes yucky huh? The juice sounds like a good idea.

[Guest Guest]

dried elderberries? plant them! or at least a couple.

 

http://ssfruit.cas.psu.edu/chapter11/chapter11a.htm

 

hopefully this will tell you how.

[Guest Guest]

spice up your elderberry tincture.. turn it into a cordial!

 

 

Blackberry or Elderberry Cordial

 

1 tablespoon whole allspice

1 tablespoon cloves

1 piece stick cinnamon

8 quarts blackberries or elderberries

2 quarts cold water

4 pounds granulated sugar

2 quarts whiskey or brandy

 

Tie spices in a cloth bag. Pick over and wash berries. Place in preserving kettle; cover with water, and boil until thoroughly soft; then strain. Measure, and to each quart of juice add 2 cups sugar. Add spice bag and boil 20 minutes. Let cool, and measure again. To each quart of syrup, add 1 pint or whiskey or brandy. Bottle and cork tightly.

 

Will keep; improves with age.

 

 

 

 

Elderberry Or Blackberry Cordial

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon whole allspice

1 tablespoon cloves

1 piece stick cinnamon

8 quarts blackberries or elderberries (we just picked lots of them)

2 quarts cold water

4 pounds granulated sugar

2 quarts whiskey or brandy (I used a half size bottle)

 

Description

*Pick over and wash berries. Place in preserving kettle; cover with water, and boil until thoroughly soft; then strain.

*Measure, and to each quart of juice add 2 cups sugar-- I decided when I found I had 9 cups of juice, that 1kg of sugar was about right. Add spice bag and boil 20 minutes--I reduced it to about half the quantity.

* Let cool, and measure again. To each quart of syrup, add 1 pint of whiskey or brandy. Bottle and cork tightly. This keeps well and improves with age----I didn't bother to measure again, I just added a half size bottle of brandy to it, quickly bottled it in sterilized jars and closed them while hot for a good seal.

 

I couldn't get whole allspice, so I used ground, I used 1 clove per cup of juice as I didn't want the cloves to overpower, just enhance. I have no idea how many elderberries we used, but it was sufficient to make about 1.5L in the end. Oh, if you can't use a spice bag like I couldn't, don't forget to strain the syrup before bottling.

 

 

Elderberry Cordial

Elderberries (still on stalks)

Sugar

Cloves

 

Pick the fruit on a dry day and stew with the stalks in a large stainless steel saucepan, with just enough water to cover.

 

Strain through muslin squeezing to get all the juice.

 

To each pint of juice add 1 lb (450g) of white granulated sugar and 10 cloves.

 

Boil for 10 minutes.

 

Allow to cool and bottle in sterile bottles with good quality plastic screw-on tops making sure you distribute the cloves evenly amongst the bottles (they act as a preservative).

 

The cordial can be used immediately, and will keep well for a year or two.

 

Taken with hot water it is renowned as a guard against colds, and a glass a day through winter is a wise precaution..

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Thanks Wes! Now there's how I like to take medicine...with something that will help me sleep.

[motherearth]

Just an FYI....I did a google search for Sambucal and the first 2 links are to this thread.........

[ricardo]

I made *some* tintacure yesterday. I have 3lbs. of the

dried elderberries. I only used up one pound, I ran out

of vodka.

 

I am not a drinker. A mixed drink every once in a while

with friends maybe. I opend the vodka and smelled it and

it smells just like rubbing alcohol.

 

First the elderberries, stink. Now the vodka smells like

rubbing alcohol. I keep telling myself, "It's going to

be ok, it won't be so bad."

 

 

[gardnmom]

I found a site that gives more info on the use of Elderberries for the flu.

It is a PDF file that shows the results of clinical testing...... and the recommended dosage.

http://www.herbalgram.org/files/pdfs/elderberry-scr.pdf

[ricardo]

I ordered my elderberries from Herbalcom.com I recieved

them on Friday. This afternoon as we were comming home

we passed UPS, UPS rarely comes out our way. I pull into

the driveway and sitting on the porch are two boxes. (?)

I was expecting one, but what was in the other?

 

I looked at the box and it's labeled Herbalcom. I'm

thinking to myself that I am not going crazy that I

already got a box and I only made one purchase.

 

My daughter is opening the box and yelling "OH NO MORE

STINKY BERRIES!!" of this. What if a

little bird is trying to tell me something.

 

Now what the **** am I going to do with 5lbs. of dried

elderberries? I am in need of some info!!!!!!!

 

If I make tintacure with 3lbs, how long will the tintacure

keep?

 

How long will dried elderberries keep? I am NOT putting

them in my freezer. Well, I guess I can, if they are

in a jar. Right?

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Grubby, you crack me up! I think your're right in accepting the error as maybe in your favor. From what I understand, tinctures last a very long time. I only bought a pound, but am going to buy more. I read somewhere that you can make a tincture by heating the berries and adding equal sugar and water or juice to preserve it. It might be more palatable, but apparently, the alcohol preserves it better. If I can find that thread again, I'll post it for you.

[Guest Guest]

plant some!

[gardnmom]

Tincture is always made with alcohol. If it is made with anything else it is either extract, juice or tea. It makes a difference in the dosage. The tincture is usually diluted with something when you use it. Homeopathy uses much smaller amounts by diluting it with more alcohol or added to tea. Tea is a decoction...... Tea is steeped.

http://www.herbalgram.org/files/pdfs/elderberry-scr.pdf

Page 3 of the above document gives the dosage for each.

[ricardo]

Quote:

Grubby, you crack me up! I think your're right in accepting the error as maybe in your favor. From what I understand, tinctures last a very long time. I only bought a pound, but am going to buy more. I read somewhere that you can make a tincture by heating the berries and adding equal sugar and water or juice to preserve it. It might be more palatable, but apparently, the alcohol preserves it better. If I can find that thread again, I'll post it for you.

Mare, I did my homework.

"You don't necessarily want to dilute the tincture BUT pour it in a sainless steel pan, bring it to a simmer and add sugar to taste, then simmer for about 10-15 minutes. With about 4 cups of tincture I use 1/2 cup sugar you may like more."

"I have found over the years tincture stay medicinally potent done in alcohol for far longer that 2 years."

These quotes came from goatlady2 at TB2K.

The only thing I didn't find out was how long will the
dried berries last? Can I freeze them?

[gardnmom]

My plan is to freeze mine. It should keep them viable for a lot longer. Seal them so that moisture won't degrade them.

[Guest Guest]

berries and sugar = wine!

 

dark skinned fruit contains yeast.. see the sort of whitish color to the black/purple/blue fruit? yeast!

 

the reason to add water and heat berries it so reconstitute them. Add a little sugar and it will ferment.

 

for a fancy wine from dried berries

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request118.asp

 

I still say take some of those dried berries (10) and plant them! grow your own bushes.