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Oh no! You can sense a disturbance in the Force. You've been washing your hands and being careful. For all your caution, you're feeling worse--much worse! You wound up with the flu! 

I know when there is a disturbance in the Force, as my ears itch, my throat starts to get dry, and the real hint is
my energy level hits rock bottom. Let me be clear, it is like I am in swamp, stuck up to my knees. Trapped like the X-Wing in the Empire Strikes Back. 

Once I already have the flu all I can really do is try to manage the symptoms.

Anyone's who's suffered the flu will probably have strong memories of the worst of the symptoms and how long it feels like they can last. Managing those can be a stress so it doesn't hurt to prepare just in case the worst comes along. No need for a light saber duel to fight this one off--what the galaxy may need is Elderberries.

Elderberry has been across the news in recent years regarding both its historical use for immune boosting and more recent science backing up what it can do. More recent studies have shown that people using elderberry suffered less cold and flu-like symptoms after the stresses of travel. Participants who did not have any elderberry suffered their symptoms much longer in this study. Another study found that participants who used elderberry also recovered from symptoms faster than those who did not. By no small amount did they recover either, the average relief coming 4 days sooner than the placebo group. While these are both smaller studies, the findings are highly interesting.

It's also been found that in laboratory settings, elderberries possessed antimicrobial activity against the influenza virus. This study specifically used a liquid extract for their results and concluded that this might show elderberry to be a good addition to combating infections by influenza. Lab results are different from a test actually in the human body, but it shows great promise when findings like this occur so conclusively. All of these studies are smaller and more research is certainly required, but the results look promising.

So if you feel the Force is out of alignment, think about stocking some elderberry. Syrup is a really popular way of using this berry and you can even make your own syrups at home. That's right, you don't have to pay out for a very expensive small bottle when you can make your own right at home. If you'd like some tips on making syrups, we have lots of instructions and tips on our page on the subject. We also have natural Certified Organic Whole Form Elderberries in stock in 4 ounce bags. These are perfect for making your own syrup at home! They typically last long enough to get you through the winter season and use really simple ingredients that you may already have at home.

Be safe and stay healthy this flu season!

If you have any questions about elderberries or about any items in our store in general, feel free to use the little chat icon on your left and ask us a question or contact us on social media.

May the Health (Force) be with you!