Home-made sore throat /cough syrup

My 2 1/2 year old caught a bad case of laryngitis from her Daddy this week and my Christian holistic doctor recommended that I make her this soothing and healing syrup to help her feel better.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup elder berries
2 cups water
can also add a Tbs. or 2 of other healing herbs like nettles, mullein, echinacea, etc.
about 3 Tbs raw Honey to taste

Directions: Using a pot that is not metal (metal ruins the medicinal quality of herbs), gently simmer elderberries, water, and other herbs for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the syrup cool down. Strain through a cheesecloth. Stir in honey until dissolved. (Note: do not stir in honey while really hot or it will kill the healing properties of the honey. Wait until it is just warm enough to dissolve the honey). Administer several Tbs. every few hours til better.

Owie Syrup

I was so excited to find this yummy, healthy, natural recipe for swelling and pain relief on Local Nourishment blog! I'm going to stock up on this once pineapples and cherries come in season :)

Twisted ankles, sprained wrists, fat lips. All these can take place over the course of a normal childhood. But next time, instead of reaching for a pill to take that inflammation down, try this delicious syrup on toast, porridge, ice cream or pancakes. Not hungry? A spoonful taken like a medicinal syrup will do just as well. First, the recipe, nutritional notes follow.

Owie Syrup
1 organic pineapple
2 cups organic tart cherries (fresh, in season if possible, otherwise frozen)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground organic cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup (or less) organic maple syrup or unheated, unfiltered honey

Peel, core and run the pineapple through a juicer. Pit cherries, add to pineapple juice in blender or food processor. Melt coconut oil in a bowl over a warm water bath, but do not allow oil to get warmer than skin temperature. Stream in coconut oil while blender is running. Add cinnamon and cloves. Taste before adding maple syrup, as it might be sweet enough without it. Store syrup in refrigerator.

Brave users can try just a little grated ginger in this as well, but my kids tell me that “ruins it.”

Nutritional notes:

Pineapple is particularly rich in bromelain, an enzyme that decreases inflammation. Cherries are rich in anthocyanins. In general, the darker the cherry color, the higher the anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins have been found to block two enzymes, COX-1 and COX-2, which play a role in the production of inflammatory compounds called prostaglandins. NSAIDS work the same way. Cinnamon’s ability to lower the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes makes it an excellent anti-inflammatory food. Ginger’s volatile oils are helpful in reducing inflammation. Coconut oil appears to have a direct effect in suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue. Maple syrup and cloves are used for flavoring.

The important enzymes in these foods will be destroyed if the syrup or any of its ingredients are heated about 115°, so this syrup is not cooked. For the same reason, canned pineapple and cherries will not have the same potency. As the coconut oil cools, it will thicken the syrup a little. If the syrup becomes too thick, leaving it at room temperature for a time will soften it again.