Five Reasons Why You Should Eat Elderberry for Swine Flu Prevention and Treatment

For hundreds of years, people in England have used the flowers and berries of the Elder plant to treat fevers, colds, and a host of other health problems. Back then they knew nothing about viruses and how they attacked the body. They only knew that parts of this plant worked very effectively against certain symptoms.

So what makes elderberry so great for treating and preventing swine flu? Here are five main reasons:

1. Prevents flu viruses from entering healthy cells.
2. Tastes good.
3. It is easily achievable.
4. Reduces recovery time from six days to two days.
5. It has no negative side effects

Prevent cell entry

Now modern science has shown why elderberries are so effective, especially against viruses like influenza. Multiple studies have appeared in recent years showing that compounds in elderberries prevent influenza viruses from entering cells, especially the respiratory tract. This is wonderful news, as conventional medicine has few effective treatments for viral infections and the flu.

Tastes good

Elderberries can be somewhat bitter when unripe, but quite sweet when ripe. Most of the preparations have a very pleasant flavor, with a blueberry flavor.

Easy to find

Due to scientific research on the efficacy of elderberry against influenza, most health food stores and many web-based health product vendors now carry a selection of preparations from different companies. These preparations consist of syrups, extracts, tablets, and lozenges. Black elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra) is the most effective.

Reduces recovery time

A 2004 study at the University of Oslo in Norway showed that 93% of flu patients given the extract were completely symptom-free within 2 days; those who took a placebo recovered in about 6 days. So if we’ve been exposed to the flu or feel like we’re getting sick, taking elderberry will help with prevention and shorten the duration if we do, in fact, have the flu virus.

No negative side effects

Russell Greenfield, MD, a leading integrative medicine practitioner and medical director of Carolinas Integrative Health, in a press release. “It can be given to children and adults, and with no known side effects or negative interaction.”

Flu medications, on the other hand, are known to have negative side effects. Many countries stopped using swine flu drugs because they had so many serious side effects, especially in children. In addition, the swine flu vaccine has had many serious problems and questionable efficacy.

These are just five reasons to consider getting elderberry for flu prevention and your home medicine cabinet. As more research is done on the properties and effects of this handy plant, it is likely that more reasons for its use will be discovered.

Get my free report, “10 Flu Remedies From a Doctor’s Wife” to learn more about using elderberry with other effective therapies for flu prevention and treatment on my Mom Essentials blog.