To be totally clear, I am not an herbalist or a medical provider. Who I am is a person who cares about access to excellent information, with years of experience sharing with family & friends. Just last week, I told my sister, I realized that sharing high quality information is my love language.
I’ll be posting a series for parents, childbearing families, and folks in general, bringing you valuable materials for self-care. This week I forward you an evidence based post by Dr. Kataeri.
In summary he says:
“Elderberry & elderflower are excellent herbs for every member of the family to build immune system health. These herbs are immune system modulators, valuable both in preventative care and during the virus. Elderberry & elderflower strengthen the immune system when it’s low function, and balance, or tone down, an overactive inflammatory response during an acute illness.”
Many of the severe symptoms of flus are due to an immune system on overdrive with inflammatory response. The immune system works hard, trying full force to mount an all out attack on the virus, but then actually creates inflammation through the body that’s debilitating and creates many secondary health problems typical of the flu.
Elderberry & flowers are NOT immune stimulators. A lot of the confusion on the web assumes that elderberry & flower are immune system stimulators that would ramp up an already hyperactive immune system. Instead, these herbs, as whole plants, are our friends. Elderberry & flowers modulate our immune system responses to bring them into balance.
In his article, Dr Kataeri, references research at the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), a branch of the NIH (National Institute of Health): https://wholistickids.com/cytokine-storm-and-elderberry-its-not-that-simple/
Find an herbalist or naturopath in your area for guidance & support to strengthen your family’s immune system. We have many excellent practitioners who serve families, including specialized care for children and for pregnant & nursing mothers.
Posts in the coming weeks for your family and friends:
– Evidence based information specific to pregnancy, breastfeeding and postpartum women
– Are you getting pressured to induce birth early? How to know if your body is ready to give birth, and avoid a C-section.
– Holistic care for you and your family
– Wisdom & humor to navigate uncertainty & risk
– What are your questions?