Cold and Flu Season - What do you do?

Black Elderberry – the solution to the UK’s cold and flu crisis?

The Black Elderberry has a strong heritage and was referred to as ‘medicine chest’ by Hippocrates (400BC). References to the healing berry can be traced back to the Egyptians who had the tincture buried with them, and the Greeks who took it into battle with them to keep their army well. It has even made its way into literature: did you know the most powerful wand in Harry Potter is made of Sambucus and is known as the ‘Elder Wand’?

Elderberry extract has been used for centuries by herbalists and is renowned for its ability to destroy infectious cold and flu viruses.

http://www.blackelderberry.info/

Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is produced in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the native manuka bush. Advocates say it treats wound infections and other conditions.

WebMD takes a look at what the science says about using manuka honey as a medicine.

Healing Power of Honey

Honey has been used since ancient times to treat multiple conditions. It wasn't until the late 19th century that researchers discovered that honey has natural antibacterial qualities.

Honey protects against damage caused by bacteria. Some honey also stimulates production of special cells that can repair tissue damaged by infection. In addition, honey has an anti-inflammatory action that can quickly reduce pain and inflammation once it is applied.

But not all honey is the same. The antibacterial quality of honey depends on the type of honey as well as when and how it's harvested. Some kinds of honey may be 100 times more potent than others.

Components of Manuka Honey

Hydrogen peroxide is a component of honey. It gives most honey its antibiotic quality. But some types of honey, including manuka honey, also have other components with antibacterial qualities.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/manuka-honey-medicinal-uses

Now that you have the above information that is scientific and or historical..., I will tell you about my experiment to see if any of the above is true. 

NOTE:  DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO HONEY OR ELDERBERRIES.

On a Friday evening around 7:00 p.m. my nose started to drip on the left side like a faucet.  Most annoying kind of "cold" starter.  No matter how many times you blow your nose it still runs.  That one spot in your nose has an endless supply of liquid.  Easiest thing to do is roll a tissue and plug that side of the nose up. Why?  soaks up the liquid and the liquid does not run down your throat.

I have Manuka honey in the house and Sambucol which has the black elderberry extract in it... so I said to myself... "I can try out this experiment myself."  

That night I took a half of teaspoon of the Sambucol Black Elderberry (Orig. Formula) and it did not taste bad and that was it.  Next day, Saturday... now both sides of my nose were dripping.  I have both sides with tissues in each nostril and look like a walrus.  

Saturday, I started the manuka honey MGO 400+ and I only take the very end of a teaspoon ... maybe an 8th of a teaspoon.  It is powerful and I feel a person does not need to take that much.  The taste is familiar like it was in some kind of cough syrup as a child.  I keep manuka honey from Manuka Health MGO 400+ in the house to use for anything from burns to pimples.  And I took another teaspoon of the Sambucol.  That is it.  I took it in the middle of the afternoon... not twice a day and not at night.  Nose is still dripping... sneezing... and voice started to sound hoarse.

Sunday..., voice is back..., nose is dripping less..., still sneezing..., and still hungry and no fever.  I feel by starting this above two ingredients right away... I saved myself from fever and probably the worst flu and cold combo that is going around.  Still taking an 8th of a teas. of honey and a teaspoon of the Sambucol... next day Monday.

Monday... dripping nose gone, a sneeze now and then, and I feel fine.  All is gone but will take the honey and sambucol for another day and that should be it.

Now I have had these dripping nose colds before and never has it ever been gone in 3 days flat.  So in my opinion I think that it worked fine for me to use this combo for any future colds and or flu.  Oh yes, I also took a half of a blood orange per day for vitamin C and one kid's Choc. Pediasure for vitamins and minerals.

I try to go as natural as possible for cures...

Eve