Sore Throat

[salmonberry]

I have a summer cold. Yuck. I have a sore throat, primarily, with a malaise kind of feeling. I have nothing stored up. Is there anything I can collect now to help? Please let me know.

salmonberry

[Jenny]

Sorry it took so long for me to reply. I do hope you're feeling better. I went into town the day after you wrote this and didn't see the post until I returned home. Well, actually I flew home late last week, but this is the first time I've read the forum posts.

Anyway, if you have elderberry bushes around you, the flowers are the best thing in the world for viral infections, IMO. There are even lots of studies proving their worth against various strains of the flu. If the flowers in your area are past their prime, you can use any part of the bush. Be warned that it tastes about as bad as it smells. Since we have some, but not a ton, around here, I use the flowers just as they are starting to open to make tinctures. I put some in a jar and cover with brandy or vodka. They all seem to bloom at different times, so I just pick them and add to the brew as they are ready. If you have enough, I'd suggest using the flowers in a tea, though. I just purchased more flowers from Frontier Herb and Spice. I think theirs are Black Elder Flowers, which are supposed to be the best. Ours are the red variety, but I still think they're helpful for colds, sore throat, and all-round yucky feelings.

I chopped some elder leaves and covered with vegetable oil, and let it brew on the warming shelf of the cookstove for about a week. Works OK as a mosquito repellent. Nothing seems to work great around here. I think the wild chive oil I made works better, but I don't like smelling like fried onion rings when the bears are roaming around looking for a meal!

Hope you're feeling better,

Jenny

[salmonberry]

Thank you for replying. I am feeling better.

I had read about elderberry flowers and have one bush nearby, but alas, no flowers. I thought other parts of elderberry were poisonous. I could be remembering wrong. I tried yarrow tea, which didn't help much and lemon and honey in hot water, which tasted great. What really took the pain away was apple cider vinegar and warm water gargles. I couldn't believe it. The effect lasted quite awhile.

I will try the elderberry flower tincture, though, as soon as I find some flowers

Thanks again
Salmonberry

[Jenny]

Glad you're feeling better. I've read that the red elder like we have here is toxic, but actually it's only the seeds of the berries that are toxic. I've never made anything from the berries for fear of getting some of the seed. I've used an oil from the leaves (steeping leaves in oil) to repel mosquitoes and had no problem. Even used it on my children, although it's not the best thing in the world for keeping bugs away. Things are absorbed through the skin, so I would think if it's toxic, even the oil would cause a problem.

Here is a quote from "Discovering Wild Plants" by Janice Schofield:

"Elder leaves have been used as poultices for sprains and skin irritations; root and leaf decoctions serve as washes for skin ailments. Dena'ina Athabascans sip root decoctions for ailments ranging from colds to tuberculosis; to prepare, they peel and discard the outer bark and boil the remainder in water. The root is squeezed well and the tea is drunk."

But, I do think I'd stick with the flowers for internal use, just to be on the safe side.

For yarrow, I've had the best experience with it when I've had a fever. It helps, along with willow, birch or cottonwood. I've never tried using the apple cider vinegar for a sore throat, but will sure try it next time! A couple of years ago, I had a bad cold that turned into a cough which was keeping me up all night. I mixed a couple of Tbsp. lemon juice with the same amount of honey in 2 cups of very warm (almost hot) water. I drank half right before getting in bed, then kept the glass beside the bed. I went to sleep right away without coughing. Then when I woke up once in the middle of the night coughing again, I drank the rest and went right back to sleep until the alarm went off. I used it for several nights, and was thankful to finally get some sleep. I didn't have a sore throat at that time, so I don't know how it would have worked.

I forgot about the main thing I usually use for a sore throat (This is the first year I've made my own elder flower tincture, so I'll be trying that now), or anytime I start feeling under the weather. I use wormwood. Some folks say you shouldn't drink it, but I use it all the time for everyone in my family. I learned about it from the natives where we used to live. It doesn't grow wild around here, so I'm growing some in our perineal garden this year. Don't know if it will be as potent as the wild. Probably not, but we'll see. I think the tea is better than a tincture, but a tincture is handy, and you can get more out of a little bit of herb. Since I have to use precious garden space for it, I'll be making tincture with it instead of drying lots of the wild herb for teas during the winter like I used to do.

Thanks for sharing what worked for you. I always try to have a little apple cider vinegar handy, but running low and forgot to get another jug in town.

Jenny

[mandlwilliamson]

oooooh good info, thank you:)

[Jenny]

Hi Mandlwilliamson,

WELCOME! ! ! Glad you joined us. Hope we can keep in touch better now

Jenny