Get to know Black Elderberry, Hippocrates’s ‘Great Medicine Chest’
With Malaysia’s movement control order (MCO) extended further, this may not be the time to be feeling under the weather. A cough here and a sniffle there will not only put you in high alert but also those around you.
If you really get under the weather, what can you do?
First, recover as quickly as possible.
Second, boost your immunity to prevent reoccurrence.
Third, boost your families’ immunity to prevent them from falling sick.
Medical professional note that majority of people who have cold and flu do not need medical attention. Most can remain at home. You are likely to recover within a week or two without any medication. But cold and flu viruses are highly contagious. A person with flu can spread flu viruses up to 6 feet away 1. It means, you are likely to spread your viruses to those living closely with you such as your spouse, children or elderly parents.
Do you know children are especially prone to developing a cold? It is because a child is not immune to many cold viruses. A child may catch a cold 5 to 10 times a year before they turn age 2, while an adult may get around 2 to 4 times a year. That is almost twice as often compared to an adult.
As Covid-19 pandemic continues to grip the headlines, speedy recovery for yourself and boosting the immunity for your close family members becomes an urgency. Taking supplements now is definitely a good idea.
For the best cold and flu remedy, look no further than black elderberry. Elderberry is known for relieving cold and flu symptoms as well as boosting immunity against cold and flu viruses. It is an essential in the fight against cold and flu viruses.
What is elderberry? According to in The ABC Clinical Guide to Elderberry published by the American Botanical Council, it is described as follows:
European elder fruit is a berry-like drupe, native to Europe, Northern Africa, and Western- and Central Asia with a long history of traditional use among European herbalists documented since ancient times in the writings of Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Pliny the Elder. Elder berries have long been used for making preserves, wines, winter cordials, and for “adulterating,” i.e., adding flavor and color to other wines. In recent years, dietary supplements and other natural health products containing extracts, juices or syrups of European elder berry have become popular in the U.S. as remedies for treating cold and flu symptoms, marketed primarily through natural food stores alongside other popular herbal remedies used for treatment or prevention of upper respiratory tract infections and other symptoms associated with colds and flus.
The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, once called elderberry as his great “medicine chest”, due to its amazing healing ability. Hippocrates died in 370BC which was more than two thousand years ago. Yet, elderberry’s popularity never waned with recent studies indicating it boost the immune system 4, speed-up recovery and reduce the severity of cold and flu symptoms 5.
Elderberry continues to rank among the top natural herbs with anti-viral properties. Its anti-viral properties are clinically proven to be effective against different strains of influenza virus such as H1N1, H5N1 6, Influenza A and B 7. Furthermore, a double-blinded placebo study confirms elderberry liquid extract reduced the duration of flu symptoms by average 34% or 4 days earlier 7. You can suffer less with elderberry!
Not only does elderberry comes to your rescue in times of cold and flu, but it helps to boost your immunity against pathogens and bacteria 4. Elderberry stimulates the body to fight viruses more effectively by enhancing cytokine production. Cytokines are signaling proteins that mediate and regulate various bodily functions such as immunity and inflammation. Studies indicates the cytokines production is higher using black elderberry compared to other herbal remedy.
Imagine how guilty it will be when your family members get sick because of you. Do not let it happen. You can prevent it by boosting their immunity against your cold and flu viruses. By adding elderberry into their daily lives, you are actively protecting them.
But beware, not all elderberry products are equal. Majority of clinical studies uses a specific black elderberry extract under the brand name Sambucol®. Sambucol® is developed by scientist, recommended by experts and trusted by parents. It is produced using a unique formulation and extraction process which preserves and maximizes the naturally occurring health benefits flavonoids (naturally occurring antioxidants) of black elderberry. Other products are produced differently and may not have similar therapeutic effects of Sambucol®.
As Covid-19 pandemic continues to grip our lives, keep yourself and your family safe by practicing good hygiene, social distancing and adding Sambucol® into your life. Sambucol® – the little black elderberry that packs a punch.
References:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiration Diseases (NCIRD). 2017, October 5. How flu spreads. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/spread.htm.
- Canadian Paediatric Society Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. (2005). Colds in children. Paediatr Child Health. 10(8): 493–495. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/10.8.493.
- America Botanical Council. (2004). The ABC Clinical Guide to Elder Berry. Retrieved from http://abc.herbalgram.org/site/DocServer/Elderberry-scr.pdf?docID=165.
- Barak V, Halperin T, Kalickman I. (2001). The effect of Sambucol black elderberry, a natural product based on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines. European Cytokine Network. 12 (2): 290-6.
- Rao A, Sethi M, Dick C. (2016). A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy Sambucol® liquid formulation to reduce the duration and severity of the common cold symptoms in adults. PHA-Sam15 Clinical Trial Report V.4 (Final).
- Balasingam S, Lamkin R, Safirman D, Mumcuoglu M, Oxford JS. (2006). Neutralizing activity of Sambucol® against avian NIBRG-14 (H5N1) influenza virus. In IV International Conference on Influenza, Preventing the Pandemic, Bird Flu Vaccines. London; 23–24. June.
- Zakay-Rones Z, Thom E, Wollan T, et. al. (2004). Randomized Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Elderberry Extract in the Treatment of Influenza A and B Virus Infections. The Journal of International Medical Research. 32: 132-140.
- Colds, flu, and allergies be gone with natural elderberry extract. Retrieved from https://www.health365.com.au/articles/colds-flu-and-allergies-be-gone-with-natural-elderberry-extract 2/4.
