Swine Flu got ya down. Here are some Herbal facts and an Herbalist take on the whole thing. WWT
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Swine Flu
I’m sure most of you are aware of what’s going on and I do not need to tell you that a nasty virus is making it’s way around the world. You’re probably also inundated with frightening forecasts and statistics. So I won’t repeat any of that now. The reason for this special Kyyndred’s Closet newsletter is to share with you some antiviral herbs and recipe’s that the media is not telling you about. So, I’ll post those first and then I’ll ramble on at the end.

Antiviral Herbs (in no particular order)
Please note that herbs are capable of interacting with medications and can exacerbate certain medical conditions. Please be responsible and check with your health care provider before treating yourself.

Grape Seed Extract
Elderberry leaves
Elderberry syrup (made from the berries)
Garlic
Echinacea
Green Tea
Licorice Root
Olive Leaf
Zinc
Fresh Apple Juice
Theives Oil. (I know, not an herb, but I’ll address that at the end of the newsletter)

Immune System Boosting Herbs

Echinacea
Astragalus
Ashwagandha
Boneset
Siberian Ginseng
Vitamin C in large doses
Garlic
Onion
Shiitake Mushroom
Usnea

Recipes

Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry is antiviral in any form and said to be just as effective as the western medicine antiviral medications. The syrup is especially potent against viruses.
2 cups water
1 cup fresh elderberries or ½ cup dried
1 cup honey (adjust to taste)

Put water and berries in a pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and let them simmer for 30-45 minutes. Mash the berries and then strain the liquid. Add about a cup of honey and shake well.

Take 1-2 tablespoons every 2 hours during acute phase of the illness (first 24-48 hours) and then every 4 hours thereafter. Reduce this to 1 tsp to 1 tablespoon for children. Babies under 12 months should not have honey. Reduce the dosage to only twice a day if you’re using it to ward off a virus.
Keep this in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to 3 months untouched, but once it’s opened and used, it’ll only last about one month. Throw it out if you see any mold.

Antiviral Tea
“Herbal Teas by Kathleen Brown
1 part Elder Flowers
1 part Ginger Root freshly grated
½ part Yarrow Flowers

Mix herbs together and use about a teaspoon per cup of water to brew your tea. Pour hot water over the herbs and steep for 15-20 minutes.

Antivirus Supreme
Herbal Teas by Kathleen Brown
½ part Ginger Root freshly grated
1 part Rose Hips
1 part Sage Leaves
1 part Thyme Leaves
½ part Peppermint Leaves
1-2 droppers of Echinacea or Usnea tincture.

Add ginger and rose hips to boiling water, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the rest of the herbs. Steep for another 10-15 minutes. Add the tincture to the last few sips.

Thieves Oil

Thieves Oil was created based on research on four 15th century thieves who rubbed oils and spices on themselves to protect themselves from the Black Plague while robbing the dead and dieing. They were eventually caught and disclosed their recipe in exchange for a more lenient sentence.

The Thieves Oil recipe consists of Cloves, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Rosemary and Cinnamon. This recipe was tested at Webster State University, Ogden, Utah, and found to have a 99.96% effective rate against airborne bacteria. The oils are highly anti-viral, antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-infectious and help protect the body from viruses, flu’s, colds and other airborne disease.

To use this oil for your home and family, simply diffuse in your home or workplace for less than 30 minutes at a time or dilute in a carrier and rub under the arms and on the chest at the base of the neck or the bottom of the feet. The blend is best used to prevent colds and flu’s etc; however, it can also be used on someone who is already sick to help speed up recovery time. I especially use the diffuser in our home when one of my children is ill so as to prevent spreading it to the rest of us! You can find this blend on the internet starting at $40/half ounce bottle and many sites claim to have THE only true recipe, however, Mother Nature does not play favorites and these oils work no matter who’s name is printed on the bottle.

I plan on mixing a big batch for my family. If you would like some for yours, let me know asap .

My Rambling about the Swine Flu
The media is full of information telling us that the flu is deadly, but not much else. It’s strange to me that the general media does not discus why this strain of flu which has killed a few hundred people so far is so much scarier than the common flu that kills thousand every year. Rarely do I see the term “Cytokine Storm” mentioned on MSN. What I understand about the swine flu is this. This flu is actually a rare combination of mutated swine, bird and human virus. It is very similar to the Spanish Flu virus that killed 40 million people in 1918. The difference with this flu is that it usually does not kill the victim directly. The common flu tends to ravage the elderly, very young and the weak because their immune systems are not able to combat it. The swine flu is particularly deadly to the young and healthy because it causes the immune system to attack the body. This is called Cytokine Storm. Look it up on wikipedia. Basically, it means that the swine virus may enter the lungs and the immune system of the victims body will in turn attack the lungs so fiercely trying to kill the virus that it actually destroys the lungs and kills the victim itself. The stronger the immune system, the greater the damage.
I can see where immune boosters would be a great idea when trying to fend off the virus, but during a cytokine storm, these same boosters would only make things worse.