The Herb That Prevents Viruses From Entering Into and Latching Onto Human Cells

 

elderberry

 

 

 

The humble, purple elderberry has been used for centuries in herbal medicine, as it is able to do things that similar herbs, vitamins and minerals cannot.

The berry is native in virtually all areas of the United States except Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawai’i.

It typically grows in moist habitats on the edge of forest, in either full or light shade.

When taken in a homemade syrup, elderberry tea, powder, capsules, or tincture, it can protect a person from viruses, especially on flights and in other situations where additional immune system support may be needed.

 

Sales of elderberry have increased over the past few years as people have looked for alternative treatments for protecting their cells from viruses and other harmful pathogens.

Elderberry Directly Inhibits Viral Replication

Research on elderberry has continued over the years, as scientists have sought to decipher exactly how and why the anti-viral, traditional folk remedy works.

Researchers from The University of Sydney learned the following according to a 2019 study.

From the research, posted in a recent Science Daily article:

“Conducted by Professor Fariba Deghani, Dr. Golnoosh Torabian and Dr. Peter Valtchev, the study showed that compounds from elderberries can directly inhibit the virus’s entry and replication in human cells, and can help strengthen a person’s immune response to the virus.”

“What our study has shown is that the common elderberry has a potent direct antiviral effect against the flu virus,” said Dr. Torabian said.

“It inhibits the early stages of an infection by blocking key viral proteins responsible for both the viral attachment and entry into the host cells.”

Other Health Benefits of Elderberry 

Elderberry is rich many health protective compounds, and taste amazing (especially when sweetened with a little bit of honey or other natural sweetener).

Its long list of benefits and nutrients include: 

-Elderberry can help prevent inflammation

-Elderberry can relieve stress

-Elderberry can help protect your heart

-It’s rich in flavonoids, enzymes, minerals like magnesium and potassium, and amino acids

-It contains immune-boosting vitamins and minerals like Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and more

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Try an organic elderberry juice powder from one of my favorite companies, MicroIngredients, by clicking here

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Elderberry: One of the Best Herbs for Travelers

Elderberry is especially helpful for people who fly often according to a 2016 study.

It protects against both the common cold and influenza.

In 2016 a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of 312 economy class flight passengers traveling from Australia to an overseas destination investigated whether elderberry extract has pronounced effects on physical, especially respiratory, and mental, health.

One passenger in the study was Dominique Michelle Astorino, an Australian writer and traveler who took upwards of 50 flights in a two year period and said that elderberry was her favorite herb for not getting sick (read more about her story here).

Another 2016 Australian study found that people who take elderberry ten days before flying became those most resilient to common infections like the flu. 

How to Harvest Wild Elderberry 

The best time to harvest wild or homegrown elderberries is typically in August to September, when they become fully mature.

The berries will turn a dark purple color, and after that will become especially attractive to birds and other creatures – so you need to pick them fast.

The darker the purple color, the more healing and disease-protective antioxidants the berries will generally have (I recommend adding dark purple elderberry to your smoothie first thing in the morning if you don’t have access to wild elderberries).

If you’d like to search for elderberries in the wild, check out this downloadable guide from the USDA.

 

Elderberries can be cooked and made into a medicinal syrup, or used as the material for a refreshing elderberry tea.

It is not recommended to eat the berries raw, unlike strawberries and raspberries.

For more info on harvesting and preparing elderberries at home, check out the videos below, and let us know if you’ve ever found elderberries in the wild before (I personally have found the red ones at a nature preserve near me!):

Thumbnail photo via AdamantKitchen.com. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. You can find organic elderberry online by clicking here

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About Nick Meyer

Nick Meyer is a journalist who's been published in the Detroit Free Press, Dallas Morning News and several other outlets. He founded AltHealthWORKS in 2012 to showcase extraordinary stories of healing and the power of organic living, stories the mainstream media always seemed to miss. Check out Nick's Amazon best-seller 'Dirt Cheap Organic: 101 Tips For Going Organic on a Budget' by clicking here, as well as its sequel Dirt Cheap Weight Loss.