2 Ingredient Elderberry Gummies

Madison Jenkins
May 18, 2020
7 min read

Immunity is on everyone's mind lately, unless you have kids and you're losing your shit like I am. Wether you believe COVID-19 is a government hoax or not, the reality is there is a real virus that is killing real people. Now, HOW many people is really up in the air, but I won't use this post as a political one. Maybe in the next podcast or two I will address it, *wink*.

Regardless, no matter what, it is always a good idea to protect yourself and give your body a fighting chance against anything it comes across. Luckily, there are a ton of ways we can aid our immune system and help it function clearly, much like me after my morning coffee. Notice I will never speak (er, type?) in a way that suggests I am a doctor, or I am healing you in some magic voodoo herbal witch way. The reality is, most if not all holistic remedies are meant to boost the systems you already have to help them function to their full potential.

What do I mean by that exactly?

What I mean is that your body already comes pre-programmed with a LOT of software to keep you alive, and it gets pretty incredible the more you learn about it. And I'm not talking your 9th grade anatomy and physiology class-I'm talking a little more in depth then that. Frequencies, systems you've never even heard of, hormones, weird channels and words that you can definitely not pronounce no matter how much you practice in the mirror. Everything is connected to everything, and while you're probably rolling your eyes at me with an audible "duh", I bet you didn't know that most of your body's functions rely on your gut health. Yup. Gotcha.

Your gut health is the first defense your body has on protecting you. Think about it. You tend to ingest most bacteria/virus/gross microscopic things that can make you really, really sick. Unless you breathe them in of course, but that's another ball of wax. Your stomach acids and gut bacteria fight hard to defend you everyday, and when they fail, you don't end up feeling so good. But let us address those failures, because we have been around for a hot minute, so shouldn't we have evolved to be a little tougher than what we are? The answer is yes, and we have. However-it's only been quite recent, in terms of evolutionary time, that we have been exposing ourselves daily to deadly toxins. I'm not just talking smog or microwaves, I'm talking about the literal THOUSANDS of dangerous chemicals you are putting in and on your body DAILY.

Alright lady, you sound crazy. What is really crazy is what we, as Americans, blindly allow in our products that we use on ourselves and our families everyday. Don't believe me? Google fragrance and the EWG (environmental working group) and let me know what you find. And really dig, since things tend to be hidden, if ya know what I mean. The results are terrifying, and the FDA just lets it all happen. America is the ONLY country that has such loose regulations on chemicals and by-products that go into our food, make-up, cleaners, even our clothes. Seriously go read into it. Or just wait for my blog post on it, because obviously I can go on forever about it.

We got side tracked. Chemicals. Gut health. Dirty products. What do these things have in common and why do they matter? Simply put, the 34 ingredient shelf-stable cookie you ingested is chock full of strong, carcinogenic chemicals, and the make-up you swiped on this morning has literal plastic (or for my more politically correct folks, petroleum by-products) inside that you just smeared onto your skin-which, is basically a giant sponge, by the way. All of this build up of heavy metals, toxins, etc. dampens your immune systems function. Think of it like a kitchen sponge, if you put it in the sink full of water and dirty dishes, it will soak up everything it can-water and bacteria alike. Your body does this for you too, and tries to filter out as much of the bad stuff as it can through your kidneys, liver, etc. We all know basic biology, right?

However, your body wasn't built for this insane amount of toxins to filter. Evolution takes a minute folks, and while it gets more effective daily it's a little difficult for it to function better when it is constantly clogged up and working through sludge. Walking on grass is much easier than 5 ft of snow, right? This means your body is working as hard as it possibly can to help you out and filter as much as it can as fast as it can. So, when you get a foreign threat (insert virus) your poor, tired immune system doesn't have the energy to fight back like it should. Thus, you get sick easily/have a sensitive stomach, etc.

Ok, but what does this and gut health have to do with anything? Simply put, they are connected. Your entire body is connected. Your mental state can affect your immunity by affecting your gut health by affecting everything else. If your gut bacteria aren't happy, then your immune system tries to help and lets other things slide. There is much more details and science behind this, but the basic gist is that gut health=key to immunity and a good immune system=a happy, non-sick human.

For reference, I am currently in the Army. Shocking, I know. With the Army comes lots of back pain, for those of you who don't get it, it's just a significant amount of physical labor which in turn puts a lot of strain on your body. Unfortunately for me, I was born with scoliosis and was predisposed to chronic back pain. I was in so much pain I had insomnia, I could barely bend down, and I couldn't run without sharp searing pain. I was in the ER weekly with muscle spasms so bad I couldn't move. With that came a lot of doctors, a lot of specialists, and a lot of pills. When I say I tried everything, I mean it. Luckily for me the military is gracious with its medical insurance and I was able to do everything for free-chiropractor, surgeries, physical therapy, multiple prescriptions, specialists, etc. At one point I was taking 3-5 different types of pills 3 times daily, and it barely made a dent in my pain. All it did was give me horrific side effects, and brought me to the point of being pushed for a medical board (which means a medical discharge from the military).

I was lucky enough to have an NCO (boss) that cared for me, and suggested I tried acupuncture. I had heard of it, but all I knew at the time was what I saw in movies with giant needles and traumatizing experiences. I immediately said no thanks and went to take my hand full of pills. I got to a point where I was so foggy and hazy I didn't even recognize myself, and one day I decided something needed to change. I googled acupuncturists in the area, and luckily for me one spot came up that was actually in English (I was stationed in Japan at the time, so not a common occurrence). I made my appointment, and went several days later.

After my first experience with Mimi-san, I was floored. I mean literally the euphoria that followed me as I sat up from that massage table in her tiny apartment was breathtaking-and actually, I could take a full, deep breath without wincing in pain. It was amazing, and I was in total disbelief. She had to have injected me with something, some kind of numbing agent-there was just no way. She patiently went over every detail with me, showed me her sterile needles, and explained that her practice was based on acupressure points-an eastern medicine idea that simply says the body is covered in pressure points where we hold of all our negative energy and tension, and the needles release said pressure from the body and allow the chi, or positive energy, flow smoother throughout the body.

Regardless, I went home that evening, gathered all of my pill bottles and tossed them. I began my research into holistic remedies and eastern vs western medicine, and here I am 4 years later with a full pocket of knowledge that is still being filled.

So, moral of the story-give it a chance. See for yourself. You can think I'm a lunatic, thats fine. I haven't been sick in 2 years since I started incorporating elderberries and other immune boosting tricks into my life, and you can see for yourself the true power of healing from the earth. All that to say, on to the recipe!

Elderberries are chock full of antioxidants, which are key to helping your immune system out. So good, in fact, a lot of western medicine doctors and professionals are starting to acknowledge their benefits to your health. If you so happen to do a quick scientific journal search, you will find that there have been tons of studies done on the benefits of elderberries, and they have been effective in treating many of the most common flu/cold illnesses we have-influenza's A and B, and more. When you look into their constituents, frequencies and nutritive values, it's no wonder these guys are so effective as antimicrobials. Compared to most high vitamin c content fruits, elderberries come in at a whopping 36mg. For comparison, the average blueberry only has 9.7mg. It has also been found to have one of the highest amino acid counts, and is the highest in antioxidant properties in comparison to other red fruit juices and are rich in phenols, and overall have a higher concentration of vitamins and beneficial nutrients than most other fruits. Elderberries have been used for hundreds of years to disinfect surfaces, and treat hundred of diseases and ailments.

For this recipe, I used my homemade elderberry syrup, which can be found under this recipe.

Elderberry Gummies

Ingredients:

-3 cups homemade elderberry syrup

-2 tbsp agar agar OR gelatin powder

-cinnamon, citric acid, honey, or any other immune boosting spices (optional)

Steps:

1. Warm elderberry syrup in a saucepan, once boiling add agar agar or gelatin and turn heat down to a simmer for about 5 mins or until solids are completely dissolved. You can add spices or honey here as well, keep in mind the elderberry syrup may already be sweet.

2. Let cool and add to molds or short dish and place in refrigerator to cool for at last 1 hour.

3. Once cool, cut into shapes or remove from molds and keep in the fridge. For sour gummies, roll in citric acid while still tacky.