Win the Seasonal Allergy Battle Naturally!

I grew up battling seasonal allergies on and off most of my life & remember many spring/summer seasons having the typical red/itchy/watery/swollen eyes, sneezy/runny nose…pretty miserable looking back on it! My mom suffered from seasonal allergies as well, so I assumed they were somewhat normal and I just dealt with it. Thankfully, these last 5 years it has been a blessing to have allergy symptoms pretty much vanish!

Although, my 10-year old daughter has the same seasonal allergy predisposition, so we have been ears to the ground to help relieve her symptoms naturally.

The last 2 spring seasons we have gathered information and incorporated herbal remedies, natural supplements, and guided her to pay close attention to how foods make her feel…all in the hopes to assist her bodies innate ability to balance.

So far this 2019 spring season she is symptom free!

Below you will find the information gathered from my research; talking to local chiropractors, other concerned/educated moms, and some of my favorite resources/teachers in case it is helpful to you.

If possible, start about 6-8 weeks before the trigger allergy season hits: (tree pollen: spring, grass pollen: summer, weed/ragweed pollen: fall)…

• D-Hist: (which includes the below listed: stinging nettle leaf, quercetin, N-acetyl cysteine, bromelain) OR

  • Freeze-Dried Stinging Nettle: 300mg 2-3x times daily

  • Quercetin: 500mg daily

  • N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): 300 to 900mg, 3x daily

  • Bromelain: 1,000mg daily

• PA-Free Butterbur: 75mg 2x daily

• LOCAL Bee Pollen: Start taking 6 months before trigger allergy season. Start off with a 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon local pollen & add a tiny amount daily to very slowly work up to 1-3 tsp daily. {If you are local to the Kansas City are, Jordy’s Honey offers local bee pollen at the Overland Park Farmer’s Market}.

• Immunomodulating Herbs: Astragalus Root, Reishi Mushroom, Elderberry - found in our Slow Cook Chai

• Foods with naturally occurring Quercetin: Elderberry & other common foods

• Eliminate mucous producing foods; gluten and dairy are common triggers

• Lean towards plant-based/pescetarian foods

To limit/reduce exposure to pollen in the environment:

• Saline nasal irrigation daily. NasoPure brand is our favorite for the kiddos.

• Shower before bed to wash out the pollen from your hair & skin

• Wash bedding more frequently

• Keep windows and doors closed when pollen count is high

Please note: Many of these suggestion above have helped our family. This is only our unique experience, please talk with your health care practitioner before adding any of these ideas to your regime.

Resources:

• https://avivaromm.com/remedies-seasonal-allergies/

• https://www.drfuhrman.com/library/health-concerns/1/allergies

• https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/organic-allergy-relief.html

• https://draxe.com/bromelain/

• https://www.orthomolecularproducts.com/natural-d-hist/

It has been a joy to watch my daughter outside taking in the transition to spring time without any allergy symptoms!

Elderberry :: Frequently Asked Questions

Do you take bottles back to reuse?

It is so thoughtful to hear the offers to recycle the Elderberry bottles back to us! I really wish we could. At this point we don't have the means to clean and safely reuse the bottles. Although, they work great for re-purposing to store salad dressing and sauces. :)

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How long is the bottle “fresh” if kept refrigerated?

The Elderberry will stay fresh in the refrigerator for approx 90 days from date opened. If you will not finish the bottle before that period of time, you could pour serving size amounts in ice cube trays and freeze to extend the shelf life.

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Is Elderberry safe for my little one?

Elderberry is safe for littles, although Mindfully Made Elderberry does have raw honey, so would not be recommended under 1. If mama is breastfeeding, the benefits of Elderberry will pass through mother's milk without the risk of botulism.

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Is it safe to take Elderberry while pregnant?

There isn't evidence of specific contraindications for taking Elderberry while pregnant. Although, clinical pharmacology (and subsequent lists around the web) state Elderberry as possibly unsafe for pregnant or lactating women because (like many botanicals) there is lack of research and insufficient evidence of safety, that is where the exercise of caution comes in. Looking back on the history of use, elderberry has consumed safely in the diet of many cultures for a super long time (and traditionally used to increase milk supply in nursing mamas). All that to say, ultimately it is up to the mama and what she feels is best and meets her comfort level. To be conservative, it can be taken only while symptomatic during pregnancy.

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How does the ‘Subscribe & Save’ option work?

Save 5% by receiving elderberry on your doorstep every month or two! Your account will be created during the check out process & your subscription will renew automatically at the frequency you select. You will have access to view and manage your subscriptions anytime. Manage your subscription & shipping information by signing into your account, "sign-in" from the navigation menu.

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What amount of Elderberry do I take & how often?

Elderberry can be taken throughout cold and flu season to up-regulate the immune system. It is also great if symptoms arise. There is a significant amount of fresh pressed elderberry in each teaspoon; 3100mg. As a preventative, adults take 1 - 2 tsp daily and little's (1 - 12 years old) take 1/2 - 1 tsp daily. At symptom onset or known exposure, take the same small amount with increased frequently of every 2-4 hours, up to 6x's daily.

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How many servings are there per bottle?

Each 13.5 oz bottle has 81 x 1 teaspoon servings.

Each 7 oz bottle has 42 x 1 teaspoon servings.

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More Elderberry product details here.

Have a question we missed? Don’t hesitate to shoot us a line here.

Chai Latte - Vegan Creamer

Love a good chai? But not the sugar load from the coffee house or the “naturally flavored” overly sweet tea bags found at the big box…same here. And, after a love/hate relationship with coffee ended, (I love coffee, my body doesn’t love it so much) I was looking for a healthy, yet better-be-tasty alternative. After a couple years of tinkering…a slow cook chai blend with an immune building twist was born!

PACKED WITH IMMUNE ENHANCING + BALANCING PROPERTIES FROM ELDERBERRY, REISHI MUSHROOM & ASTRAGALUS ROOT.

This full-leaf tea blend stands alone with a subtly sweet, rich, & warming flavor. Although, if you prefer the creaminess & mouth feel a latte offers like I do, you can easily achieve a more sophisticated chai drink with only a few more ingredients & just minutes of your time.

First things first, follow Slow Cook Chai package brewing instructions. Time saving tip: batch prep 4+ servings and store in mason jar refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Next, prepare below creamer. I usually make 2x’s the below recipe to last through the week…

Vegan Creamer

1 can full fat coconut milk (Thai is my favorite)

1/3 cup grade B maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk ingredients working to incorporate coconut cream clumps. Refrigerate in a pour-friendly container. If available, add creamer to frother machine before adding desired amount to your slow cook chai.

I enjoy the flavor of approx 2oz creamer added to 10oz chai tea, although you might play with the creamer amount to taste.

I hope you love this super nourishing + immune building chai as much as I do!

Counting the Ways to Incorporate Elderberry

As fall-like weather rolls in, cold and flu season is close behind, an ideal time to make sure Elderberry is part of your immune support arsenal! If you are looking for unique ways to incorporate Mindfully Made Elderberry Syrup, this list is for you. There are so many ways to get the purple goodness in - simply add suggested serving size of Elderberry to the ideas below:

Littles

• Dilute Elderberry into water & serve in sippy cup.

• Tummy troubles? Freeze Elderberry in ice cube trays with a bit of coconut water & pineapple juice for an immune boosting, electrolyte replenishing tummy soother.

• Elderberry gummies - check out the Dishing For Real recipe.

• Elderberry smoothie - Our favorite is Elderberry, handfuls of sunflower sprouts, combo of coconut milk & milk kefir with a couple cups frozen mango/strawberry/banana.

• Freeze smoothie into popsicle molds - great for summertime snack.

Adults

• My wintertime favorite is incorporating it into a warming “tea” drink; simply mix Elderberry with your favorite tea blend (chai pairs well!) or hot water/lemon/honey. 

• A refreshing “soda pop” beverage; mix Elderberry with sparkling water, liquid stevia and serve over ice. (Makes a lovely adult beverage with gluten free vodka)

Food Add-ins

• Add Elderberry to any simple DIY salad dressing recipe.

• Mix Elderberry into final step of DIY berry compote (recipe below).

• A fizzy treat; add Elderberry as the second ferment flavoring for kombucha or water kefir (2-4 Tbsp Elderberry per 16 oz ferment).

Very Berry Compote

1/4 cup Raw Honey 🍯
1/4 cup Blackberrys (or another berry you have on hand)
2 tsp Elderberry

Heat above ingredients over medium low for about 5 minutes until the juice comes out of berries, stir in Elderberry and gently push on blackberries to release more juice. Pull off stove, strain off seeds if desired, and top waffle or pancake. My kiddos love it - I hope your do as well!

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