Yesterday I whipped up a new recipe for an amazingly delicious and noursishing immune enhancing formula. Here I will share with you how to make your own.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried elderberries
1 cup astragalus root
1/3 cup echinacea root
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Tbsp licorice root
2 Tbsp dandelion root
1 Tbsp dried grated orange peel (organic only)
15 peach pits (optional, but yummy!)
2 cups raw honey OR vegetable glycerine
12 cups water

Note: If you are ordering the dried herbs, I recommend the company mountain rose herbs, as they carry the best quality organic and ethically harvested herbs worldwide.

So, start by measuring your ingredients and placing all the dried herbs in a pot. Add in the 12 cups of filtered or distilled water and cover the pot. Bring to a boil then gently simmer for 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat, leaving the pot covered and allow to steep for 8-12 hours. Bring to a simmer for a second time, turn off heat, then allow to steep again for 1-2 hours. Strain out all the plant material, then return the herbal-infused liquid back into the pot. You should have about 7-8 cups of liquid. (You can stop at this point and use the herbal infusion as is, taken as a strong tea, or proceed with the following instructions to make the elixer) Reduce the liquid by 50% by heating the liquid just enough to produce steam for about 2 hours. once reduced, this herbal liquid is called a decoction, which is basically a very very concentrated water-based medicine. Now, while the decoction is still warm mix in the honey or the vegetable glycerine, to taste. Pour into sterilized bottles and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

This formula is designed to help support immune health, especially in the cooler seasons. The herbs that are included are both mildly warming and stimulating to the immune system. You can take 1 Tbsp daily to prevent illness, or up to 6 Tbsp/day to help sooth symptoms of sore throat, colds, coughs, and congestion.  For children, give 1 tsp/day for prevention and up to 6 tsp/day to ease above mentioned symptoms.