My eldest started 3 yr old kinder earlier this year. And yes it’s all very excting and yes we’re having a fabulous time, but, put 15 children in one room together and the likelyhood of them picking up a bug increases by like 300%, ok maybe I made that statistic up, but those that have young children in childcare/pre-school will agree that they get sick often whilst their immunity develops.

So… What to do you ask? apart from ride it out, you boost their immunity thats what!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dried elderberries
• 1/4 cup dried bilberries
• 1/4 cup dried rosehips
• 1/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers
• 1 tbsp dried ginger
• 1 tbsp dried echinacea root
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 whole cloves
• 1/2 – 1* cup manuka** or raw honey (1 c. maple syrup for children under 12 mo.)
• 4 cups pure water

Directions:

1. Heat water in a saucepan on high until it comes to a full boil. Combine all dried herbs together in a bowl.
2. When water boils, turn down heat wait until water is simmering, add dry herbs. Mix and simmer for 30 minutes or until water is reduced to 2 cups.
3. Strain herbs using a mesh strainer. Press the herb mixture into the strainer using a wooden spoon to extract as much juice from the herbs as possible.
4. Allow liquid to cool to room temperature. Measure honey and add it to your liquid. Mix well.
5. Bottle, label, and store in the refrigerator.

Dosage:

For prevention, adults take 1 tbsp daily and children take 1-2 tsp. daily.

During illness, adults take 1-2 tsp every 2 hours while children take 1 tsp every 2 hours for the duration of illness.

Storage:

I have personally found this syrup to last around 6 weeks refrigerated when 1/2 cup of honey is used, 3 months refrigerated with 1 cup, giving the syrup a 33% sugar content. If you want your syrup to last longer (closer to 6 months), use 2 cups of honey. Though when it comes to this particular syrup I’ve found that it rarely lasts past a month in our home, the kids LOVE it and ask for it daily! But this is good info to know if you wanna keep a batch in the fridge in case you need it during warmer months.