Is it safe to take Elderberry Syrup with C0^*D?
Is it safe to take Elderberry Syrup with Autoimmune diseases?
If these are questions that you have, let's chat....
Perhaps you've seen the misinformation circling elderberry and C19.
This post addresses that misinformation.
That misinformation was put out by someone that did not understand the complexities of the Elder Plant (Sambucus Nigra). Plant allies (healing herbs) are complex and not one sided.
Can Elder (Sambucus Nigra) cause a cytokine storm?
The Elder Plant (both the flower and the berries) is an immune system modulator....NOT an immune system stimulant.
It does NOT stimulate the immune system. Elder however, being an immune system modulator helps your immune system maintain a perfectly healthy level.
What is a true example of an immune system stimulating herb?
Echinacea (Echinacea Purpurea).
I've seen lots of elderberry syrups with echinacea in them. It is my opinion that this is not a good idea, for a few reasons.
Echinacea is an immune system stimulate. This means it stimulates the immune system. Echinacea is best taken AFTER an illness to help your weakened immune system recover.
Echinacea should not be taken more than 10 days at a time. If you are using a syrup with echinacea in it, it is not a good idea to use it daily throughout cold and flu season.
This is especially important, if you have an autoimmune disorder. You do NOT want to overstimulate the immune system.
This is yet another reason why Elder is one of my most favorite plant allies. As someone who has been in lupus remission for over 11 years, I believe my organic Elderberry and Wolfberry Super Syrup daily has been one of the main contributing factors as to why I am able to stay so well. Yet, one more reason why having an elderberry syrup formulated by an herbalist is a GOOD thing.
SHORT ANSWER
NO, Elder (Sambucus Nigra) can NOT cause a cytokine storm and it is not bad for autoimmune diseases. Formulated properly it also won't interfere with your prescription medications.
I attached 3 additional sources that support the above information. One is from a fellow herbalist and the other 2 are from doctors that I trust.
Click here to read herbalist article: Honoring the Tradition of Elder Berry(Sambucus Nigra) for Immune Health.
Click here to see a post from Dr. Mark Iwaniki: In Defense of Elderberry
And last but not least, a post from Dr. Elisa Song: Do I need to worry about taking elderberry and creating a cytokine storm?