I'm beginning to realize that unless I take charge of my health now, a pharmaceutical company will later. I don't want to be one of those prancing people on the television telling me that if I take their pill I will be happy and independently wealthy and have a great haircut. Unless of course I end up with one of the many side effects that will make me violently ill, cause me to grow a second nose on my forehead which may become congested and might cause me to die.
No, want to use the healing properties that my Creator instilled in my body and the various flora and fauna that He placed on earth to do more than just look pretty and smell good.
Our environment and our lifestyles are killing us and we are like the frog in the pot of water allowing the slow boil to cook us without even realizing it.
We work hard and play hard, never taking a day of rest to replenish our souls and bodies. We eat stuff that has been tested and tweaked so it will look nice in the store and be pleasing to our eyes. We put products on our bodies with ingredients that we also use to maintain our cars.
Oh yeah ... ahem... back to the natural path.
I am discovering that I can make and use natural, stuff from the earth products to keep healthy. Most if not all I give credit to my daughter in law who has taught me to take my health seriously. After all I ain't getting any younger and every peep in a mirror reminds me of that.
Last week I began to sense that dreaded "back to school" cold coming on. This one made my throat scratchy. After playing the, " it's just allergies" mind game I came to my senses and realized I needed to do battle hard and fast. My arsenal consisted of Vitamin C, oil of oregano and elderberry tincture. A large mug of ginger tea became my gun. Three times a day for two days downing the concoction and I'm out of harms way.
Elderberry tincture is easy and inexpensive to make.
Allow me to give you a short lesson so you too can take control of cold and flu season before it takes over you and your family.
This is everything you will need to begin making the tincture.
I get my elderberries at a health food store in bulk. First step is throwing the berries in a measuring cup. Two ounces of berries equals approximately one third cup. For enough tincture to last through cold and flu season, I would suggest 6 ounces of berries.
Next measure out an equal part of vodka. 1/3rd cup of elderberries to 1/3rd cup vodka. You want a high alcohol volume which pulls out the property of the berries and preserves the tincture. I use the cheapest vodka available.
Combine berries and vodka in a clean jar and place in a dark area ( I use my kitchen towel drawer). Give it a shake every day to mix the ingredients.Don't worry if you miss a day. You just want to keep the berries from settling on the bottom. The tincture is ready within 3 months, but the longer it steeps the stronger it will be. By 6 months it has reached it's complete strength level. When the steeping process is done, strain off the berries. I use a small coffee filter within a strainer and let it drain into a spouted measuring cup.
Pour elderberry tincture into a dark colored bottle. It's now ready to use.
I use 25 to 30 drops in a large cup of hot tea morning, noon and night on day one. You can also mix it in cold tea or juice.
It was our last night at Nof Ginosar Hotel at the shores of the Sea of Galilee - New Year's Eve. Hubby went to bed early, not feeling well. I stayed up with our tour group to see in the new year. I felt it coming on. I should have expected the inevitable. Our granddaughter was sick when we left home, hubby was coughing. Who was I to think serious jet lag and a plunge in an ice cold Jordan river wouldn't take its toll on my immune system.
I didn't go half way around the world to a Land I'd wanted to go to since I was a teen, to hole away, sick in bed. I did what I needed to do. "Abba!" I cried, "help!" Desperate prayer went up to the Throne. And then, armed with nothing more than lots of water, extra protein and sheer grit - plus strength and endurance I knew was beyond me, I took on Masada, En Gedi and Jerusalem. Each evening I gave thanks for my new adventures. 
Being one of the worship leaders for the group, I worried that I'd lose my voice, or have one of those coughing fits that grab you. But neither happened. My speaking voice was raspy, but when it came time to sing, my voice was clear and strong.
Because of a heart condition, I can't take over-the-counter cold and flu meds. Once again G~d proved that He could care for me without props. I attribute my strength and quick recovery to Him. After all, when I cried out to Him at the Western Wall - it was a local call.
