It’s the worst… being a mom at a play date and looking over to see the kiddos that your little one is playing with have a nasty snotty nose, and are coughing all over your child. If you are a mom, you have been here! I get this question a LOT, so I wanted to dedicate an entire blog post to it!
The second I see my toddler coming down with the slightest cold, this is what I do.
1) Gummy Immune Super Stars . These have elderberry syrup which is a natural immune booster, but I also add vitamin C and Vitamin D to the gummies.
2) Green Juice. If your kiddos will drink it, it is jam packed with nutrients and that will definitely support the immune system. My toddlers favorite green juice includes apple, kale, spinach, celery, cucumber, lemon and ginger.
3) Vitamin D. I use a liquid vitamin D from Premier Research Labs, and give about 5000IU daily until I see the cold clear up. Then I suggest 1000IU (1 drop) daily for maintenance.
4) Vitamin C. My favorite is Pure Radiance C by Radiant Life or Buffered C powder by Thorne.
5) Probiotics. I like FloraMend by Throne or HMF by Genestra
6) Hydration. This is SO key. Try adding some electrolytes in to water such as Catalyte by Thorne or Ultima at your health food store. Coconut water is great too.
7) Elderberry syrup (if you haven’t made the gummies) I suggest 2 tsp twice daily for a week. My favorite brand is Gaia herbs if you aren’t able to make your own.
8)Medicinal Mushrooms. I love adding a scoop of power of a few drops of mushrooms to smoothies or popsicles. Try Myco-Immune by Thorne, Reishi Complex by Premier research labs or OM Organic Mushroom Nutrition Immune.
9) Try a warming tea (this tea has lots of spices in it, but I gave it to my two year old and he LOVED it.
1. 1 t cinnamon ~warming, clears congestion
2. ¼ t cardamom ~calming, clears congestion
3. ¼ t clove ~comforting, loosens congestion
4. ¼ t nutmeg ~comforting, anti-inflammatory, major ingredient in cough syrups
5. ¼ t ginger ~invigorating, antiviral, breaks fever
6. ½ t turmeric ~boosts antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral
8. 1-2 T raw honey
9. 1 T coconut oil ~antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, energy booster
10. 1 c coconut milk ~all the benefits of coconut and allows for quality absorption of turmeric
Gummy Immune Superstars
| Published June 2, 2014
I’m very passionate about two things. Nutrition, and my little boy, Daniel. So I get really excited when I get to combine the two. I am always looking for ways to boost his immune system to keep him strong, and fighting off any colds and germs. In 21 months, he hasn’t’ been sick once and I have to give credit to my homemade vitamins. I have been giving him elder berry syrup for months now, but I find that I forget to do it because it’s a bit messy, sticky, and can get very expensive. So, yesterday I got creative… VERY creative. And the best part is it made my home smell like Christmas, just in time for the holidays!
What could be better than homemade, HEALTHY, vitamin packed gummies without the refined sugars and low quality ingredients that you would find at the drug store? These little superstars are gelatin gummies with not only elderberry syrup but also probiotics. I thought it would take me all afternoon to make them, but I whipped them up in about 45 minutes. And the best part of it all was that Daniel was BEGGING for more. He loved them, and loved the novel chewy and gummy texture. This is his first ‘candy’ and he loves it!
Why Elder Berry?
Elder berry is a rock star when it comes to supporting the immune system and fighting off the common cold and more specifically the flu. It really is natures flu shot. It contains high levels of A, B, and C and is a powerful antioxidant. To top it off, it’s high in flavonoids which help to prevent cellular damage.
Why Gelatin?
Gelatin is a not so glamorous superfood. It comes from dehydrated protein collagen found in the connective tissue, bones and cartilage of animals. This magical stuff does wonders for the skin, hair, nails. It is also powerful to healthy liver function and is great for the GI tract. The list goes on and on, but the best part about gelatin is it can transform your food magically into a gummy wonderland.
How to make Gummy Immune Superstars
There are two ways to do this. You can purchase elderberry syrup. I love the brand Gaia Herbs, but it can get very expensive. I will put the directions for using purchased elderberry syrup at the end of the article. But, its super easy to make your own! And you will save a lot of money. Below are the ingredients and instructions to do so. Don’t worry, it’s easy!
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients:
1/3 cup black dried elderberries ( I order mine from vitacost.com. You can get a 1lb bag for about $12)
2 cups water
1 T fresh ginger root
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp clove powder
Combine ingredients and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Your whole house will smell amazing and delicious. Remove from heat and strain the berries out. Keep the liquid, and toss the berries.
Making the Gummy Superstars:
What you will need:
Elderberry Syrup (homemade or store bought)
Gelatin (Great Lakes unflavored gelatin)
Honey
Optional Immune boosting supplements:
Probiotics (orthomolecular or PB8)
Vitamin C (or camu camu powder)
Vitamin D liquid
Using 1 cup of elderberry syrup, and slowly stir in 4-6 teaspoons of gelatin.
Once the mixture has cooled off (let it sit 10-15 minutes) add in ½ cup honey (I feel comfortable using raw honey, but most some parents will feel better about regular pasteurized honey), and probiotics. (I used 3 capsules of OrthoMolecular’s Orthobiotic, but PB 8 is a good one from the health food store.)
Pour into silicone molds for fun shapes (or a glass bowl) and put into the freezer for about 10 minutes. (Check out Amazon for these- there are lots of fun shapes and ideas.)
Give about 1 tsp worth to your kiddos every day (especially during flu season!)
For Gummy Superstars made from purchased elderberry:
Using 1 cup of warmed elderberry syrup, and slowly stir in 4-6 teaspoons of gelatin. (I always use Great Lakes unflavored gelatin. It’s the best high quality gelatin on the market.)
Once the mixture has cooled off (let it sit 10-15 minutes). Slowly stir in probiotics. (I used 3 capsules of OrthoMolecular’s Orthobiotic, but PB 8 is a good one from the health food store.)
Pour into silicone molds for fun shapes (or a glass bowl) and put into the freezer for about 10 minutes. (Check out Amazon for these- there are lots of fun shapes and ideas.)
Good Luck!
