This DIY ‘Magic Elixir’ Stopped One Woman and Her Family From Constantly Getting Sick
Lindsey Christianson hung up the phone with a heavy sigh. This seemed like the millionth time she’d had to cancel a playdate because her kids were sick. This is not normal, the Ramsey, Minnesota, mom thought. It’s not okay to have a sick household all the time.
Lindsey was not one to get frequent colds herself, but the stay-at-home mom of five boys seemed to constantly be tending to a sick child, and it was taking a heavy toll on her own health and well-being.
Lindsey wasn’t sleeping well, and playing nurse all day left her physically and mentally exhausted, drained, and cranky. She couldn’t even enjoy time with her husband or friends.
Now, as she turned down yet another playdate, she’d finally had enough.
I’m going to find a way to get my family healthy and keep them healthy, she thought with fierce determination.
A Miracle Cure
Not long after, Lindsey was talking to her cousin about her kids’ frequent illnesses, and her cousin suggested trying elderberry syrup, saying it was touted to shorten the duration of colds and flu and boost immunity. Her interest piqued, Lindsey did some research and found that her cousin was right. Elderberry not only has antiviral properties, but it also works as an anti-inflammatory to keep the immune system strong. But, when she looked into buying elderberry syrup, at $3 for a tiny bottle, it wasn’t affordable for her large family.
But she’d also seen recipes online for making elderberry syrup and decided to try concocting it herself. The process was easy: She took elderberries, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger and boiled them in water. Then, she strained out the juice and added honey. Lindsey has modified the recipe over time, but still uses ingredients like honey and cinnamon that improve the flavor and that are also proven to boost immunity.
Soon, Lindsey started giving the whole family, herself included, a tablespoonful of her homemade syrup every morning and was shocked to see a change right away.
″The kids have literally stopped getting sick,″ she told her cousin. ″And I’ve never felt better!″ She was sleeping well and, no longer dragging through her days, she felt sharper and happier.
Lindsey thought maybe it was a fluke, but when after a year without the kids getting sick, she was convinced her elderberry syrup was behind the surge in good health.
Inspired, Lindsey started recommending elderberry syrup to other moms, and with their encouragement, she began selling them her homemade formula.
Today, her syrup, Elderberry Queen, is available online (Buy on Amazon, $19.99) and at more than 200 retail locations. She also made sure to offer the syrup in bigger bottles (ranging from 12 to 30 ounces, starting at $15) so even large families like hers can afford to take it daily for ongoing wellness.
″Elderberry syrup is truly a magic elixir,″ says Lindsey. ″Just one spoonful a day has improved my family’s health and quality of life!″
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
