Easy Elderberry Syrup

I am writing this on the cusp of a cold. My throat is scratchy and I'm clasping a handkerchief. Justin succumbed to a cold three days ago. He had a horrible fever. It's like I've seen my future, but I'm committed to avoiding it. 

I'm not sure I'll succeed, but I'll go down fighting. I've been making sure I get plenty of sleep, drinking vitamin c loaded smoothies which I've been stockpiling in the freezer, and filling myself with tons of probiotics. 

With cold season officially upon us, I figured it was time to make some elderberry syrup. Elderberries are extremely high in antioxidants and help boost the immune system. If you have a mild case of the flu or a cold, elderberry syrup could help you knock it out fast. 

Plus, I feel kinda like Mary Poppins when I take a spoonful of this. 

There was a study done by the Journal of International Medical Research that taking elderberry syrup could shorten the duration of your sickness by up to four days.

Beyond cold and flu, it's great for allergies too. It's an anti-inflammatory which will help reduce agitated and inflamed airways. Allergies kick your immune system into overdrive and the elderberries will help keep things balanced. 

It's something I recommend keeping on hand when the sniffles come your way. I think it goes without saying that nothing will replace a Doctor or antibiotics, but this is great for those in-between times. A doctor won't be able to fix a cold or your allergies. 

Elderberries are pretty easy to find in bulk in the dried fruit or beauty section. But you can grow them in your own backyard! This is a great plastic-free alternative to get you feeling better. Along with veggie soup. 

elderberry syrup

• 2.5 Cups of Filtered Water
• 1/2 Cup of Dried Elderberries*
• 1 Cup of Raw Honey**

*1 Cup of Fresh Elderberries **You can sub maple syrup

1. Place the water in a pot on the stove.
2. Add the elderberries
3. Bring it to a rolling boil
4. Once at a rolling boil, place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to low
5. Let it simmer for 30 minutes
6. Strain the elderberry liquid through a fine mesh sieve
7. Make sure all of the juice is out of the berries
8. Compost the berry skins
9. Let the juice come to room temperature (an hour or two) 
10. Mix the honey with the elderberry liquid
11. Store the syrup in an airtight container like a mason jar
12. Keep it in the fridge for up to three months

Alternatively, freeze it in an icecube tray. It will make two tablespoon portions that can be defrosted as needed. 

Take a teaspoon a day if you feel a cold or flu coming. You can read more about elderberry here.

How do you prepare for cold season? 

Homemade Aloe Vera Gel

Funny story: I made this fabulous broccoli and cheese soup. It was a gloomy, gray day; so, I thought I'd pop outside to take a picture and absorb as much natural light as I could. After shooting outside, the soup got cold. And, no one wants cold soup on a chilly, grim day. Being at work, I placed it in the microwave for a quick reheat.

Unfortunately, I dropped that now piping hot soup everywhere. It made a HUGE mess and led to a second degree burn on my arm. Nala, always dutifully on kitchen duty, came to my rescue to lick up the mess. In the process she, managed to get it all over. Which left yellow streaks in her pristine white fur. I think she knew, she refused to give any kisses for two days. 

Thus began the great aloe vera experiment. I have an aloe plant I'm quite fond of named, Hal. He outgrew his indoor planter and has been relocated outside where he can grow and grow some more. Of course, I could have snapped a leaf and used the leaf to treat burn. But, I didn't want to be consistently cutting up Hal. Plus, there are tons of uses for aloe vera gel I want to try: conditioner, cleanser, hair texturizer, body scrubs, eyeliner, salves, etc. 

When you google making your own beauty products a lot of them call for aloe gel. But, a lot of the aloe gels I've seen on the market are more gel than aloe. That thick gel consistency of store bought isn't natural, but rather comes with a laundry list of mixed chemicals for filler, viscosity, and preserving.

And, making your own is SO EASY! 

Homemade Aloe Vera Gel:

10 minutes to prepare; keeps 2-3 weeks in the fridge

1 Aloe Vera Leaf (Roughly 14" long)

Anti-inflamatory will help heal 1st, 2nd, and sun burns

1 Teaspoon of Vitamin E (optional)

Won't heal scarring, but will moisturize, has powerful antioxidants which help skin rejuvenation, and works as a natural preservative 

Trim one leaf of an aloe vera plant using a diagonal cut. I used a leaf roughly 14" long about the size pictured below. Peel one side the leaf with a vegetable peeler or use a knife very carefully. Start at the top of the leaf and work your way down. There may be some yellowish liquid that will drain out first, you don't want to use that. You want the clear aloe vera goop (technical term) that should be exposed. Use a spoon to scrape all of that clear goodness into the base of a blender. Add 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil. Puree. This should break up the goop and make it easier for topical application.

I have a video at the bottom of my mouthwash post that will show you how to get the goop! 

If you don't have enough goop to coat the blades of your blender you will need to use another leaf. I have a small blender base, and it just barely covered the blades. I didn't want to make too much; because, we won't use a ton of it. Put it in the fridge to set up. It will congeal, but not as extreme as store bought. 

I've been rubbing it into my arm, but I also like to apply a lot and tie a cotton tea towel around my arm to let it really soak in. I leave the towel on for about 10 minutes. Justin has been working really hard on the studio and at work. Leaving his hands sore and blistered. 

Soak tired hands in a bowl of warm water and epson salt. Afterwords rub with aloe gel to soothe them. 

Do you have an aloe vera plant? What homemade remedies have you used? 

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Zero Waste Deodorant

UPDATED 1/14/16

Deodorant is a great thing. No one wants to stink. But, there has been some alarming information about the aluminum and other ingredients used in common antiperspirants.

I have tried lots of deodorants, lots. As a teenager, I really struggled with overactive sweating. It was so embarrassing. I would have huge sweat spots, and I tried everything to make it stop. 

Some deodorants would even bleach the color in the armpits of my shirts. It was horrible, and not very good for my skin. 

Thankfully, the overactive sweating subsided in adulthood. Now I sweat like a normal human being, and this deodorant is perfect – Plain ol' baking soda!

You can apply it with a shaker, a make-up sponge, or my favorite way with a puff. It was a common way to apply powder in the 50 + years ago, and as a bonus I feel super glamorous!

Do you see this sweater here? I love this sweater. I've had it since 2006... almost ten years. The reason I love it is the very reason I never wore it. Those pom poms are so soft and adorable, but I always felt really weird wearing them in public.

Thankfully, this sweater finally gets put to good use. The pom poms can be removed, and the rest of the sweater will stay intact perfect for donating. (I've been cleaning out my closet... but that's a different post)

If you don't have any puffs lying around, there are plenty to be bought online. 

My puff fits perfectly inside of an old jelly jar. The puffs are so soft and perfect for application. I wouldn't recommend applying the baking soda directly after shaving.

So far I've had no irritation, no sweat stains, and most importantly no smell! I've been showering less because of the drought. So, you know, I need this stuff to work. 

This recipe works perfectly for me but if you think you need a little extra punch you can try adding some Himalayan Salt or try my recipe for extra strength deodorant.

I can't wait until my whole bathroom is zero waste. Do you have any zero waste beauty tricks?