Several years ago, an elder gentleman named Martin called me for an appointment for a Wellness Consultation. He told me over the phone that he was 74 years old and had had a sinus infection for more than twelve years without any significant relief. It developed shortly after minor surgery and he had not had three days in a row when he was free of sinus pain and constant post nasal drip during those twelve years. He said that he had been to all of the top ear, nose and throat specialists in the country and had tried everything that they could recommend. He sounded exasperated as he told me about how the prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications either didn’t work or nearly killed him, and that he didn’t know what else to do.
“My friend, Shelley, suggested I call you. She said you helped her and her daughter learn how to stop getting chronic sinus infections, and you could probably help me, too,” he exclaimed. And then, in a timid voice, he asked me if he had to believe in these herbs and natural things, ‘cause he didn’t really think he did. I told him that I thought they would probably be able to help him, even if he didn’t believe in them yet. After all, he was willing to meet with me and purchase the herbs at our local co-op, so it seemed he did have a bit of faith.
“No,” he said. “I really don’t. I’m only doing this because Shelley won’t stop talking about you and how much better she feels. I just want to be able to talk about other things, and she doesn’t want to see me suffering all the time. I’m just doing it for her.”
We met that afternoon, and at the end of our session, he told me that he was only willing to take one thing; one product. This was a challenge, since I have found that herbal and nutritional programs seem to help more than the ‘one thing at a time’ method. But I understood that so many folks have had bad experiences with medications and such in the past, and need to feel comfortable with their herbal plan. I suggested that, in my opinion, the best products, if only one was going to be chosen, would probably be one the following:
Sambu Elderberry Concentrate (or Sambu Guard) by Flora
Elder Flower Glycerite by Avena Botanicals, and
Nasal Support by Eclectic Institute.
He decided to purchase the Sambu. We talked about the simplicity of the formula and the special qualities of the three ingredients; Elder flower, Elderberry and honey. Elder flower tincture or syrup helps to calm and restore the nervous system. It is a powerful herb for helping to settle the sinuses when they feel inflamed and over-reactive. It’s very high in bioflavonoids, including quercetin, helping to alkalize the sinus region.
Elderberry is an ancient remedy for cold and flu, and the latest research shows those vibrant purple berries that the birds love so much to be a powerful tool against viruses and for optimizing the entire immune system.
Honey has been used since the earliest recordings as a remedy for numerous ailments. Folk medicine has hailed honey a cure-all for centuries. Soothing and nurturing, Flora uses only the highest quality honey and the finest herbal ingredients in all of their superb products.
“In your grandmother’s time,” I said, “they would have offered someone with a chronic sinus problem just a teaspoon or so of their homemade Elderberry and flower syrup every time the pain and discomfort began to return.” And then I was sure to tell him that I couldn’t actually suggest that he do this and disregard the instructions required to be printed on the label. “It is not legal for me to do,” I explained.
Three days later, I got a call from Martin. He called to say that he was
“… guardedly optimistic about his sinuses.” He told me that this was the first time he had had three consecutive days where he was not in nearly constant discomfort. He had just visited the co-op for his second bottle of Sambu.
I heard from this sweet elder gentleman three more times. About seven and a half months after his first (and only) Wellness Consultation, Martin called me to say that he was finally a true believer in the herbs and in holistic healing! He hadn’t had a ‘bad day’ in those seven months! He told me that he once visited the co-op for his Sambu and they were out of it. He panicked! The girl there had told him that they couldn’t get it for him for at least a week. He said he drove almost an hour away to buy a bottle so he wouldn’t run out, and that from that day on, he would be buying them three at a time!
I asked Martin if he was ready to take the next step in helping his body to restore its overall health, integrity and harmony. His response surprised me. He told me that he loved taking the delicious Sambu Elderberry Concentrate every morning and evening. He said he had come to rely on it as his ‘vitality tonic’, reporting that the feeling he got from it was similar to when his Mom and Dad took Geritol [for the younger generation: this was an over-the-counter supplement advertised on early television for the relief of ‘iron poor blood’] when they were in their latter years! He said that “… if it’s not broken, why call the repairman. I don’t know how long I have on this Earth; years I hope! I think I’ll just stick with the Sambu.” He paused. “And if anything else ever breaks down in this old body, I think I’ll call you first!” We both chuckled.
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