So, what is bone broth?
Here's the highlights:
Make the soup from bones, such as beef, poultry or fish.
Cook it over a long period of time, 12-48 hours.
Flavor the soup with vegetables and fresh herbs for added nutrients and taste.
After cooking, strain the liquid broth and store in the fridge or freezer. Then, consume the broth as a warm beverage, a base to cook legumes and grains or for a favorite soup or stew.
It's super easy to make, especially when using the carcass of the previous night's dinner. And if there is no time to prepare the broth, simple freeze the carcass until there is the opportunity.
Health Benefits
Did you know that 80%-90% of a person's immune system is located in their gut?
Think about this for a moment, what someone eats goes into their gut. This then contributes to the integrity of their immune system. Therefore, it is essential that they choose their nutrients wisely and eat with a purpose, right?!
In addition, when someone is suffering from an illness, infection or chronic disease, it is really an attack on their immune system in the form of inflammation in the body. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate anti-inflammatory nutrients into their diet through food and supplementation in order to heal their immune system.
Well, bone broth directly supports a healthy immune system, as well as, significantly increasing the digestibility and nutrient content of those otherwise difficult to digest foods.
Are you one of those people who has a love/hate relationship with your gut, you LOVE eating and HATE how your gut reacts to the foods you just ate?
Well, because the most common understanding of the gut is that it receives and absorbs the food a person eats and turns it into nutrients which keeps them alive, let me explain the 'hate' aspect of the relationship.
MUCOSAL LINING
The gut is surrounded by a thick mucosal lining that is intended to keep specific nutrients in and only allow the necessary, digested nutrients into the blood stream.
In fact, it is similar to a resistance band that physical therapists use for rehabilitation. The 'band' stretches over the top of the brain, continues through the body, surrounding organs and glands, and ends around the urinary tract. This lining then acts as a protective barrier from any toxins absorbed through the skin and prevents any undigested foods or bugs from slipping into the blood stream.
So you can imagine the gut and mucosal linings disruption from chemotherapy, steroids, antibiotics, anti-fungals and radiation! And with the understanding that many of those medications may be necessary to treat the disease, it is crucial to do whatever is possible to help preserve a person's future health by proactively using the diet to cancer and support the gut!
Healing with Bone Broth
So, how does bone broth help this raging war happening in the body?
Well, the gelatinous properties that naturally occur in the joints and connective tissues found in the bones are drawn out in the cooking process.
In addition, the abundant gelatin found in homemade bone broth is an incredible digestive aid. It helps to stimulate the production of stomach acid, which is necessary in the breakdown and absorption of proteins and minerals.
Many people fighting disease, especially cancer, quickly lose the ability to properly digest their food. Their body is in a constant sympathetic (stressful) state and combined with the laundry list of pharmaceuticals they are taking, producing stomach acid is a challenge.
However, bone broth is a very effective and gentle way to stimulate digestion and calm the stomach. It is loaded with the nutrients needed for a growing child (gelatin, calcium, magnesium, potassium and other important minerals). Plus, it is loaded with some essential amino acids.
