Benefits of Bone Broth

1.  Joint Health

Bones actually give the body 50% of its protein.  The collagen from the bones, tendons and ligaments are broken down in the cooking process and turn into a gelatin which is actually a protein.  Gelatin contains several amino acids that help rebuild our connective tissue, especially our tendons and ligaments.  This is why people that have arthritis start feeling less pain once they boost their intake of bone broth because as we maintain the connective tissue in our body we reduce the risk of aching joints.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) best known as glucosamine is a family carbohydrate found in bone broth, which thousands of people take every day as a joint health supplement.  A recent study showed that chicken collagen dramatically improved the symptoms with rheumatoid arthritis.

The minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium are crucial to help strengthen out bones and reduce osteoporosis.

2.  Gut Health

Glycine, an amino acid in bone broth helps to reduce symptoms of acid reflux.  Contrary to what you might think, acid reflux is actually caused by a lack of stomach acid which makes digesting food difficult.  Glutamine, another amino acid found in bone broth, is a natural remedy for “leaky gut syndrome”, which basically means the lining of your intestines are not working properly and can set off a number of autoimmune issues.

3.  Immune Health

The marrow in bone broth is extremely rich in nutrients.  It helps immune function, especially for colds and flu. Bone broth also contains a variety of valuable nutrients in a form your body can easily absorb.

How to Make Bone Broth

The best bones to choose for making bone broth are the ones with the most marrow.  Depending on the bones, I recommend simmering the broth for 8-48 hours. I usually like to rinse my bones with vinegar to minimize the strong bony taste.

Ingredients:

   •      2 pounds of bones

   •      1 gallon water

   •      1 small piece of peeled ginger

   •      1 onion

   •      2 large carrots (if from an organic source, you can rough chop and don’t need to peel)

   •      2 celery stalks, rough chopped

   •      salt,pepper, and spices to taste

 Directions:

  •   Place bones in a large stockpot and cover with water.

   •      Roughly chop the vegetables and add to the stockpot. Bring to a rolling boil and then lower to a simmer.

   •      For beef broth, simmer for 48 hours, for chicken broth, simmer for 24 hours, for fish broth, simmer for 8 hours.

   •      Allow to cool slightly and strain. Store in an airtight Mason jar or freeze until ready to use.

3 Ways to eat Bone Broth

You can drink a mug of it daily as you would your morning coffee to get all the health benefits it has to offer, or use it as a base of a soup for added nutrients and flavor

In a smoothie

There are many companies that sell polvarized bone broth which can be used in a smoothie. This is how I boost my kid’s immune system.

Recipe:

2 Tbsp. of Great Lakes Collagen

1/2 cup of Strawberries

1/2 Banana

2 cups of Milk ( can also use almond milk or other non dairy options)

Direction:

Blend all ingredients and enjoy.

Bulletproof Bars and Snack Bites

There are now many companies that are using bone broth as a key ingredient in their snacks and bars.  It is a great way to get nutrients while snacking

The post All About Bone Broth first appeared on Inner Health & Wellness | Walnut Creek, CA..

There are 5 things that you should do to keep your body healthy and ensure an optimal and quick recovery.

1. Vitamin C

• The best form of this vitamin is buffered ascorbic acid. The natural form of it gives your body all that it needs to help it fight agains bugs.
• Berries and citrus fruit are great source of vitamin c and best to enjoy them for snack or with meals.

2. Antioxidants

• Amla- great antioxidant that helps protect the body against disease. It comes from the goosberry fruit.
• Elderberry- very frequently found, great to supplement or use as tea
• Euchinachea- Great herb that is rich in antioxidants and helps to boost immune system

3. Hydration

• 60% of our bodies are made up with water & important to keep it hydrated at all times

4. Movement & Exercise

• Exercise helps to increase oxygen flow to the body and helping our cells to combat different viruses and bugs.

5. Zinc

• Great mineral that helps to boost immune system and helps fight infection.

We can’t prevent what’s in our surroundings, but we can ensure to protect our bodies to help fight bugs and viruses and have a quick recovery.

The post 5 Ways to Protect Your Immune System Against Viruses first appeared on Inner Health & Wellness | Walnut Creek, CA..