Before I began my journey to wellness and started learning about the importance of gut health, I had never even heard of bone broth, let alone tried it! I figured broth was broth, and you could buy it in a box.
When I started treatment with a functional medicine doctor for my Lupus, he immediately prescribed me a 5 day bone broth fast. So I got to work making my first batch. As with anything, I’ve attempted several different recipes and after some trial & error, came up with one that I liked best. There are countless ways to make bone broth, and the ingredients can vary depending on your tastes and any food intolerances. But using bone broth regularly can be highly beneficial for everyone, and here’s why….
-Bone broth can be used to heal a leaky gut, which is a condition most people in today’s modern societies have, at least to some degree. If you have an autoimmune disease, then you are definitely experiencing issues with gut health. Bloating, nausea, gas, constipation, IBS, Reflux or GERD, or any chronic digestive issue is an indicator that you’ve got a leaky gut. Bone broth can help soothe and heal the permeations in the gut lining!
-Bone broth boosts immunity, so its an excellent way to protect yourself from infectious disease and to treat it as well. Turns out there’s actually some truth to the old chicken soup treatment for sickness!
-Bone broth reduces inflammation. If you suffer from arthritis or any type of chronic pain, drinking bone broth regularly can help ease your suffering!
-Bone broth has qualities that naturally detox the liver. All of those medications, processed foods, alcohol and other toxins you put into your body that get stored in the liver can be flushed out by drinking bone broth regularly!
-Adding bone broth to your diet can improve skin problems, hair loss and even sleep issues!
Now that you know WHY you should be using bone broth, let’s get to the HOW.
When I make my broth, I typically try to do a 1-2 day fast where I drink only water and broth. I have severe Lupus and I find that doing a monthly broth fast is extremely helpful in reducing my symptoms. If you’re interested in doing a fast, you can also incorporate juicing or smoothies, which are easier to digest, allowing the gut to heal throughout the fasting period.
If you’re not looking to go that hard-core and just want to do some maintenance, you can simply drink a cup of broth a day while it lasts or even make a soup with it. You’ll still get all of the great benefits!
So here’s my recipe!
Bone Broth ~ Chicken
1-2 Gallons of Distilled Water (depending on amount of broth desired)
1 Pckg Chicken Necks & Backs, or a whole chicken
1 Small Onion, chopped largely
2-3 Carrots, chopped largely
2-3 Celery Stalks, chopped largely (include leaves)
1-2 Garlic Cloves, smashed
1-2 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
Salt to taste
Bring all ingredients to boil, cover and reduce to simmer for at least 24 hours. (I typically leave mine to simmer for 36-48 hours.) Cool completely and strain into large mason jars (or plastic containers if freezing). Once layer of lard forms on top, scoop the lard before reheating broth or it will be extremely greasy.
*You can store lard separately for cooking, as it contains the same beneficial elements as the broth!
That’s it! Super simple, inexpensive, delicious, natural medicine!
Enjoy!
