“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
― Hippocrates
If you’re experiencing a challenging health condition or looking to promote ultimate wellness and vitality, your diet simply cannot be ignored.
But a total diet overhaul can be difficult and expensive.
The good news is, there is an easy and inexpensive way to boost immunity, help with the absorption of vital nutrients, cleanse the body, and so much more. How?
With healing broths!
In this blog, we will explain what bone broths and vegan healing broths are, the positive effect they have, and provide three recipes that you can start using today to turbocharge your health!
Why is Bone Broth a Health Food Craze?
Health mavens sing the praises of bone broth’s ability to deliver a one-two punch of health and immune-boosting nutrients. This good-for-you food has mass appeal because it is affordable, accessible, delicious, wholesome, and easy to make. It’s safe to say bone broth is having its day in the sun.
Not Just for Omnivores!
Some attribute the mass appeal of bone broth to its integral role in the popular Paleo diet. The good news is you don’t have to be a meat-eater to benefit from healing broths as there are some excellent recipes for vegan broths that we will share with you at the end of this blog!
No matter your diet, it’s safe to say bone broths and healing vegan broths are a health food craze that anyone can and should get behind! Keep reading to find out why!
A Cold Weather Comfort that Restores Health and Vitality
What sounds better than savoring a delicious and comforting bowl of healing broth on a chilly fall day? As we transition into the colder months in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s essential to start planning for lifestyle changes that will promote wellness through the dark and frosty days ahead of us.
An Ancient Healing Tradition
Healing broths are an ancient human tradition that dates to the earliest civilizations. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors would make bone broth out of necessity when no food went to waste.
These days, health-savvy people are jumping on the broth bandwagon and evangelizing their benefits across every corner of the internet.
Who can Benefit from Healing Broths?
Anyone! Healing vegan broths and bone broths are helpful and appropriate for any person wishing to improve their health and wellbeing—especially those suffering from chronic pain, inflammation, and autoimmune disorders.
What are Bone Broths?
Bone broths and healing vegan broths differ significantly from the boxed and canned versions you see lining your supermarket shelves. They are the result of boiling for up to 24 hours, whereas prepackaged stocks may have only taken up to 2 hours to make and are laden with preservatives and excess salt.
The bottom line: Bone broths and healing vegan broths are cooked MUCH longer than traditional stocks to extract the maximum amount of collagen, protein, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients!
You can make healing broths out of any of the following ingredients:
- Meat
- Marrow and connective tissues
- Vegetables
- Herbs
- Spices
What you put in your broth will boil down to what your health goals and diet preferences are.
The Top 7 Health-Boosting Benefits of Bone Broth
Healing broths are not only delicious and comforting—they are a nutritional powerhouse!
As one of the pillars of The Hache Protocol for Pain Resolution™, proper nutrition is vital for anyone suffering from chronic pain, inflammation, and autoimmune conditions.
We promote bone broths because of the following benefits:
- Cleansing— (Ideal for those with food sensitivities, allergies, digestive disorders, and autoimmune issues) A bone broth cleanse focuses on healing and wellness rather than weight loss. The goal is to offer your body a “reset” by removing foods that cause inflammation like grains, dairy, and refined sugar and replacing them with nutrient-rich, collagen-laden, gut-healing broth multiple times a day.
- Joint Health—Bone broths are high in collagen, which has been shown to provide significant improvement in joint comfort and flexibility.
- Weight Management—It has been found that obese people tend to have more Firmicutes bacteria and fewer Bacteroidetes bacteria in their digestive tract. This means that obese people extract more calories from the food they eat. Bone broth is high in glutamine, which reduces Firmicutes bacteria aiding in the loss of unwanted weight.
- Reduction of Inflammation—Bone broths are rich in the amino acids glycine and proline. Researchers have found these amino acids work to reduce inflammation in the body.
- Increased Immunity—One study showed that the amino acids in chicken broth reduced inflammation, improved digestion, and bolstered immune system function. Grandma was on to something when she offered up that bowl of chicken soup when you were sick!
- Increased Extraction of Minerals in Your Food. Because bone broths and vegan healing broths take so long to boil, the maximum amount of nutrients and minerals are extracted. Talk about getting more bang for your buck!
- Aids in Post Workout Recovery by replacing electrolytes and fluids.
Feel the Benefits of Healing Broths Today
Reaping the countless health benefits of healing broths (whether they be bone-based or vegan) doesn’t have to be a challenging endeavor! And the exciting thing is, you’re not only making something to bolster your health and vitality, but you’re also feeding yourself at the same time!
Walk in the steps of our ancestors with a tradition that has bolstered health, wellness, and vitality for eons. Try incorporating healing broths into your diet today!
Do you have any questions about the vital role that diets play in your health and healing from chronic pain, inflammation, and autoimmune issues? Reach out for a complimentary consultation. We’d be honored to guide you on your journey to living a life free from pain and limitations!
3 Healing Broth Recipes You Can’t Miss!
Try making a big batch of one or all these healing broths at the beginning of your week. Sunday has traditionally been a day of rest and healing; why not pop a pot on your stove and enjoy the comforting aroma of broth wafting throughout your home?
Making broths will set you up to have easy access to vitamins, nutrients, minerals, collagen, protein, and so much more throughout the busy week ahead—and your body will thank you!
The best part? Once you get into the routine of making healing broths, it will feel like second nature!
Bone Broth
Meat-based, cleansing, calming, anti-inflammatory.
This bone broth is a tried-and-true recipe that will yield a nutrient-dense and healing drink for your entire family. This broth is excellent for cleansing, calming, joint health, reducing inflammation, and much more!
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds organic chicken* bones, backs, necks, and/or wings
- Filtered water to just cover
- 3 T apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or lemon juice
- Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic, and/or parsley toward the end of cooking for flavor
Directions:
Combine bones, water, and vinegar in a non-reactive pot and let stand for 30 minutes to an hour.
Bring to a boil, removing any scum that has risen to the surface and reduce heat and simmer for 6-48 hours, add water as needed, and keep covered.
Add whole veggies, peelings, or skins in the last half hour or so of cooking.
Strain through a colander or cheesecloth-lined sieve, discarding solids. The cold broth will gel when sufficient gelatin is present. May be frozen for several months or refrigerated for five days.
Season with salt, sip, and enjoy!
*You can also use beef bones, lamb or goat (high collagen joints like knuckles, necks, and feet), fish (with heads), shellfish, and shrimp shells.
Bieler’s Broth
Vegan, cleansing, healing, and detoxifying.
Dr. Henry Beiler created Bieler’s broth as a medicinal soup that promotes healing and detoxification in the body. Dr. Bieler suggested that this soup would help reestablish the correct acid/alkaline balance in the body. Dr. Beiler also believed this medicinal soup helped balance the sodium/potassium levels in the body.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of water
- 4 medium zucchinis (roughly chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (roughly chopped)
- 1 lb. string beans
- 1 bunch parsley (stems removed)
Directions:
Place water, celery, zucchini, string beans in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Boil for 10 minutes or until all vegetables appear bright green and are tender.
Remove from heat and add parsley.
Use an immersion blender or food processor to blend until smooth.
Note: You can top with herbs, creme fraiche, ghee, or salt for a more interesting flavor, though be aware that adding anything throws off the cleansing/alkalinizing benefits of the combo. So, if you are doing it for a cleanse, opt to have this broth plain and unadulterated.
Sip, and enjoy!
Mineral Broth
Vegan, fortifying, nutritious, promotes gut health.
Ingredients:
For every 3 quarts of water:
- 1 large chopped onion
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 cup chopped daikon (with tops if possible)
- 1 cup winter squash or yam
- 2 cups chopped dark leafy greens (kale, collards)
- 1 bunch parsley or oregano
- 2 celery stalks, sliced in half
- 1 cup sea vegetable of your choice (kombu, wakame, hijiki, or dulse)
- 1/2 cup chopped red cabbage
- 4 half-inch slices of ginger root
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1/2 cup whole flax seeds (optional – add during last 30 minutes)
- sea salt to taste (optional)
Directions:
Bring to a slow boil and cook for one to two hours. Strain, and enjoy!
This broth will keep for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator—make a large batch and store in the freezer for easy accessibility!
Note: You can add a tablespoon of brewer’s yeast or nutritional yeast for additional nutrient density.