Bone Broth For Health!

Why Bone Broth?
Last winter I started an immune regime for my little one to help prevent her from getting sick.  If you have a special needs child you know how challenging setbacks can be when your baby keeps getting colds.  This regime has worked out great in strengthening my daughter's immune system and digestive system.
One of the things I added to my daughters diet was bone broth.  So I thought I'd share why this is such potent food medicine.  Here are some of the wonderful properties bone broth contains:

1. Bone broth contains many wonderful nutrients such as minerals in a form the body can absorb easily.  Some of these minerals include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. 
2. Bone broth contains amino acids such as glutamine (which provides fuel for intestinal cells), glycine, proline and arginine which are anti-inflammatory.  
3. Bone broth contains gelatin.  New research shows bone broth helps to heal leaky gut syndrome as it helps heal the lining of the gut through the gelatin which promotes digestive juices in the gut.  Babies have been shown to have fewer digestive problems when gelatin was added to their milk as it promotes digestive juices to food in the gut.  A survey comprised of over 30 years of research on gelatin showed its ability to improve the digestion of milk. In the early 1900s gelatin was therefore recommended as an ingredient in infant formula, to decrease allergic reactions, colic and respiratory ailments. Gelatin was also reported to increase the digestibility of beans and meat. It was also found that gelatin increased the utilization of the protein in wheat, oats and barley, all gluten containing grains.
4. Bone broth can help strengthen the immune system.  Because over 70% of our immune cells lie in our gut, a strong digestive system may very well be connected to a strong immune system.  Furthermore, chicken contains a natural amino acid called cysteine, which can thin the mucus in your lungs and make it less sticky so you can expel it more easily.
5. Bone broth is beneficial in pregnancy. In pregnancy, the growing fetus creates a demand for glycine that is two to ten times greater than normal, and two to ten times greater than the need for other amino acids.

How to Make Bone Broth?
Ingredients:
Filtered water
3 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp organic apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg's brand)
Sea salt, to taste
Organic chicken with bones
Bone broth is easy to make especially if you have a crockpot.  Place chicken with bones in crockpot and fill crockpot with filtered water until water reaches 2 inches above chicken.  You can add any spices you like. I add 2-3 cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, sea salt to taste and 1 to 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar.  Let chicken cook in crockpot on low for 24-48 hours.  When done, skim the top and take chicken out of crockpot.  Keep chicken meat for later use.  If you don't want any sediment you can strain broth through cheesecloth after it cools or if you don't mind some sediment you can freeze broth in ice cube trays or containers.  It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

How to Use Bone Broth?
*Use broth to make soups
*Use broth to cook grains in
*Use broth as one of baby's first foods - can be mixed with breastmilk
*Broth can be used in sauces to add flavor
*Broth can be used to sautee veggies in
*1 cup of bone broth can be drunk daily with spices and sea salt as a beverage to help heal a leaky gut

*Disclaimer:  This information should not be taken in place of medical advice.  Seeing a health practitioner is always the preferred route to go if you have a health concern.  This information is for sharing purposes and hopefully inspiration!  

Be well!!

References:
Fallon, Sally (2000). Broth is Beautiful.  Retrieved from http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-  
is-beautiful 
Jackson, A, et al. Optimizing amino acid and protein supply and utilization in the newborn, Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 1989, 48, 293–301.
Mercola, Joseph MD (2013). Bone Broth: One of Your Most Healing Diet Staples.  Retrieved from   http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/16/bone-broth-benefits.aspx 
Samonina, G, et al. Protection of gastric mucosal integrity by gelatin and simple proline containing peptides, Pathophysiology, April 2000, 7, 1, 69–73.
27. Koyama, et al. Ingestion of gelatin has differential effect on bone mineral density and bodyweight in protein undernutrtion, Journal of Nutrition and Science of Vitaminology, 2000, 47, 1, 84–86.

Siebecker, Allison (2005). Traditional Bone Broth in Modern Health and Disease.  Retrieved from http://www.townsendletter.com/FebMarch2005/broth0205.htm