Habit #17 Add a cup of collagen rich bone broth daily

Last Updated on August 24, 2022 by Rebecca Huff

Chicken soup for the soul? Grandma never steered us wrong when she poured all that chicken soup in us over the years. Now let’s make grandma proud with Habit #17 of our #31 Habits Series.

This habit will be a little bit more involved than the other habits we have talked about so far. Don’t worry, you can ease into this one. Let me share with you the benefits of drinking bone broth. Then I also want to share with you a habit I have started that is very healing to the body. There will be different levels of this habit you can choose from depending on what is right for you.

I have always enjoyed bone broth made from chicken, but until recently I had mainly used it for soups. That is until I discovered all the many benefits of drinking different types of bone broth for my health. Keep reading!

Doing a bone broth fast helps to soothe and restore the gut lining. It aids in eliminating bad bacteria and also helps to nourish and maintain energy in the cells.

During a bone broth fast the body has a chance to heal itself, especially for those with digestive disorders and autoimmune conditions. That is why it is especially beneficial for people who suffer from leaky gut syndrome, a condition that happens when the gut lining is compromised allowing improperly broken down food access to the bloodstream.

Unfortunately, many people suffer from leaky gut syndrome without even realizing what is causing their discomfort. Some estimates say that up to 95% of the population is suffering with some degree of leaky gut syndrome.

Health Benefits of Bone Broth

Anti Aging Collagen, Glycine, Minerals and something called glycosaminoglycans (glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid) protect your skin against wrinkling and aging in much the way expensive collagen skin creams work, only better! Consuming bone broth is a much more effective way to get collagen on a cellular level.
Anti-inflammatory Because bone broth contains amino acids like arginine, glycine and proline it has been found to be beneficial for treating inflammation. These amino acids contain a compound which is said to inhibit inflammation—a condition considered to be the root of many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Arthritis Due to the minerals calcium magnesium and silicon found in bone broth it is said to have a healthy impact on joints and ligaments and some people claim it decreases symptoms of arthritis. According to Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, stock contains “stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain”
Building healthy and strong bones The high amounts of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in bone broth plays a role in healthy bone formation causing the bones to maintain strength.
Cell cleaning. During a 24 hour bone broth cleanse because your body is not busy digesting it can focus on the removal of toxins. This clean up of your cell biome revs your metabolism and helps you to look and feel younger and more energetic.
Cellulite In her book The Bone Broth Diet, Dr. Kellyann Petrucci explains that because cellulite stems from a lack of connective tissue and collagen, drinking the broth aids in reducing cellulite and building connective tissue.
Detoxifying The amino acids present in bone broth may aid the liver in removing toxins creating better health and longer life.
Healing and sealing of the gut According to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride bone broth is an excellent food that will help to heal and seal your gut lining.
Healthy hair and nails When you consume bone broth you are consuming gelatin which is perfect for promoting healthy hair and nails.
Human growth hormone production When you do a bone broth cleanse day your HGH rises between 1,300 to 2,000 percent. HGH is responsible for creating lean muscle which helps you burn fat and also promotes a healthy glow to your skin.
Immune Boosting The gut is very important to immune health, so the healing properties of bone broth gives a boost to the immune system. A happy gut equals a healthy immune system!
Insulin lowering Insulin levels that are too high can make you insulin resistant. When you become insulin resistant glucose can’t get into your cells; in turn it is stored as fat. Body fat is storage for toxins.
Prevents infection by cold and flu Studies show that chicken soup (broth) has medicinal like qualities which help to ward off the cold and flu, just like grandma told us!
Sleep better Glycine, the amino acid found in bone broth can create a calming feeling allowing you to sleep better at night and feel more rested during the day. Overall, more rest means more energy when you need it most.
Weight loss During a 24 hour bone broth cleanse insulin levels drop and your cells are more sensitive to it so that it can deliver the loads of glucose to your cells and it can be burned for energy, not stored as fat. This makes you slimmer, healthier and more energetic.

How to get started

Newbie
Consider purchasing ready made bone broth from your local health food store. Try adding a cup before a meal to see how you like it. I usually add a small pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt to mine and a crack of pepper.

Beginner
Ask your butcher for some bones to make a batch of bone broth. Chicken bone broth is very popular and the internet is full of recipes you can try. Try drinking a mug full of bone broth every day. Some people start their day with a cup of healing bone broth, flooding their body with healing benefits right from the get go.

No matter what time of day you choose, try to make it a habit to add at least one serving of bone broth each day. You can always add more when you are ready!

Intermediate
Keep a batch of bone broth in your fridge to add to meals. Try drinking two servings of bone broth each day. Maybe you could have one before breakfast and one in the evening. I often have an afternoon cup of broth to fight off hunger until the evening meal.

Use bone broth within a week of making it, preferably. If you have an abundance at the end of the week, you can make a pot of soup, add it to mashed potatoes or freeze it for later use.

Proficient
You might try a 24 hour bone broth cleanse just to give your digestive system a rest. This 24 hour period will allow your body to give priority to gut healing. Make sure you make or buy enough to drink for a full 24 hour period. If you get hungry, you could add a small healthy meal at the end of the day such as steamed fish and veggies.

To boost the nutrition in dinner, from time to time, add a little miso to some broth and serve as a before dinner soup.

Advanced
Doing a mini bone broth cleanse once or twice each week to help your body shed excess weight, build a healthy gut lining and keep bones strong is a perfect way to maintain optimum health. Consider making this part of your weekly routine.

Super Gungho Expert
Some people may choose to do a four day Bone Broth Cleanse, drinking only bone broth for three to four days. If you choose to go super gungho, you’ll need about 14-16 gallons of bone broth to consume over the days of the Bone Broth Cleanse.

Enter for a chance to win The Bone Broth Diet book (rules at the bottom of this post)

Tips for making enough bone broth

Using a 5-6 quart crockpot you can start the broth with a whole bird or cuts such as drumsticks, neck and thigh. If you have them include the giblets and even the organ meat. If you are using beef bones, start with marrow bones and or shank bones. For fish, include all of the bones including the head.

Simply add purified water, 2 – 3 tablespoons of Pink Himalayan or Celtic Salt and apple cider vinegar. I sometimes use a small piece of wakame (seaweed) for the iodine it contributes to the broth.

Let the crock pot cook on high for about 2 hours then turn to low or keep warm for 14-24 hours. Strain and drink. I often pour my broth into quart jars and let them cool on the counter until at room temperature at which time I move them to the fridge. Before drinking, I usually remove the fat which has hardened at the top of the jar.

With beef bone broth, I roast the bones before making the broth which gives it a deeper flavor and also removes much of the fat. This is a personal preference though, you do not have to roast the bones or remove the fat.

If you are doing a several day bone broth cleanse, you can simply keep the crock pot turned on and replenish the ingredients each time you drink a serving. After removing a cup of broth, simply add some boiling water into the broth with a pinch of salt and a dash of vinegar. This will keep the broth going for a couple of days.

If you are doing a cleanse longer than two days you will want to start with a fresh batch the night of the second day so that it can simmer overnight.

Also, during a longer bone broth cleanse, it is important to avoid over exertion. If you simply must exercise during the cleanse consider a walk or light yoga. Healing takes energy, so allow your body to use it’s energy stores to complete this important task.

It’s important to use high quality bones, Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and use filtered water. This will result in the best quality bone broth. Grass fed and finished beef bones or pasture raised poultry produce the best broth. You can also get healthy ready made bone broth online!

One final note, it is best to reheat bone broth on a stove as opposed to a microwave.

Smart food preparation starts with high quality foods and food preparation and that means saying sayonara to your microwave oven. Need to sterilize a dishcloth? Use your microwave. But zapping your casserole is a BAD idea if you are interested in preparing healthy food. (source)

Concerning microwaves this article is also of interest.

If you are considering taking bone broth to work with you, a thermos makes a great lunchbox for a days worth of bone broth. I often carry several servings with me when I am away from home for the day. I have two of this one, using these keeps my broth warm until I consume it.

In this post I explain How to make Bone Broth using roasted beef bones. You can find lots of great books all about broth. Some of my favorites are: