Christmas is literally right around the corner… 3 days to be exact!!!
And with everything going on, you may think you don’t have a second for yourself.
But that’s exactly why this recipe is for you!
We might blame our hectic schedules on the holidays but if you think about it, is it really that much different from a busy week any other time of the year?
We easily get caught up in the daily grind 24-7 365, but rarely take the time to deeply nourish and replenish our bodies.
Doing this over many years can lead to conditions like cold hands/feet, dark circles or bags under the eyes, weight loss or weight gain, and fatigue.
This is because our bodies need the proper fuel and nourishment to replenish what we expend on a daily basis!
The #1 organ that falls victim to our stressful lifestyles are the kidneys.
The kidneys secrete adrenaline, cortisol, and other fight or flight hormones. In our society, we are always functioning in fight or flight AKA the sympathetic nervous system which results in the kidneys using tons of energy to function at that level.
If you aren’t careful, this can lead to a deep depletion in your kidneys which over time will effect the rest of your body.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the kidneys are where your Jing or “life force energy” is stored. If we aren’t replenishing our kidneys with deep nourishment, it drains our life force leaving us feeling fatigued, overwhelmed, and not like our normal selves.
The kidneys also command the bones. This means your bone health is directly related to your kidney health.
Your bones hold the bone marrow which is your deepest source of nourishment. When the kidneys are over worked and depleted, your body begins to draw that energy from your bones.
If this persists for many years, conditions like osteopenia or osteoporosis can develop.
But not only are your bones affected…
The kidneys are a vital part of the endocrine system. Your endocrine system is, a system of glands that communicate and function through hormones.
When the kidneys are fatigued, glands like your pituitary, thyroid, thymus, ovaries, testicles, and adrenals will be thrown off balance causing conditions like adrenal fatigue, hypo/hyperthyroidism, autoimmune diseases, endometriosis, PCOS, painful periods, infertility, weak immunity, and the list goes on.
But luckily, using the knowledge of ancient wisdom, we can use this information and correlate the types of food needed to prevent and cure ALL of these conditions!
In TCM, the season of the kidneys is winter. This makes sense because when the kidneys are depleted we might feel cold and fatigued. So winter foods will warm and nourish the body.
For our convenience 🙂 nature has made it super easy for us!
Winter foods
- Grass-fed Bone broth & fats
- Grass-fed meat
- Root veggies (carrots, beets, parsnips, radishes, sweet potatoes…)
- Winter squash
- Cruciferous veggies (kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens…)
- Winter fruits (citrus, apples, pomegranate, persimmons, cherries…)
The reason I listed bone broth first is because it’s the #1 food to deeply restore and heal the body.
That’s because bone broth (compared to a typical stock) has been simmered for 12-24hrs. This is the amount of time needed to extract all of the vitamins, minerals, and collagen out of those dense bones.
*When using food to heal the body, it is imperative to use organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed and HAPPY plants and animals. You will be inheriting their health and energy and “you are what you eat!”
Also, just saying the name, bone broth, immediately tells you that it will also be good for your bones! The type of fat and collagen extracted from the bones makes it the BEST at delivering nutrients deep into the kidneys and all the way to the bone!
But don’t worry, bone broth isn’t just good for your kidneys and bones, it’s also healing for your gut!
If you have any gut related conditions like leaky gut, candida overgrowth, IBS, Crohn’s, colitis, eczema, psoriasis, Celiac, autoimmune disease, food allergies, etc, bone broth is also for you!
Bone broth repairs and restores the gut lining and gut wall. The high quality collagen found in the bones leave our skin, tissues, and gut wall plump, strong, and flexible.
But PLEASE DO NOT spend your hard earned money on any of those trendy dehydrated protein powders! Yes, I mean Vital Proteins, organic collagen powder, or whatever.
Even though these companies may offer high quality products, at the end of the day, your body has difficulty recognizing it as food in a dehydrated form. Your body has to do so much more work rehydrating and digesting it. This is especially contradictory when you are trying to heal the body.
And bone broth is CHEAP! It’s traditionally made with veggie and bone scraps. Health doesn’t get cheaper than that!
Below is the recipe for my Crock-Pot Bone Broth. All you have to do is throw your bone and veggie scraps together, cover with water, turn it to “low”, and let it simmer away!
It doesn’t get easier!
So please take the time this winter to deeply nourish yourself so you may have the vibrant health and energy. Make 2018 your best year ever!
Crock-Pot Bone Broth
Bones that are roasted or have already been cooked allow you to extract more collegian and nutrients. If they are raw, you can place them on a sheet pan and roast them in the oven. Roasted bones also impart a richer flavor to the broth.
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs Pasture-raised Chicken or Turkey bones (leftovers 🙂 )
- 1 Onion, halved & skin on
- 3 Carrots, whole & skin on
- 3 Celery stalks, halved
- 6 Thyme sprigs
- 1 Garlic head, horizontally halved
- 8 Peppercorns, whole
- 1/4 bunch Parsley, keep stems on
- 4 qts Filtered water
Directions
- Place bones, onions, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, peppercorns, and parsley in a large stock pot or crock-pot. Fill pot with water until bones are covered.
- Cover pot with a lid and place over a low flame or turn the crock-pot to low.
- Let the bone broth cook for 12-24 hours. The longer you can cook the bones, the more nutrients and collagen you will extract.
- When finished, remove the bones and large pieces of vegetables and discard them. Then pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer so you are left with a clear golden broth.
- Place in containers and if freezing- don’t fill to the top! Broth can stay frozen for 3-4 months!
Cheers!
If you enjoyed this recipe I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below and be sure to share with family and friends.
Megan Magill 