Bone Broth Cleanse

This post is not pretty or sweet... it's  brothy, and boney, and to be honest a little creepy.


I took a little visit to see my Naturopath and after being sick with two different colds in the last 2 weeks he suggested I go on a bone broth cleanse. 
It's basically a stock, but less meat on the bones so you get more of what the bones have to share with you, like minerals and amino acids and such.


Bone broths are a good source of amino acids – particularly arginine, glycine and proline.  Glycine supports the bodies detoxification process and is used in the synthesis of hemoglobin, bile salts and other naturally-occurring chemicals within the body.  Glycine also supports digestion and the secretion of gastric acids.  Proline, especially when paired with vitamin C, supports good skin health.  Bone broths are also rich in gelatin which improves collagen status, thus supporting skin health.      


I have to say this cleanse was surprisingly effective, the minimum is 4 days and you can do it for as long as you'd like. You end up having a mug-size of it every 2 hours or so.
So here's the recipe if you dare!

Ingredients

• Chicken parts & bones (necks and leftover bones or soup bones - 2 to 3 pounds)
• 4 L filtered water
• 2 tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)
• Vegetables: 1 large onion (peeled & quartered), 2 carrots, cut, 3 celery stalks, cut
• Parsley - Optional

Directions

1. Place chicken (or turkey, beef) parts and bones into stock pot with water, vinegar.
2. Add all vegetables except parsley to the pot.
3. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Bring to a boil, and remove any scum that rises to the top (there is almost no scum when using pastured birds).
5. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for a minimum of 6 to 8 hours up to 24 hours. The longer you cook it, the more flavour and nutrition it will have.
6. (Beef broth can go 36-48 hours. Fish can go only 4-12 hours.)
7. About 10 minutes before finishing the broth, chop the parsley and add it to the stock for extra minerals.
8. Remove bones and vegetables with a slotted spoon. Discard.  If you want a clear broth (with no bits & pieces), use some cheesecloth in your strainer
9. Strain the broth into the 2-gallon glass jar  or large glass bowl and let cool to touch on the counter.

Store in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, until the fat rises to the top and congeals.

So there you have it, I have to say I have done a lot of cleanses in my day and this one was pretty up there. If you're interested I'd say give it a shot!

Happy Cleansing!