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Bone Broth - Healing in a Pot
By Allison M. Fuentes
Bone broth – sounds appealing, doesn’t it? Well, perhaps not. It may not be the most popular menu item, and it’s probably not what your kids ask for in a fit of hunger. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be made appealing. And so it should, because the health benefits that bone broth offers are a power-packed punch of nutrients.
I first discovered the benefits of bone broth when reading about the possibility of “healing” my toddler son’s cavity. I was a new mother, quite distraught by the myriad of chemical products marketed for use with my baby, and now I was facing the reality of having him sedated with gases in order to fill a cavity. I simply could not accept this option. There had to be a way to deal with this naturally. And so there was.
Countless hours of research led me to find that cavities can indeed be healed through diet. I was astounded. The proof was out there and I was determined to harness this miracle for my own child. Some of the tried and true remedies involved methods that were not going to be easy for my toddler to accept (like snacking on grasshoppers, seriously – the kind that jump in your back yard). But one very positive remedy seemed simple enough: bone broth.
I went straight to my local butcher and bought a bunch of bones. He thought I had a dog. I’ll never forget the look on his face when I told him they were for my baby. I boiled the bones up, added some salt, and my son drank it. That first pot of bone broth led to a miracle that will never cease to amaze me.
A couple months later, we returned to the dentist for the appointment that was supposed to determine the date of the sedation. The dentist held her mirror inside his tiny mouth and stared for quite some time. At last, she said, “Well this decay has gone into remission so we won’t have to act on it after all.” Wow! I was thrilled. She showed me how the color had changed from black to brown and the decay had actually been sealed over with a protective layer of enamel. Today, you can’t even see the spot on his tooth. It’s white…pure white.
Not only have I seen bone broth help heal cavities, but I have also seen it help with my husband’s chronic acid reflux. He had spent hundreds of dollars on prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, elimination diets, and every other remedy that was thrown at him. Finally, we tried a daily influence of bone broth. Of course, a cup of broth every day can get a little old, so I disguise it. Sometimes it’s straight broth, other times in gravy, rice, or pasta. My husband’s acid reflux is finally under control now, and I don’t doubt that bone broth is a pretty key player in this recovery.
So what’s in this stuff that makes it so great? Well, for starters, there is a good dose of protein-based amino acids. That means your own bones are going to harvest the strength from the bones you just boiled. And among a long list of vitamins and minerals, magnesium is also found in bone broth. Magnesium is one of the most deficient minerals in our diets in the modern age, and chronic ailments can be solved through the re-introduction of magnesium. Magnesium pretty much runs the human body, so providing our bodies with this mineral is a welcome addition. Everything from blood pressure to energy depends on magnesium.
The best part about all this news is that bone broth is super easy to make. I suggest using bones from grass-fed beef or simply boiling a whole organic chicken. You need to maintain a gentle rolling boil, not a raging boil [for at least twelve hours]. You’ll know you got it right when the stock turns to gel at room temperature. Simple, right?
I’m no nutritionist. But I do know that this change in my family’s diet has brought some amazing results. We will always use bone broth in our meals because we have experienced the proof of its power. Still have your doubts? Give it a shot. If you’re already a meat-eater, it doesn’t hurt to try. And if you do try it, you just might end up saving a little money at your next dental check-up.
Allison Fuentes is a state park ranger in coastal South Carolina. Her day job keeps her busy giving historic tours and identifying wildlife, but the job she lives for starts before and after park hours. Allison is also a wife and a mother, and being there for her family is her favorite role in life. Allison’s husband was born in Central America, and, as a family, they strive to include both their American and Salvadoran cultures in their lives. Their two young sons love engaging in all the outdoor adventures their parents pursue such as fishing, hiking, camping, boating, and biking. Life is held together by the imperative glue of their faith and a non-stop love for each other. Allison believes that a natural and simple life will foster a full and happy life for her family.
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