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HEAL & SEAL ME: MEAT BROTH AND STOCK

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It might not sound massively appealing, but bone broth and meat stock really are where it’s at. Broths are yet another very nourishing tradition that are being revived and brought back to our kitchens. They’re undeniably one of the most healing things you can feed yourself and your loved ones, and so inexpensive and easy to make, it’s time to drink it up!

How I got onto broth

Having scarcely eaten meat in the last 10 years, it felt very odd, but gradually very right, to start reintroducing it slowly back into my diet. Tired of suffering from minor but persistent hormonal disturbances and other related issues, I finally took courage and reduced my beloved carbs and swapped them for more animal fats and proteins. It has been a year since this change and I can’t say enough just how much better I feel (and how amazingly little I miss grains/carbs). Clients and friends who follow a similar program have also experienced wonderful healing. Of course, not everyone believes in eating animal products which I absolutely respect. However, if you do eat meat products, I urge you to give this a try.

My research

I attribute a lot of my understanding and healing to the work of Dr Natasha Campbell McBride and her GAPS protocol. She is an incredible doctor who continues to cure thousands of children from a multitude of ailments such as autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, allergies, A.D.D, and depression. This protocol is not exclusive to children, with people of all ages healing the likes of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, auto-immune diseases such as Chron’s and Hashimoto’s, OCD, chronic fatigue and asthma. To briefly fill you in, the GAPS protocol follows the idea that all diseases (physical, mental and emotional) begin in the gut. Thankfully this understanding is becoming more and more mainstream. The gut serves as your second brain, it produces more serotonin (the feel-good neurotransmitter) than your brain and contains ten times more bacteria than there are cells in your body! So yes, we are in fact 90% bacteria. When you heal and seal your gut lining by balancing the bacteria in your gut you can heal your whole system. Bone broth and meat stock is hailed by Dr McBride and many other medical practitioners as providing your body with the necessary building blocks to provide wonderful healing.

So what is broth and meat stock?

They are mineral, amino acid, and vitamin rich clear soups. Broth is made by boiling raw or cooked bones of healthy animals, and meat stock is made by boiling the raw meat of healthy animals on a bone. Bones are so rich in nutrition as they are where the likes of iron rich red blood cells, immune support white blood cells and elastic collagen are produced. When you boil the bones these wonderful properties, undisturbed by heat, are drawn out.

Instantly recognised and effortlessly absorbed by our bodies these broths are bursting with the following benefits:

  • Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium and potassium – all essential for the daily functioning of our body and gut and also act as electrolytes – could broth be the new sports drink?!
  • Proteinaceous gelatin – aids digestion by attracting digestive juices. Brilliant for intestinal disorders and allows the body to fully utilize proteins that are taken in. Particularly useful for anemia, diabetes and muscular dystrophy.
  • Cartilage – incredibly healing in treating cancer and bone disorders.
  • Collagen, hyaluronic acid, chondrition sulfate – all support connective tissue elasticity such as joints, tendons, ligaments, skin, mucus membranes and bone. Very healing for rheumatoid arthritis and joint pain…..and yes helping with wrinkles, stretch marks and cellulite too!

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RECIPES!

Lamb, pork, beef or game

  • STEP 1: Put the joints and bones (with or without meat) into a large pot, fill it up with water, add pepper and good quality salt.
  • STEP 2: Heat up to boiling point. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a minimum. Simmer for at least 3 hours.
  • STEP 3: Turn off the heat, take out the bones (and meat) and pour stock through a sieve.

Chicken broth

  • STEP 1: Put a whole or half chicken (with or without meat) into a large pot, fill it up with water and add salt.
  • STEP 2: Simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours.
  • STEP 3: Take the bones (and meat) out and pour stock through a sieve.

Chicken broth/stock is particularly good for flu, colds and asthma as chicken contains a natural amino acid called cysteine, which thins the mucus in your lungs making it less sticky and easy to expel.

Fish broth

  • STEP 1: Add fish bones, fins, skins and heads (no meat) to a large pot with water and add pepper.
  • STEP 2:  Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a minimum. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours.
  • STEP 3:  Add salt to taste. Take the fish out and sieve the stock.

Great for virility! Rich in iodine supplies, thyroid hormone and other substances that nourish the thyroid gland. Increases energy and restores mental abilities.

Other handy tips:

  • Ask your local butcher and ask for all the discarded bones and joints – they may even give them away to you!
  • Alternate between different meats to provide a whole spectrum of nourishment
  • The longer you cook the bones the more goodness will be drawn out and thus the more nourishing the broth will be.
  • The test to see if your broth contains enough gelatin is when you chill it – it should thicken even to the point of jelling completely.
  • You drink it plain as a digestive, or add it to soups, stews, gravy, sauces, stir-fries…
  • Stock can be made in bulk and stored until needed  – great to pour into ice cube trays and throw into meals adhock – especially if you’re trying to disguise it for the kids!
  • Keeps for 5 days in fridge and 3 months in freezer
  • One cup a day would be marvellous!

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OIL PULLING: SWISH FOR YOUR HEALTH!

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Oil pulling is something I have been doing daily for about a year now – as mentioned in my Daily Routine post earlier this week it’s the first thing I do every morning. The results so far have astounded me: I needed no intervention during my last visit to the dentist after not visiting him for well over a year (which is unheard of for me and my teeth!). My teeth are whiter, feel stronger and smoother and my gums are a lot pinker and healthier! There are many other benefits I could attach to oil pulling such as uninterrupted sleep, no sick days, clear ear/nose/throat pathways, better digestion… but they are harder to gauge as I’ve been grain-free for a year which has also brought with it many health benefits. No matter the cause, it’s so easy to do I’m going to keep it up, especially as the long term benefits are huge. So if you fancy it, read on…

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What you need:

  • 1 heaped TSP – 1 TBSP cold pressed organic oil  – such as coconut/sesame/sunflower. No need to pre-melt coconut oil, as it will quickly liquefy in the mouth

Method:

  • STEP 1 : Every morning before you eat or even take a sip of water, put 1 TBSP of oil into your mouth and swill it around for at least 15 minutes. Use your tongue and cheeks to help rinse and swish the oil around your mouth and between your teeth. You can do this while having your shower, getting dressed, making your breakfast – the time flies by! Easy multi-tasking!
  • STEP 2: Spit the oil out – never swallow as it’s now full of bacteria! You’ll notice the oil is thinner as it has mixed with your saliva, and has become white as it has drawn out the toxins.
  • STEP 3: Thoroughly rinse your mouth out with water (or warm salt water for extra antimicrobial blasting!)
  • STEP 4: Brush your teeth with just water, no toothpaste needed!
  • STEP 5: Wash your basin as that will have toxic residue too.

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What’s the point?

You’re basically cleansing your mouth to support your immune system, which in turn brings better health to your whole self. Our mouths are full of bacteria, parasites, fungis and toxins, most commonly Candida and Streptococcus. These germs (fed “beautifully” by our gross sugar-laden modern diet) are what cause tooth and gum decay and many other health issues. They travel easily through the membranes in the mouth and then into the bloodstream. So if your immune system is low from poor diet, high stress levels, lack of sleep etc then these germs can multiply with ease and rush off through your gums and into your blood super highway, wreaking all sorts of havoc throughout your body (digestive upsets, anxiety, arthritis, acne, eczema and so on).

What goes on?

The swishing action stimulates saliva and the saliva produces enzymes that draw the toxins out of the mucus membranes in the mouth so they don’t enter your system. Dr Karach, the oil pulling guru, who cured his own chronic blood disease and 15-year struggle with arthritis, notes that “if we would look at a drop of this liquid through a microscope, we would see all kind of moving fibers – those are microbes in the first stage of their growth”. Nice stuff, huh.

The swishing action also activates the whole digestive tract from mouth to bottom – try thinking about your favourite food and notice the saliva build up in your mouth, as this happens the liver starts producing bile to help break down the food that’s about to enter your stomach, stomach acids also increase and your intestines start to pulsate getting ready to help massage the nutrients through your system.

Just as reflexology has reflex points on the feet that correspond to different organs and systems, the tongue can also be mapped. Each section of the tongue has organ locations – lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, small intestines, stomach, colon and spine are all being massaged and cleansed whilst oil pulling.

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The most obvious/quickest benefits

  • Teeth become firm and white
  • Gums become pink and plump
  • Deeper sleep
  • Feeling fresh and relaxed on waking up
  • Decreased dark circles under the eyes
  • Increased energy
  • Better memory

Longer term benefits

  • Menstrual problems ease
  • Less inflammation in the joints – arthritis
  • Better digestion
  • Decreased headaches/Migraines
  • More balanced blood sugar levels – Diabetes
  • Better hormonal balance – decreased acne
  • Increased elasticity and lubrication of the eyes
  • Chron’s Disease symptoms decrease

There continues to be extensive research conducted on the benefits of oil pulling. The amount of testimonials for all hosts of ailments far outways the list I have here.

So have a think about it, or better still just get on with it – super cheap, easy, and the worst it can do is improve your smile and save on your dental fees! Get swilling!

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In rare cases, oil pulling may appear to initially worsen an ailment or other problem issue. Dr. Karach calls this “healing crisis”, wherein the pulling has activated a problematic symptom, making it appear inflamed. He advises to continue pulling in these instances, as this is a propitious sign that the ailment is has been targeted and is disappearing. Discontinuing will interrupt the healing process that is actually occurring.
(IMG: Randy Major)

CONTACT

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tasha.bermingham@gmail.com

Tasha teaches private individual, duet and small group sessions in the comfort of the client’s home, a factor that has seen her become highly sought after due to the individual and intimate nature of each lesson. In addition to this, Tasha also curates programs for home practice or holiday periods. If you would like to work with Pilates equipment Tasha is available for individual and duet sessions at various studios around London.