Where Does Your Medicine Come From?

I'm sitting here in my warm house, fireplace lit, dog by my side and hubby watching a football game on TV.  Aahh, a perfect Sunday as far as I'm concerned.  I just bottled up a gallon of bone broth which I'm very excited about.  Not sure if you realize how healing bone broth is.  Well, all I can say is that it's filled with immune-boosting properties and can really help stave off those nasty winter colds and flus.  See my recipe below.

I've been reading The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman and thought about the word 'medicine.'  There was a time when medicine came from the earth -- plants, flowers, trees, etc.  Today we think of medicine as drugs that we buy at the local pharmacy.  Many of the drugs on the market today have their origin in plant material, although that is quickly changing.  According to David Hoffman, only since the refinement of chemical technology and developments in chemotherapy has the use of herbs apparently diminished.  

It's sad to realize that we rely on chemists to put together a concoction of chemicals and call it medicine.  Don't get me wrong.. many medicines do help many people but there are also many more that do more harm than good.  We all know that some drugs heal one thing and cause another ailment to pop up.  And, what about all the drug commercials on TV?  Are they scary or what?  They talk for for 60 seconds on the benefits of the drug and then they spend 2 minutes on the possible side effects, including death!  Yikes!  That, to me, is not something I feel is going to heal my body.  I'd much rather rely on Mother Nature since she has been here a lot longer than the drug companies, the chemists, etc.  

That being said, plant material has potent healing qualities and has been used throughout history.  All essential oils are antiseptics and when applied topically, they eventually show up in the urinary system, the lungs and even in your sweat and saliva.  According the David Hoffman, besides their direct antiseptic action, they also stimulate the production of white blood cells, thereby augmenting the body's own natural defense system.  They aid digestion by stimulating the lining of the colon.  Essential oils also act on the central nervous system and produce either relaxation (Blue Tansy) or stimulation (Peppermint).. All tend to induce a state of inner ease and well-being.

Are you interested in learning more about the health benefits of essential oils.  Contact me for a 30-minute free consultation and see how these therapeutic oils can support you and your family on your healthy journey.

Bone Broth

Ingredients:

1 lb-2 lbs bones from pastured animals (chicken feet/necks or beef bones knuckles are best)
4 cloves organic garlic
1-2 gallons filtered water
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

other vegetables (optional, can make it bitter )

other herbs (optional)

Directions:

1.    Put all ingredients in slow cooker overnight or longer and set to low (8-24 hours).

2.    In the morning, strain broth and refrigerate in separate glass containers.

3.    Once it is chilled remove the fat and save it other uses.

4.    Drink the broth or use it for a base for soup.

Bone broths provide important minerals and vitamins that we need to cope with stress in our daily lives. It is an inexpensive way to get minerals and vitamins without taking supplements, which sometimes are not absorbed by the body when isolated from foods in supplements. Broth also fights wrinkles, cellulite and is good for loose skin after weight loss. Another benefit of broth is that it heals the digestive tract (gut lining) because it is full of amino acids. 

You can put veggies or herbs but sometimes they turn bitter when cooked for a long time. I would use the broth made here to make other soups later where you add more veggies, grass fed meats and herbs. This slow cooking recipe is aimed at getting the most minerals out of the bones to heal your body.