Don’t throw your turkey bones out! Keep them to make “bone broth” or “bone stock!” Consuming nutrient rich broth from animal bones can make a big impact on the integrity of your joints, bones and health in general.

We are all familiar with chicken soup. Most of us have forgotten the age old way of preparing it before the convenience of canned or pre-packaged soups — from real poultry bones! While canned soups have become the norm, they’re not as healthy. Real chicken soup is not only densely saturated with multiple nutrients, but is easy to make. Simply roast your turkey (or chicken) as usual, eat the meat, then throw the bones into a large pan, cover with water and simmer. If all the meat is gleaned off the bones before cooking, it’s considered broth. If the meat is still left on, including the skin, it’s a stock. Chicken soup is used as “water” when making rice or cooking vegetables, or to consume when sick. It’s still the same today, but with a clearer understanding of its value as a remedy for helping to heal joints, bones, and sickness.

Broth/stock/soup (hereafter referred to as “bone broth”) from bones carries many micronutrients that are easy to assimilate and even the most sensitive system and food resistant kids usually do well with it. Salted with good salt of course. The gelatin/collagen in the joints helps with our own collagen. Collagen helps keep our joints intact, improves bone and vascular integrity and is a component of many tissues in the body. Collagen integrity is essential in slowing the effects of aging and keeping the tone in the skin. It’s responsible for healing and repair. It has been found that eating collagen as food helps restore collagen in the body, helping the body heal itself. Many companies are using collagen in anti-aging products and doctors are using collagen for medical and cosmetic purposes.

If that was all it did for you, I’d say “why bother, get it in a pill.” But what has been found is that bone broth contains the amino acids, the minerals and the fats that are essential for pulling the minerals into the bones and tissue. If you eat the skin, you have elements that help heal skin. When you eat (or make a broth of) bones, you get the minerals to build bones and other tissues. The marrow helps immune function. Animal joints and spine help repair or strengthen joints. When you’re sick, it supplies all the nutrients you need to help you to heal, without the digestive burden (that detracts from the immune system) that occurs when you eat a meal.

Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist. She has been in private practice for over 36 years. Her office at Vital! Health is located at 213 W. Appleway, Suite 10, in Coeur d'Alene. (208) 765-1994.