Gut Healing Bone Broth Fast
For those who have never heard of drinking bone broth, let us jump right in to the many benefits:
High in glutamine - a key ingredient to repair and maintain gut health.
High in gelatin which boost collagen in the dermis - glowing, plump & smooth skin. The increase in collagen also strengthens nails, and promotes hair growth.
Aids in joint health, and enhances flexibility with it's high gelatin content.
Contains amino acids that help improve liver detoxification.
Please note: I am not a licensed medical professional. The information following is based on the trial and error of my own experience. I leave my suggestions with hopes of healing others, but I cannot guarantee that what works for me will also work for you.
You can probably read from my last few post and see this year has been all about experimenting with different ways to heal myself internally. After two years of clear skin, and being personified as someone with all the answers - my skin took a turn for the worst in January of 2018. After much self-examination, the discovery to my acne triggers has been fascinating. I never considered “leaky gut” to be a culprit. And I technically didn't even know what it entailed. So a summary of what I've gathered...Our intestinal walls are lined with tight junctions (think of a protective, stable wall). Overtime when we don't make the best food choices, or we allow chronic stress to take over, the junctions start to separate and create spaces. This allows toxins to travel through the blood stream - and for some, excreting through the skin. Leaky gut is also known to play a possible role in those with excessive bloating, IBS or Chrohn's.
As a former vegan I thought this bone broth idea was grotesque - but I was desperate to calm the inflammation inside, and outside of my body. So what is it exactly? Well, the description pretty much matches the name. The bones of the animal are simmered along with water, apple cider vinegar and vegetable seasonings of your choice for a period time. All of the ingredients combined create a nutrient rich broth that you sip on throughout your fast. I decided three days was an efficient amount of time to fast. Also, because my body has never done well with liquid fast - I incorporated fruit and veggies.
Morning Meal
Fruit low in sugar with high antioxidant properties.
Throughout The Day
I sipped on 24oz of bone broth and lots of water. I purchased an organic, frozen turkey bone broth from Sprouts. You can find the brand HERE. You can also purchase from Amazon in bulk HERE. I definitely was not ready to make my own broth, so this was the best option for me after trying a few different brands. All I had to do was heat it up on the stove and store it in my travel jar.
Evening Meal
A big bowl of cruciferous vegetables with garlic.
Supplements I Used to Support My Fast
Farmhouse Culture Gut Shots - yummy blend of good bacteria to replenish the gut. I took a few swigs of this before each meal.
Digest Gold - digestive enzymes were taken before each meal.
PB8 Probiotics - 1 in the am to replenish my gut with good bacteria.
Thorne S.A.T. - excellent daily liver support. (Product Code T32020)
Outcome...
I physically felt lighter than I have in months. Mentally, I realized that I store all of my stress in my gut area. This was the biggest epiphany for me while fasting. I disconnected from social media during this time to focus on my task at hand without distraction. I felt peace which allowed a true body, mind & soul connection - in turn, allowing my fast to really make an all around difference. My skin was about 70% calmer at the end of my fast - and displayed a beautiful glow. This fast also helped me kick my ongoing sugar cravings.
Not only did I feel better psychically - but I've learned through this process that the strain I put on my gut needed to stop immediately. Whenever I stress, I feel a clenching in my lower abdomen and forget to breath properly. This tension, and rise in cortisol is amplified by the sugary foods (vegan donuts, vegan cookies & dried fruits - just because it's vegan, don't mean it's healthy) I consume on a regular basis - mainly because I'm stressed. Talk about an all around - unhealthy cycle!
Do I recommend it? if you are comfortable with the requirements of this fast, then yes, I highly recommend it. It’s defininitely a practice I will be incorporating at least one day out of every month to for a casual body & mind reset. Anyone else out there tried bone broth, or have been curious about it? Let me know in the comments below.