A few years ago I developed
slightly high blood pressure. This puzzled me because my blood pressure had
always been quite low.
Like most other older
women, I had been advised by my doctor to take 1200 mg. of calcium every day to
help prevent bone loss. I faithfully followed his advice.
Then a newsletter called
“From The Heart” came in the mail.
Oh, boy! The lead article was about calcium supplements being deposited in our
blood vessels, clogging them up, instead of being used to strengthen our bones.
That article explained a lot about my health – blood pressure, osteopenia, and
calcium supplements were all tied together.
Right away I threw away my
calcium supplements, but still I was vulnerable to osteoporosis, a dangerous
condition that often leads to crumbling hips.
My friend Linda, a
microbiologist and one smart cookie, advised me to derive calcium from animal
and fish bones by boiling them in water with vinegar added.
Years ago I had read a New
Yorker article, “The Darkening
Sea,”* that described the marine life consequences of our increasingly acidic
ocean waters. Acid dissolves the shells of marine life. Soon, as oceanic
acidity increases, critters with shells will die off, disrupting the food chain
for other marine creatures and eventually leading to their demise as well.
Why didn’t I translate that
information into adding vinegar to bones when I make broth? Why didn’t I take
Linda’s advice sooner? I can’t answer those questions, but yesterday a little internet research revealed
that “Bone broth contains minerals such as calcium,
silicon, sulphur, magnesium, phosphorous & trace minerals in an easily
assimilable form.” (http://divinehealthfromtheinsideout.com/2012/05/bone-broth-nutritional-facts-benefits/)
Today that poor old turkey
breast carcass that has provided us with so many meals this past week is
simmering in water once again, but with a tablespoon of cider vinegar added. I plan to use the broth to make another soup.
This old dog has learned a
new trick.
*The New Yorker, Nov. 20, 2006
Copyright
2013 by Shirley Domer
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