
6 Ways Bone Broth Can Support Your Immunity
Do you struggle with constantly getting sick over the winter months? Or perhaps is just a nagging sore throat and fatigue, but you’re able to power through your workdays (even though you don’t feel like yourself). Catching nasty a cold or flu, or constantly fighting off infections from co-workers or family members, derails your productivity at work (and in the gym) and zaps your energy at home. Many people struggle to get through the fall and winter season with sub-par health, holding their breath until spring and warm weather returns. There is another alternative.
1)
The Bone Marrow Boost
Bone marrow is a potent immune builder found in chicken broth and soup. Bones are living tissues, not just inert scaffolding of your body, containing collagen, bone marrow, and a naturally robust source of minerals.(1) Calcium, zinc, iron, selenium and many trace minerals all work together to keep your immune system running on all cylinders, chicken soup or bone broth is a nice way to get these nutrients in an easily absorbable form.2) Rally The Immune Soldiers!
In the first article in this Bone Broth series, I discussed the many benefits of a group of compounds called glycosaminoglycan (i.e. GAGs for short). One GAG in particular, heparin sulfate supports your innate “first line of defense” arm of your immune system (fighting off attacking bacteria, viruses, etc.) as well as supporting your adaptive “seek and destroy” arm of your immune system that covertly roams around your body to knock out foreign invaders that have already penetrated your defenses.(2)
2) Anti-inflammatory Support
Glycine is classified as a conditionally essential amino acid, which means it becomes essential when your body is under stress. Fighting off colds and flus is definitely a stressor, along with lack of sleep (the average Canadian only gets 6.5 hours of sleep per night, and 33% get less than 6 hours nightly) and long, busy work days.(3) The ancient bone broth remedy is rich in the amino acid glycine, which modern research shows acts on specific immune cells to dampen the inflammatory response.(4,5) This may translate to a speedier recovery for you.4)Annoying Nasal Mucus

5) Improves Immune Cell Function
Chicken broth, often referred to as the “Jewish penicillin”, contains many unique properties that support your immune system. The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s found chicken broth is able to help significantly reduce annoying symptoms like congestion and mucous accumulation via its effect on white blood cell migration within cells.(7) In short, your white blood cells work more efficiently when consuming bone broth. Incredibly, these benefits were even found in canned chicken soups.6) Maintains A Strong Gut Barrier

