Whether you want to drop some pounds, reset your diet after an overindulgent food fest, cleanse your body, or all of the above, embarking on a bone broth fast can have profound effects on your health.
Broth made from bones, vegetables, or even a combination is a major healer of our bones, joints, and skin because it contains collagen, which protects the body’s structural integrity. Broth is also one of the best things you can do for your gut because its nutrients heal your gut lining – a benefit to your entire immune system. Broth is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, partly because it contains an amino acid called glutamine.
Not only all that, but broth is loaded with vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, selenium, and vitamins A and K.
And a fast on this delicious brew can spur weight loss!
I periodically cook up big batches of bone broth and sip cupfuls of it throughout the day, and I go on 3-day bone broth fasts periodically through the year.
A three-day fast might sound daunting to you, but trust me, you can breeze through it. After all, it’s only three days. You can do anything for three days, right?
I’ve got some tips to help you successfully navigate a three-day bone broth fast, and you’ll come through it without a hitch. Here goes:
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Go for variety. In my new book MenuPause, I offer six different bone broth recipes. So rather than stick with the same flavor of bone broth for three days, mix it up, sipping a different broth for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in-between. In the new book, you can try Dr. Anna’s Beef Bone Broth (my basic bone broth), Pork Bone Broth (pork bones yield a lot of collagen!), Roasted Chicken Bone Broth), French-Onion Bone Broth Soup, Roasted-Garlic Bone Broth Soup, or Dr. Anna’s Mineral Broth (a meatless version of broth).
Ahead of your fast, you’ll have to spend some time prepping the broths you’d like to use, but it’s well worth it so you don’t get bored with just one recipe. If you make big batches, freeze what you don’t need – for your next bone broth fast.
- Enlist a bone broth buddy. Fasting with a friend can set you up for success. You can share tips, have your bone broth together, and keep each other accountable during times of temptation.
- Shop organic. Make sure to purchase grass-fed meats, free-range chicken, and organic produce for the mineral broth. Studies show that switching from conventional or organic foods can reduce toxins and pesticides from your system in a very short time.
- Stay busy. Catch up on your reading, watch movies, meditate, or do some light exercise such as walking or yoga.
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Sleep well. An essential lifestyle fix I recommend is to get a good night’s sleep. It has a key benefit as a detoxifying agent, along with your fast. It lets your brain recharge itself, as well as remove toxic by-products from your body. It also has a powerful effect on your hormones, including those that control your appetite and satiety. Further, quality sleep is important for managing your weight due to its normalizing impact on hunger hormones.
I know getting a good night’s may seem easier said than done; I’ve had the toughest time with this lifestyle habit myself. But try to go to sleep at the same time every night, sleep in a cool bedroom, turn off blue-light emitting devices like TVs, tablets, and cell phones, and cut stimulants like coffee prior to bedtime.
As you get ready for these three days, don’t let that word “fast” scare you off. This is not a harsh plan that will leave you weak and stringy; rather, it’s a gentle approach that will leave you strong, sculpted, and vitalized. It’s not about deprivation either—it’s about restoration and renewal.
Whatever the reason for the reset, this 3-day fast will help you get there. In my new book, MenuPause, I give you the key to feeling incredible at every stage of life. Order your copy of MenuPause, and get these FREE gifts:
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