#29:February 2007

Taking Stock

By Jeffery Battersby ⋅ February 3, 2007 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

by Andrea Ramirez

I was listening to the radio yesterday when I heard the new flu shot commercial. Did you know? Not only infants and senior citizens but pretty much everyone else should get a flu shot this winter, and it’s not too late: you can still go to the hospital and get it!

That got me thinking. Why are winters warmer but they hit us harder every time? And is it true that we need the shot not to get sick?

While there is just so much we — as individuals — can do to stop global warming, there is a whole lot more we can do to prevent the flu before getting a shot that, by the way, might even present more dangers than benefits. For one, the viruses that cause the flu are always mutating and it’s impossible to make a vaccine that contains the exact strain to hit a specific virus. As a result, there are still chances to catch the flu, even if you got your shot. Plus, every year there are numerous reported cases of severe adverse reactions to the vaccine, so there is a high risk to get sick anyway. Furthermore, people who get the shot are hindering their natural immunity.

What can we do then?

In nature, winter is the time to slow down. Plants stop producing food and animals go to sleep (some don’t even do anything else until the spring). Our body also wants to rest and sleep more through the cold season, but we can easily ignore it since we have electricity that allows us to extend our daytime. And many of us are in a mad rush against the clock from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve, spending all available time shopping and preparing for the holidays, leaving none to turn inward and take care of ourselves.

Our diet should also change in the winter. Our bodies crave more warming foods and fats, but we address the cravings by overeating, especially sugar. Instead, try sweet vegetables like onions and other root vegetables, sweet potatoes, and apples. If you usually eat little to no animal protein, you might benefit from getting some during the winter, even if in the form of dairy products.

Most people don’t realize that the body gets actually drier during the winter than it does in the summer. It’s important to increase our water intake to keep the lymphatic system lubricated and eliminate toxins efficiently. All the partying and drinking contributes to the dryness.

With all the abuse we put our body through, it’s no wonder we crash in January.

Understand that getting a cold or the flu is the body’s “emergency response” to its need to detoxify. The best way to recover is the old way. Stay in bed, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, tea, and — my mom’s favorite remedy — eat good chicken soup. Over-the-counter remedies can help you feel better faster, but they don’t help to get rid of the toxins. People who try to get rid of their colds this way get sick more frequently and more severely.

The Magic Potion

One of the healthiest habits that have been lost to food processing is the making of stocks. Not very long ago, it was part of our kitchen routine to have a stock pot with water and bones simmering for hours on end.

But what is so unique about stocks? Well, the most important product resulting from bones simmering for a long time is gelatin. Gelatin has been proven highly effective in the treatment of many digestive conditions, food sensitivities and allergies. It is also praised for strengthening the immune system and increasing endurance — exactly what we need during the winter.

Whereas commercial gelatin is extracted from animal skins and is a poor source of nutrients, gelatin extracted from bones is a nutritious source of protein as well as collagen, the minerals we need most — calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulphur — and the amino acids proline and glycine. Gelatin also helps the body distribute and assimilate other proteins more fully.

It goes something like this: the constant simmering water with the help of an acidic agent like vinegar, wine, or lemon draws nutrients — including gelatin — out of bones and vegetables and into the water. Gelatin is the perfect preserving medium for the other nutrients to bond and survive the gastric juices when ingested, thus there are more chances to actually use those nutrients than when taken in other ways.

In other words, bone stock beats the fanciest mineral supplement out there. No wonder chicken stock gained popularity as “the Jewish penicillin.” As an added bonus, the flavor and smooth texture of sauces and gravies made with a bone stock base can’t be beaten. Any good cook will tell you.

Making Stock

Although making bone stock is not difficult, it is a time consuming process; the health benefits and flavor make the time well spent.

A stockpot is of course the most appropriate pot to use. Ideally it should have a thick bottom to allow for long simmering without scorching. Eight to 10 quarts is a good standard size, but you can also use a smaller pot. Remember to make sure you have enough space in your freezer to store your stock once it has cooled off.

Raw ingredients make the most flavorful stock, but you can also use cooked bones; however, never mixed raw and cooked bones in your stock. As a general rule, start with enough water to cover all the ingredients plus 2 inches.

Easy Chicken Stock

1.    Cut into several small pieces and put 1 whole — preferably free-range — chicken without the giblets or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts (necks, backs, wings) into a large stock pot.

2.    Cover with cold water. Always use cold water; it helps to draw the juices out.

3.    Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar or the juice of 1 lemon to help get all the goodness out of the bones.

4.    Bring slowly to a boil and reduce heat at once. Let simmer for about 30 minutes uncovered. During this first stage your job is to skim all the scum that rises to the top; these are all the chicken impurities.

5.    Coarsely chop and add 2 or 3 celery stalks, 1 or 2 onions, and 2 carrots — more if you want it sweeter. You can add other veggies but keep in mind that starchy ones like potatoes will make the stock deteriorate rapidly. You can also add your spices at this stage: a bunch of parsley, 3 bay leaves, and 5 to 10 black peppercorns make a good start, but you can play with your flavors. Salt is tricky because of the long simmering. Start with ½ teaspoon. You can always adjust it later.

6.    Continue simmering with the pot partly covered for at least 2 hours and up to 12. The longer it cooks the richer and more flavorful. Check occasionally. Skim off and add water as needed to keep the solids covered.

7.    If using a whole chicken, you can remove it after a couple of hours of cooking. Let it cool, remove the meat from the carcass, and put the bones back to continue simmering. This way you can use the meat later.

8.    Once the stock is finished, line a strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Using a ladle, spoon the liquid through the strainer.

9.    It is best to cool the stock as soon as possible. Put some ice in the sink and let the pot cool there.

10.    Once cold you can store in plastic quart containers. Leave some room at the top, as liquids expand when frozen. You can also freeze some of the stock in ice trays and then put it in bags; this way you’ll have small amounts of stock ready for use in sauces.

Vegetable Broth

Since the basic difference between broth and stock is the gelatin — some argue about the amount of gelatin it should have to be called a stock — technically it is impossible to make vegetable stock. But even though it doesn’t have gelatin, vegetable broth is still a good alternative, delicious and with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Valued for its cleansing and detoxifying properties, it is also easier to prepare than bone stock.

A cup of vegetable broth as tea, mixed with 1 tablespoon of miso — that has been dissolved in a little bit of cold water — makes a fine remedy for a cold. The miso adds some enzymes, beneficial cultures, and body.

Use the directions below as a guideline but do experiment with different vegetables in your broth.

1.    Heat a stockpot to medium heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter.

2.    Add and sauté for 10 to 15 min:
•    1 or 2 onions, chopped but with skins (yellow onion skins give a beautiful golden color to the broth)
•    several diced celery stalks with leaves
•    1 or 2 chopped carrots
•    1 or 2 beets if you want a purple, sweet broth
•    1 small turnip or parsnip (or both)
•    any leftover vegetable lying around
•    salt and pepper to taste (white pepper is a great addition)
•    your favorite herbs (the classic French bouquet garni consists of parsley, bay leaves, thyme, and cloves wrapped in a little cheesecloth bag)

3.    Add enough cold water to cover the veggies.

4.    As with the bone stock, bring gently to a boil and then turn down the heat. Let simmer for about 2 hours or until the veggies are tender.

5.    Strain the veggies out and let the broth cool. At this point, you can refrigerate it or freeze it for later use. Don’t forget to save a cup to enjoy right on the spot!

Andrea Ramirez is a Holistic Health Counselor certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She has a private practice and gives frequent lectures around the Hudson Valley. She specializes in helping individuals and families understand their diet-health-lifestyle relationship to finally create the life they love.
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