Bone Broth for Creaky Knees and Achy Joints

If box jumps make you cringe, running hurts your knees, or your joints ache every so often (for no apparent reason) – you may want to cook some bones this weekend.  Many gym members that I have worked with once thought that flexibility naturally diminishes with age and that joint stiffness is normal – now they know better.

They now know that flexibility (connective tissue health) can be restored through a combination of stretching, stability work, and strength training.

But what about chronic joint stiffness or the recurring achy feeling in the shoulders or knees – is this just normal wear and tear?

There are two types of arthritis – the first type is osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease (wear and tear).  The second type of arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis) is an inflammatory condition in which the body’s immune system does not work properly.

Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimotos thyroiditis, and psoriasis all share a common condition called intestinal permeability (leaky gut).

A leaky gut is a condition in which the gut lining is damaged – stress, environmental toxins, prescription drugs, pathogens, and poor nutrition are all contributing factors.  This condition is an underlying cause of many autoimmune diseases, whose symptoms vary from organ, brain, to joint dysfunction.

image from (http://draxe.com)

One of the best ways to heal the gut lining is to drink a cup of bone broth with dinner or between meals.  If your knees start to feel achy – a bone broth fast can quickly kickstart the healing process.

As Sean Croxton points out in this blog, one of the most vital nutrients for healing the gut is gelatin.  I make a weekly pot of bone broth on Sunday night when I prep my meats and vegetables for the week.  I get my grass-fed bones from Kenny the “FishHugger” in Phoenix; you can find bones at Whole Foods, Sprouts, butcher shops, and farmers markets.

While bone broth can be used to heal the gut, it also is a great way to keep your joints healthy, as it is a great source of glycosaminoglycans. As Cate Shanahan (Deep Nutrition) points out,

“The health of your joints depends upon the health of the collagen in your ligaments, tendons, and on the ends of your bones. Collagens are a large family of biomolecules, which include the glycosaminoglycans, very special molecules that help keep our joints healthy.”

– Kevin Kula, “The Flexibility Coach” – Creator of FlexibilityRx™ – www.FlexibilityRx.com

Related Resources
Chris Kresser: 9 Steps to Perfect Health – Heal Your Gut (link)
Underground Wellness: 5 Reasons Why Bone Broth is the Bomb (link)
Three Lily Farm: 5 Ingredients to Add to Your Bone Broth (link)
FishHugger: Wild Alaskian Salmon and Grass Fed Bones in Phoenix AZ (link)

Tags: autoimmune disease, bone broth, intestinal permeability, joint pain, leaky gut, stiffness