Health Archives - Page 2 of 2

Healthy Sun Solution with a Sun Lamp

Here in this video you can see my “electronic sun”. This easy-to-use vitamin D lamp has specialized UVB emitting bulbs intended to emulate natural sun. For most of us, brief sessions with such a lamp may improve our vitamin D status and general health. Making time in your busy life can be a challenge, however. Check out my own solution in the video to see how I fit this practice into my own schedule.

Read on to learn more about vitamin D and the advantages of the lamp.

Vitamin D

Deficiency of vitamin D is not only terrible for bone health, it increases your risk of almost any disease and lowers your life expectancy. Low D levels are epidemic these days. It is common in every age group, and especially common among dark-skinned people. This is because the natural way to “get” vitamin D is to make it with your own skin, when the sun shines. The sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays interact with cholesterol (7-DHC) in the skin to make precursors that your body can convert to vitamin D. Skin pigment blocks UV penetration, protecting skin from UV damage, but limiting vitamin D production. Other factors that limit D production in skin include aging and sunscreen use. The strength of the sun is also a factor, varying by time of day and season, and lower at higher latitudes.

Sunlight – We Need It.

Correcting vitamin D deficiency is an important aspect of health and healing. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with insulin disorders, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and even risk of infectious disease. Many experts recommend routine oral supplementation. But there is some evidence of short-comings and side effects to this approach that we still do not understand well.

For those with inefficient vitamin D absorption, oral supplements do not correct the deficiency. For others who do absorb oral vitamin D, there are still drawbacks. Some suspect that daily consumption of D3 may encourage excessive absorption of calcium from the intestinal tract or movement of calcium out of the bones, which can create other problems. To minimize these issues, it seems better to take D periodically in large doses, not in daily small doses. But not everyone can tolerate pills and supplements at all: such people especially need to generate vitamin D naturally from UVB rays (sunshine or sunlamp).

Practical Sun Exposure with a Lamp

Given the limitations of oral supplements, making the most of your skin’s ability to produce vitamin D is a good idea. But modern life makes it impractical to get regular sun exposure, even in the summer months. And UV radiation is insufficient in the northern U.S. during the winter months, November through February. Many other variables influence how much UV light your body needs to make adequate vitamin D.

For pale skinned folks five minutes a few days a week might be enough. The darker your skin the longer the exposure needed. You can’t necessarily force your skin to make a lot of vitamin D from UVB, however. There are biological limits. So keep in mind that more time in the sun or under the lamp may not be better for you. Remember to have you doctor measure your vitamin D levels with blood testing.

Having great chicken broth on hand makes excellent soups and gravies easy.

This method is designed to maximize the flavor and nutritional value of the broth. Using vinegar helps to draw minerals from the bones. The long simmer releases cartilage and minerals into the flavorful liquid.

Because making broth will extract whatever is in the bones, you should start with birds that were not raised on hormones and arsenic-laced feed. It is best to buy from a local farmer with a flock that lives outdoors.

This unsalted broth has many uses. Add salt when using to make soup or other dishes. Use frequently.

Chicken or Poultry Bone Broth

Servings: 3 quarts
Time: prep+takedown: 30 minutes; total: 12-24 hours
Difficulty: medium
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Equipment Recommendations

If you have a gas stove, use a crock pot to make broth, not the stove top.

6.5 qt. oblong slow cooker or large stainless steal or enamel stock pot
Asian-style stainless steel perforated 6” broth spoon
6 -7” mesh broth skimmer
Wide-mouthed canning funnel
Case of quart or pint-sized mason jars for storing broth and soups.

Ingredients

One whole Chicken, or a combination of saved bones with some meaty pieces such as necks, or leg quarters; parts with lots of joints such as wings, necks, and feet . These “odd bits” add gelatin and nutrients, and are recommended.

Filtered water
¼ C wine, rice, or apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, or ½ C wine)

Optional

Good chicken doesn’t need a lot of help to make a wonderful broth, however, I usually add a bay leaf. Other options: onion, or the appropriate spices for an ethnic base.

Instructions

Place the whole chicken in slow cooker (or in a large heavy pot). Briefly set the pot lid to check that it will rest on the rim of the pot. If the chicken is too big for your pot, remove it and cut the chicken in half along the back and breast bone.

Chicken in the Broth Pot
- Add bay leaf and optional seasonings, as desired.
- Add enough water to cover the chicken, approximately 1-inch below the upper rim of the pot. Avoid over-filling the pot which can create a hazard.
- Add vinegar.
Cover the pot and set slow-cooker heat to low. Allow to lightly simmer for 4 – 9 hours. Cooking time is not precise, adjust to fit your schedule. Check the heat after about 1½ hours to make sure that the simmer is not too strong. If using an electric stove, check periodically to adjust the heat setting and maintain water level.
Set a large stainless steel colander in a large bowl. Lift the chicken out of the broth into the colander using the long-handled pan strainer. The chicken will be falling apart at this stage.

Lifting Cooked Chicken from Broth
Use tongs and a fork to remove the meat from the bones. Store the meat immediately in the refrigerator for later use in soup or chicken salad. (Use an airtight glass storage container.)
Return all the bones and cartilage to the broth in the pot, along with the broth that drained through the colander. Add an additional splash (1 tbsp.) vinegar and resume a gentle simmer for an additional 6 – 12 hours, as convenient

Chicken Bones Cooking after Meat is Removed.
Use the long handle strainer to lift the bones into a large stainless steel colander sitting in a large bowl. Put the liquid from the bowl back in the broth. Discard the bones once they are cool.
Carefully pour hot broth through a mesh strainer into 3 clean 1-quart canning jars using a metal canning funnel. Seal at once with tight sealing, clean lids.
Wipe any spills off the outside of the jars. Allow jars to cool for about an hour. Write the date and “chicken broth” on masking tape placed on the lids, transfer to the refrigerator for storage. Note that this is not “canning” – the broth MUST be refrigerated.
If the broth is very hot when poured into jars it keeps a long time unopened in the refrigerator (six weeks or even more). If the broth is allowed to cool before pouring into jars, or if you open it and only use part of the jar, it will only keep for about 5 -7 days.