Blog post

Healing Power: Brianne Bishop’s Bone Broth Recipe

When we invited Chicago-based interior designer Brianne Bishop to PAGODA RED, we were already fans of her sophisticated, magazine-worthy interiors. (She was CS Interiors’ winter/spring cover girl.) Little did we know that she shares our respect for Eastern healing and spiritual practice. Brianne shared her profound story of life managing Rheumatoid Arthritis, countered by the positive shift she’s experienced with the guidance of Kathy Hanold, acupuncturist and founder of West Meets East Acupuncture in Chicago.

Brianne described an incredible bone broth, now an essential part of her wellness routine. A classic Chinese tonic for tonifying blood, bone broth helps to build strength and rehabilitate the body. She was kind enough to detail the recipe for us, as well as her fascinating journey with both modern medicine and Eastern medical practice. Her narrative is as insightful as it is inspiring. Below, you can read both the recipe and her first-person experience, and find a longer version of her health journey here.

fullsizerender2

Brianne Bishop’s Bone Broth Recipe

INGREDIENTS & PREPARATION

First, roast for 30 minutes at 450 degrees, and toss at 15 minutes:

  • 2-3 large bones. You can buy any type of bone (fish, beef, chicken) from the butcher or in the freezer section. (I ask the butcher at Whole Foods to get them from the back if they’re not stocked in the freezer.)
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 3 carrots (cut into chunks and peeled)
  • 3 stalks of celery (cut into chunks, feel free to use leaves)

Next, fill a stock pot or a crock pot with 3-4 quarts of water and your roasted ingredients, then add:

  • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 2 stalks of rosemary & thyme (or any other herb you like)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (this helps break down the bone)

METHOD

1. Cook all the ingredients on low for at least 24 hours (the longer the better).

2. Strain the broth to remove everything but the liquid, and cool in a glass container in the fridge. Once cooled, remove the top layer of hardened fat.

3. Drink at least one cup a day by heating, and add a sprinkle of sea salt. If you’re making large batches, freeze portions for use later.

Note: you can improvise by trying different veggies and spices/herbs for different flavors.

Brianne Bishop’s Healing Journey, In Her Words

img_7936

Having been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (a genetic auto-immune disease causing inflammation of the joints) when I was only a little girl, I have, unfortunately, been through the ringer with all Western medicine has to offer. Essentially becoming a test-rat for the pharmaceutical industry, I have been treated with everything from way too much Motrin daily (for a little liver to withstand) to the new biologics that you see commercials for every thirty minutes on primetime TV (because of how widely they can be prescribed and their associated cost bringing major profits for the pharmas worldwide). These drugs were magic at first, because they truly did work, but not without a cost… They worked by shutting down my immune system. After seven years, I slowly became sicker and sicker every day.

Then this “new magic drug” started revealing its ugly side; people were falling ill with nervous system disorders, and associated skin cancer. The scariest side effect: It could cause lymphoma cancer. Monthly, I received warning letters from the drug company in the mail, and eventually I was diagnosed with medicine-induced Lupus. Enough was enough. Around this time, my husband and I were fortunate enough to take our honeymoon to Southeast Asia, where we traveled around Thailand.

briannebishop-travel02

With a bad case of jet-lag, I woke up one morning with the sun in our tree-hung bungalow, drinking coffee looking out on the Gulf of Thailand in Koh Phangan, and I had a revelation. With tears streaming down my face, I finally had the time to breathe and reflect, and make the decision that I was done with Western medicine in my fight against Rheumatoid Arthritis. When my husband woke hours later, I couldn’t wait (but was nervous) to declare to him (because then I had to stick with it), that I was going to pursue and commit to Eastern medicine to overcome this disease I’ve battled my whole life.

When we returned, I started my research and found a practitioner: Kathy Hanold of West Meets East. I knew she was the one to support my journey from first meeting, as she was a nurse for many years before opening her Eastern medicine practice. After a couple sessions of acupuncture, and consultations with Kathy, we were able to pinpoint my trigger and devise an attack plan. With a little trial and error, a combination of Chinese herbs, as well as the acupuncture sessions, after only 6 months I was not only in full remission, but my bloodwork actually came back as negative for RA (there is no cure for RA so this is a phenomenon). Knowing it could come back, it was comforting to know I not only had a method of controlling my RA, but it was a homeopathic way that has been around for thousands of years; not a new medicine that we later found out was slowly killing its patients. Acupuncture has a wide range of uses; everything from helping with pain relief, insomnia, anxiety and depression to infertility, allergy treatment and chronic headaches. Aside from the relief it provided from my RA pain, I hadn’t felt this well in many years.

In combination with my acupuncture and herb treatment, I incorporated bone broth into my daily diet. The Chinese believe that wintertime warm broths, created from bones, should be consumed daily to strengthen the immune system and ward off illness. It’s also easier on the digestive system in the cold months than, say, a fresh raw salad. An added bonus that might also motivate you to start sipping this hot ancient recipe: it’s one of the biggest ways to ingest collagen naturally, which replenishes skin to look younger and save one from years of inevitable aging. A one-two punch for a healthy diet and glowing skin!

Images and recipe courtesy of Brianne Bishop.

Previous Post

Next Post