I see several patients each month who are struggling with fertility challenges. If you or someone you know happens to fall in this category, keep reading! There is a great home remedy that will boost your potential for conception, and all it takes is a bit of time in the kitchen – making homemade bone broth. Bone broth has many health benefits, one of which is to nourish what we call the Kidney Essence, or Kidney Jing, in Chinese medicine. Kidney Jing is responsible for creating life, the foundation of one’s constitutional makeup (DNA), and the energy one needs for procreating and giving life to another human being. How fertile or virile one is is dependent upon this Jing, or sexual essence. Kidney Jing can be damaged or depleted in a variety of ways over one’s lifetime… poor or malnourished diet, too much exercise or sexual activity, stress over long periods of time, drug use, or chronic illness and high fever. With dietary therapy, bone (& especially bone marrow) is the best way to replenish lost Kidney Jing. Bone marrow has some of the most important functions of the body - producing red blood cells and stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cells in the body. This is basically what it takes to make life - cell division and LOTS of blood. A pregnant woman will increase her blood volume by 50% to support a growing baby! Drinking bone broth daily can rekindle your Kidney energy and add substantial nutrient-rich nourishment to the depleted body. Try this recipe:

Beef Bone Broth:

~ 4 lbs beef marrow bones and/or knuckle bones

3 lbs meaty rib bones

4+ quarts of filtered water

½ C vinegar 

3 small onions, coarse chop 

3 carrots, coarse chop

 3 celery stalks, coarse chop

 several sprigs of fresh thyme 

1 tsp peppercorns 

1 whole bunch fresh parsley  

Place marrow or knuckle bones in very large pot with vinegar and cover with water. Let stand. Meanwhile, place meaty rib bones in roasting pan and roast in the oven at 350 until they have browned. Add these to the pot along with vegetables. Pour fat out of the roasting pan and add cold water to the pan, set over a high flame and scrape coagulated bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Add this liquid to the pot with bones, and even more water to cover bones if needed, leaving a bit of room at the top of the pan for the stock to expand as it cooks. Bring to a boil. Skim off all scum that rises to the top with a spoon, after you have skimmed add your peppercorns and thyme. Simmer the stock for at least 12 hours (and up to 48 hrs) and just before finishing add the parsley and simmer for 10 minutes more. You will now have a repulsive looking pot of goop and broth. Remove large bones with tongs and STRAIN it into a large bowl! After straining you will have a wonderful and delicious bone broth for drinking or to use in cooking. Let cool in the fridge and remove any congealed fat that rises to the top. Drink 1 Cup daily (warmed) for increased fertility. This makes quite a lot of broth, so store in the fridge or freeze for longer storage.