Nettle Tea

Nettle leaf tea is rich in all of the nutrients needed for bone health including calcium, magnesium, iron, trace minerals, potassium, zinc, copper, boron, vitamin Bs, vitamin C and vitamins A, D and K.  For bone health, I recommend drinking 1/2 cup daily.

1 oz. dried nettle stalks and leaves
1 qt. boiling water

Fill a mason jar with the dried nettle, then fill the jar with the boiling water.  Cover and brew overnight.  The next day, strain out the plant material and refrigerate the tea.

Bone-Building Vinegar

I recommend using at least a tablespoon of this vinegar daily on any foods, especially leafy greens.  Just one tablespoon of the vinegar can contain up to 400 mg of calcium!

Fill a jar with any five fresh or dried well-snipped herbs which can include dandelion leaves, stinging nettle, horsetail, red clover, motherwort, mugwort, mint, chickweed, shepard’s purse, oatstraw, alfalfa, parsley, comfrey, raspberry and blackberry leaves, sage, amaranth leaves, kale, cabbage.  Pour in apple cider vinegar to cover the herbs.  Seal and label the jar with the date.  Put the jar in a dark cupboard well away from any light.  Let it sit for 6 weeks, then use.

Both of these recipes are from “The Healthy Bones Nutrition Plan and Cookbook” by Dr. Laura Kelly.