Recipe: Bone Strengthening Greens with Fennel & Yam

How often do you think about your bones? I think about mine a lot. Partially because as Robert Svoboda put it (and I'm paraphrasing), bones are incredibly earthy and stable by nature, and that by putting your attention in your bones, your mind becomes more stable too. The other reason is because bones are a khavaigunya in my family. Khavaigunya is a space wherein challenges tend to arise, where you are prone to weakness or defect in some way. My maternal grandmother, my mother, my sister, and I all have scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, to some degree or another. I was fortunate to have received excellent care when I was young, and my dedicated yoga practice allows me to be pain free (woohoo!). That said, I still know that my bones require extra care and maintenance to stay healthy and strong as I age. 

You can imagine how thrilled I was to read this article by Dr Mercola on the bone strengthening effects of fennel seed, something I consume almost daily! Mercola writes: 

"In a study published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine,1 it was found that eating the seeds of the plant had a beneficial effect on loss of bone mineral density, as well as bone mineral content... Healthy bones maintain their strength through a continual process of bone breakdown and bone rebuilding. Osteoclasts are the cells that break down weakened bone, and osteoblasts are the cells that build it back up. The fennel appeared to work by reducing osteoclast differentiation and function, thereby slightly decreasing bone turnover markers and offering a protective effect on the bones."

 Fennel is known in Ayurveda as an excellent digestive that stimulates agni without spiking Pitta. In Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, Dr Vasant Lad recommends it for indigestion, acute diarrhea, cold, cough and upper respiratory congestion, edema, and burning urination. I recommend fennel seeds often for PMS symptoms of all kinds, to calm bloating or gas, and as a tasty after meal breath freshener.

Now why should you care about your bone health? Because when it's gone, it's not easy to get back. Our bones change very slowly as adults, but when menopause hits, our bone density starts to fall leading to osteoporosis which can leave you vulnerable to painful breaks or fractures with even little falls or bumps. While there are drugs on the market (with strong undesirable side effects mind you) that can try to prevent more bone loss from occurring, there aren't any I've seen that build genuine good quality bone back, so use it or lose it ladies. Eat your fennel and do your weight bearing exercise, something I'll write about at a later date. Stay strong below those muscles, all the way down to your bones! :)

BONE STRENGTHENING GREENS 

Serves 3

1 bunch of kale, choose whatever kind you like. I used dino kale here.

green tops from 2 beets (optional)

1 small yam, roasted at 400 degrees for 40 min or until it starts to ooze syrup

2 T ghee or coconut oil

1 heaping t ground fennel seed (a.k.a. fennel powder) or more if you love fennel like me 

sea salt to taste

Start by preparing the vegetables. Wash kale, and leave slightly wet, don't dry completely. Then remove the center stalk, and tear kale into bite size pieces. If you have beet greens, wash them and chop into ribbons. Using a sharp knife, carefully dice the yam into bite size pieces, roughly 1 in cubes. 

In a heavy bottomed pan, melt the ghee over medium heat and add the ground fennel seed. Stir and let sit until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in kale & beet greens. Be careful when the water on the kale meets the ghee, it may pop and spit. Stir occasionally cooking until tender- about 6 or 7 minutes. Add yam pieces and combine to warm. Sprinkle & stir in salt to taste. Serve and enjoy! 

• Vata Dosha: Use an extra tablespoon ghee and chew very very very well. 
• Pitta Dosha: Excellent. Use salt sparingly. 
• Kapha Dosha: Excellent. Use salt sparingly. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. 

And did you know that I teach Yoga privates designed specially for those with Scoliosis & back pain? You can read about it here, and I can even work with you remotely via skype if you're not local. Email me to set up a time to meet and discuss how yoga can strengthen your back, ease pain, and bring you to balance.