Hippocrates Soup or Potassium Broth or Alkalinizing Broth
Hippocrates is considered the father of modern medicine because of his attempt to use the scientific method to discover what works in medicine. I want to introduce you to one of his medical cures. If we could find a meal that was a panacea for the ill, this might be it.
Over the years it has been successfully used world wide by many including; Ambroise Pare (considered one of the father’s of surgery and modern forensic pathology), Max Gerson (the famous cancer specialist), and hundreds of thousands of doctors since the time of Hippocrates.
The soup has been given many names and the original recipe has been adapted many times. The name I will use for this article is “potassium broth” or “alkalinizing broth”. The reason I want to stress the potassium, is that it is one of the main minerals needed in the balance of the body’s inner chemistry and is vital to health. An imbalance in potassium levels is what Max Gerson proposed to be an obstacle to cure in cancer and, if overcome, would be a major reason for curing the disease.
Potassium broth also leads us into the concept of alkalinization. The idea is that you have optimal health when you have a balanced pH. pH is a term that measures acidity versus alkalinity. Too much sugar, carbs, meat, stress, sedentary life and lack of oxygen and you become acidic. This leads to a breakdown in health and in order to restore health we must alkalinize or de-acidify. The best way to do this is to cut out the acidifying foods, increase consumption of vegetables (which alkalinize), and increase the movement in the body and lungs.
The potassium broth or alkalinizing broth brings in a multitude of alkalinizing minerals, especially potassium to balance out the acidity. This article’s purpose is not to go into depth on explaining alkalinization but to introduce the potassium broth to you, so without further ado, let’s look at the broth.
I am going to give you my modified version of the Potassium Broth or Hippocrates Soup
Potassium Broth or Hippocrates Soup
4 Large organic potatoes (ONLY use the skin)
2 large organic carrots (with skin)
2 organic leeks
5 stalks organic celery
4 organic tomatoes, sliced
3 whole organic beets sliced, plus greens
2 peeled and sliced organic onions
1 bunch of organic dark leafy greens (kale or collards or chard)
½ bunch of organic parsley
5-10 cloves of garlic (to taste)
1-2 bay leaves
10 cups of water
1tsp-1tbspn organic turmeric (This is a special addition which is not part of any of the original recipes but I feel it to be extremely valuable as an anti-iflammatory aid as well as having a host of other beneficial properties)
Instructions:
Scrub the vegetables without peeling them as the majority of the minerals and nutrients are stored just beneath the skin.
Cut the potatoes in a way that takes the skin and about a ½ inch or the starch. Discard the rest of the starch.
Chop the other vegetables coarsely.
Cook on low heat for 3 hours or simmer for 60 minutes. The higher heat may damage more of the nutrients and that is why the preferred way is the low and slow cooking.
2 options for consuming:
Option 1:
Strain out the vegetables and store broth in glass containers. Will last in the refrigerator for two days. Drink 1-2 cups 2-3 times per day (general prescription to start with is 3 cups per day), warm preferably.
If the fiber is not a problem in digestion for you then puree the remaining vegetables with a small amount of filtered water and add no salt seasoning to taste. Eat this over the next day.
Option 2:
Puree the entire mix together, adding more filtered water to create the consistency you would like. Consume this over the next two days. This options is great but may be too much fiber for many people. If this is the case then just drink the broth from option one.