All things Health and Seaweed
Hi my name is David Millard and I have been employed as a Marine Biologist (MSc) since the early 90’s, working closely with the sea, first as a University researcher, then as a commercial diver in the aquaculture industry, followed by a short stint as a private seaweed consultant to my present public servant position that includes farmed seaweed development. I am rarely far from the coast and enjoy nothing more than poking around in rock pools when the tide is low.
I love eating seaweed, whether fresh straight from the shore, dried and sprinkled over food or prepared into meals. As for taste and experience, my preference is straight from rock to mouth, being mindful of potential water quality issues. Focusing on my proximity to nature, being present in this location, I enjoy the available earthly given bounty. We always have a pot of organically grown, dried, milled winged kelp on the dining table and encourage all to use liberally. Why? Well, it’s tasty for one, adding depths of flavor or what is described in Japan as Umami, the fifth taste, which can be translated as delectable. It’s also good for you providing a boost of nutrients, helping to support a healthy body in a myriad of ways.
For millennia people, especially Irish coastal dwellers, have availed of seaweeds as a source of nutrition both as food and medicine.
They are rich sources of vitamins, especially A, B and E and mineral elements accounting for up to 36% of its dry mass including sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum, fluoride, manganese, boron, nickel and cobalt. These levels are often ten times as high as terrestrial plants, hence people who regularly eat seaweeds are rarely mineral deficient.
They are also good sources of proteins and essential amino acids, between 7-35% by volume, with a large percentage of soluble and insoluble largely indigestible dietary fibre, known to be generally good for digestive health.
A varied diet containing a high percentage of seaweeds promotes health and longevity as shown by numerous studies in Japan, beginning in 1927 when Shoji Kondo of Tohoku University first linked seaweed in the diet and longevity. What is it particularly in seaweeds that we can point to from a Western scientific viewpoint to support these claims?
For one the minerals are chelated, meaning they are enclosed within a protein, enzyme or amino acid, allowing the body to recognize the mineral as food rather than as a foreign body. They are also colloidal meaning the minerals are equally distributed in a solution, reportedly, therefore, being easier to absorb.
Taurine is worth mentioning, as an amino acid particularly present in red seaweeds, it assists in the formation of bile, which binds with cholesterol molecules, helping to excrete excess cholesterol. The soluble dietary fibre, which makes up to 50% of the plant is in three forms agar, carrageenan and alginate, has an ability to absorb water in the gut forming a gelatinous mass to aid passage through the digestive system.
One other very interesting component particularly present in brown seaweeds is fucosterol, a bioactive compound that has been shown to be active as an anti-diabetic, anti-osteoporotic, anti-coagulant and anti-oxidant. In addition, plant sterols help lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in humans. These combined effects of fibre and sterols can lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease.
Further combine this with beneficial effects of the presence of omega 3, fatty acid EPA, known to also reduce cardiovascular disease, lowering the occurrence of blood clots whilst inhibiting the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. Why would you not eat seaweed?
I love eating seaweed and I haven’t even tapped into the entire depth of reasons why it’s a vast subject. I plan to keep investigating and sharing reasons for including seaweed in the diet. I believe and have experienced that they are a rich source of concentrated food source compounds that can bring amazing health benefits.
Emotional Healing & Community Support
The weight we carry isn’t just on our hips, it’s in our hearts.
Feeling like you “want to be minded” is your body’s cry for nurture, not discipline.
When you join Chi Flow with Jo, you don’t walk alone.
We move, fast, cook and heal together. That shared energy keeps you accountable and loved through change.
You don’t need to fight your bodyjust listen to her again.
Start with small rhythms: stop eating after 8 pm, massage Liver 13, sip lemon water in the morning, and join our January program to be supported every step of the way.
💗 Ready to Join?
Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE
Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.
Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.
Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.
The information provided should not be considered medical advice.