Minerals and salts are buffers that bind and neutralize acids that can reduce common cold virus symptoms by boosting the immune system's antiviral defense. And, when eaten even minimally, seaweed helps rid your body of toxins and restore pH balance, minimizing the risk of inflammation, pain, and infections.
Sea Salt
Minerals and salts are buffers that bind and neutralize acids in your body. Research from The University of Edinburgh (2019) suggests that sea salt can reduce common cold virus symptoms by boosting the immune system's antiviral defense.
When there is a high amount of acid in your system, these minerals are unavailable for bone and muscle tissue maintenance and repair. Instead, you end up with alkalosis (too little acid) or acidosis (too much acid), which triggers stress-related symptoms.
You can obtain the minerals and salts your body needs from your foods. However, typical American foods never contain enough magnesium, and calcium and magnesium are necessary to balance your pH (as well as a slew of other natural minerals). One way to take in essential minerals is to use them in the bath.
Whether using salts to flavor your food, for bathing, inhaling, or to protect your home from negativity, you should always use natural sea salt.
Your average "run of the mill" table salt contains no medicinal or metaphysical benefits whatsoever. Throw it away. It will only serve to give you hypertension. On the other hand, natural sea salt contains minerals your body needs to survive and thrive. There are many types to choose from, such as Dead Sea, Himalayan, French Sea, Alaea, and others.
Sea Vegetables
Seaweed is the richest form of plant life on earth. The minerals in seaweed are already chelated, so your body quickly absorbs them. Many of the nutrients and trace minerals in seaweed are those you will not find in a land diet, even if you take vitamins and supplements.
Again, when eaten even minimally, seaweed helps rid your body of toxins and restore pH balance, which helps to minimize pain and disease. Why? Poor pH triggers inflammation. Only 1-2 teaspoons of sea vegetables in your daily diet can reap many benefits, such as reduced toxicity, less inflammation, fewer body aches, softer skin, and a more alert mind.
Land plants (and humans, animals, birds, and insects that eat them) become polluted with acid rain and fertilizers. They don't grow as they should, become sick, and become attacked by insects and diseases. Sea vegetables don't have these problems. Seaweed, unlike land food and some seafood, absorbs very few toxins.
Seaweed is a high-fiber vegetable. In fact, seaweed offers a source of fiber that is physiologically different from land plants because it does come from water, which makes up about 72% of your body. A high dietary fiber intake reduces the risk of Cancer, high blood pressure, bowel problems, arthritis, and Diabetes. However, you must drink plenty of water when eating more fiber to prevent constipation.
Many people crave salt, which is a sign of potassium deficiency. Potassium is necessary for proper nerve function, hormone balancing, and muscle functioning. However, the salt in typical foods is sodium chloride and wrong for you. The salt in sea vegetables is potassium chloride, which the body needs. Potassium chloride reduces cravings for salty foods.
Dietary seaweed helps balance hormones and eliminate symptoms of menopause and andropause (male menopause). Seaweed helps with thyroid dysfunction, chronic fatigue, lethargy, Depression, circulatory conditions, Cancer prevention, phobias, anxiety, diseases of the joints, digestive issues, Sleep Apnea, muscle myalgia, and more. With the exception of Cancer, see Life's Pains for holistic alternatives for all of these conditions. Anything you do to prevent inflammation will also help to reduce your risk of Cancer or make things a bit easier for you, if you already live with Cancer.
Types of Sea Vegetables to Choose From
Several types of sea vegetables grow naturally in different sea depths. Seaweed gets its color from the rays of the sun. The depth of the water determines the color of the seaweed. It usually grows between the ocean shore's high and low tide marks.
- Arame is light, lacy, and wiry. It is less salty, milder, and sweet than other sea vegetables and can be steamed, sauteed, and easily added to soups and salads.
- Bladderwrack is similar to wakame (see below).
- Dulce is reddish-brown and is soft and chewy. It contains less iodine than kelp, but each serving has a daily B-12, iron, and potassium requirement. You can add dulce to a recipe without softening or cooking first. Just rinse quickly under cool running water and then cut it with a rocking motion with your knife. It is excellent in soups, along with kombu and wakame.
- Hijiki is a brown algae seaweed usually found in the Far East. It looks like wiry pasta strands and contains the highest amount of calcium. It shouldn't be consumed raw, as it is too rough. It is traditionally dried, steamed, and then dried again for the best flavor. Place hijiki in a strainer to rinse before placing it in a bowl of warm water to soften (5 minutes or so). Strain and rinse again. Then, chop in whatever size you like. It is strong-flavored and tastes good, sprinkled in Chinese cabbage salads (tossed with soy sauce) or stir-fried.
- Irish moss is a red algae seaweed popular in bread such as laverbread. Some people snack on it raw. Irish moss works specifically against the Herpes Simplex Virus.
- Kelp is a brown algae seaweed that makes up 10% of the Japanese diet. It has a higher potassium content than other seaweeds and is rich in iodine. It grows along the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. It is light brown to dark green and is usually dried and sold in whole or granulated forms to sprinkle on food. Kelp is the primary seaweed used for people with Hypothyroidism. As an added nutrient, a jar of kelp flakes can be mixed with other seasonings, such as garlic, parsley, onion powder, and pepper.
- Kombu is a brown algae seaweed popularly consumed in China. It is incredibly dark in color and is the only seaweed that produces stock (a vegetable broth) by immersing it in water. This stock is called dashi. Kombu is one of the best sea vegetables to eat. Rinse under running water, then place in warm water for about 12 minutes to soften. Chop into desired pieces. You may add kombu to the bottom of a pot of rice for flavoring rice, in sushi, as a side salad, or in bean dishes to prevent gas. Kombu takes about 20 minutes to cook (10 minutes longer than other sea vegetables), so add it to the pot first.
- Nori is a red algae seaweed grown in Japan rather than collected in the wild sea and is high in protein and vitamin A. It's used to cover or wrap rice, onigiri, or sushi. It is a purplish-black color that turns a phosphorescent green when it is toasted. It comes in toasted strips for snacking and crumbled in soups or salads. To toast your nori, place it in a preheated oven (350 degrees) for 1-2 minutes until it turns green.
- Wakame is kelp seaweed, similar to bladderwrack and kombu, and is more like spinach. However, it has the highest amount of sodium (salt). Rinse under cool running water, then soak in warm water for about 4-7 minutes until soft. It will turn silky green. Chop and add to your recipe. Use it as a topping in salads and soups, especially miso soup. Cook it for only 10 minutes.
NOTE: Seaweed, especially dulce, wakame, or kelp, contains iodine. Kelp contains 415 micrograms of iodine per 1/4 cup serving. I suggest eating seaweed in moderation, especially kelp, even without thyroid problems. Also, if you suffer from Histamine Intolerance, nori is your only option. It contains less iodine than other seaweeds. All other seaweed will trigger a histamine response, while nori may not. Nori also contains no iron. The next best choice is wakame, although it's higher in iron.
How To Use Seaweed in Food Recipes
You can purchase seaweed as flakes, leaves, sheets, powder, or leaves. Seaweed can replace salt in cooking, ferment foods, make medicine, and be consumed as a nutritive.
Only 1-2 teaspoons of seaweed in your daily diet can reap many benefits, such as reduced toxicity, fewer body aches, softer skin, and a more alert mind. Since so little is used, you won't notice it any more than you would other herbs on the menu.
Seaweed varies in taste, ranging from nutty to tangy. Most seaweed has a robust flavor, so it is used minimally. Seaweed is fat-free and very low-calorie. Crispy roasted snack versions are available in various flavors (sesame, garlic, plain) at most Asian markets.
All seaweed species can be simmered gently in salted water or sauteed with olive oil. For recipes requiring the liquid used after soaking seaweed, use no more water than needed for your recipe.
You can use seaweed in soups and chowders, stir-fry, omelets (uses instead of spinach or in addition to), casseroles, rice, and pasta dishes. You can sprinkle seaweed on meats, stews, salads, and vegetables.
One of my favorite places to find recipes for adding seaweeds and algae to my diet is Yummly.com. You can enter any item in their search bar, and they will pull up all the recipes containing that item.
How & Where to Buy Sea Vegetables
Asian markets typically have a variety of seaweed. Other cultures that use seaweed as a staple in their diet are Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Denmark, Hawaii, the South Pacific Islands, and all Mediterranean cultures. All of these countries have food markets in which to purchase seaweed. You may also buy seaweed online.
NOTE: Make sure your seaweed is packaged tightly. Avoid any that are excessively moist. Some types are packaged in different forms (powder, flakes, sheets).
How to Store Seaweed
Store dried seaweed in tightly sealed containers at room temperature in a cupboard or semi-dried in a tightly concealed container in the fridge or freezer. Either should last several months.
Seaweed Tea
Sailor's Cure-All herbal tea is a warming, aromatic blend of spicy ginger, earthy turmeric, and soothing bladderwrack (antiviral) seaweed. Bladderwrack also contains omega oil, essential amino acids, and antioxidants. This tea is handcrafted in Portland, Oregon, using wild-harvested seaweed from Maine. It has over 50 minerals vital for health, including iodine, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, C, E, and K. Caffeine-free Sailor's Cure-All is perfect for easing stomach complaints and inflammation. It may also help to relieve Interstitial Cystitis (bladder pain with no apparent infection).
Pour boiling water over one teaspoon of tea and steep for 5-10 minutes. It's great plain, or you can add raw honey or green leaf stevia to taste. You can also brew it with coconut milk instead of water.
If you like this tea, you'll be doing yourself a financial favor by making the recipe at home. The recipe is included for you here.
The Best Seaweeds for Managing Herpes Symptoms
I write a lot about the Herpes Simplex Virus because I live with it—more than half of the people alive today do—so it's a subject worth teaching about. Seaweed can help to reduce agonizing symptoms of herpes breakouts. Why? Seaweed contains antimicrobials. Microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and fungi such as mold and mildew.
Bladderwrack, Irish moss, and kelp are the best seaweeds for helping to put HSV in remission. I didn't mention Irish sea moss above because most people won't take the time to prepare it properly. It's better to take supplements to help out with the herpes virus to make sure you're getting a proper dose. Irish sea moss contains almost all the minerals your body requires daily. The best Irish Moss supplements can be found here.
Sea Supplements
I don't usually suggest taking sea supplements simply because mineral and fiber content and dosages are often not listed on the bottle. These must be listed to tell the quality of the product. Also, not knowing the existence or the amount of iodine included in each capsule can pose a health risk for those sensitive to iodine. Many sea supplements are treated to reduce their strength in flavor and odor, which may remove some of the healing qualities of sea vegetables. See Vitamins & Supplements for suggestions.
Add comment
Comments