Kelp (a type of seaweed) is so high in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that it has the health benefits of an all-around every day vitamin. Kelp has a salty taste to it and some people use it in place of salt. It''s also a natural source of iodine and this is where a lot of its health benefits result. Iodine is essential to help the thyroid with its function in controlling growth, energy and metabolism. The natural, high iodine content of kelp acts as an antibiotic. When there''s an infection in your body, kelp will help assist the thyroid to release more iodine into your blood stream, and iodine kills infections. Drinking Kelp tea (open a capsule or powder, add hot water) can help with sinus infections and strep throat. Since kelp is a natural source of iodine, it''s absorbed by your body more slowly and safely than chemical iodine like potassium iodine. Some are allergic to chemical iodine but have no problems with consuming moderate amounts of kelp on a daily basis.
Kelp regulates both the thyroid and pituitary glands, plus it activates all glands in your body. It''s wonderful for nail growth, hair loss too, and to regulate body temperature. It has been shown to help those who have problems with chronic low body temperature. Kelp is also beneficial to the pancreas and the prostrate. It builds cell membranes, helps prevent the growth of tumors, helps to cleanse the body of radiation, and normalize glands and hormones, which makes it an excellent supplement to take while pregnant. Kelp also acts as a diuretic, which means it will help you shed water weight. It''s particularly useful as a women''s vitamin because it''s high in iron, calcium, potassium, and B complex-- all of which tend to be essential for women during menstruation, or while pregnant or nursing.
What Can Kelp Do For You?
There is a large list of nutrients in kelp and these include over 70 minerals and trace elements, growth hormones, vitamins, enzymes, and proteins which include iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron.
Kelp has been shown to help alleviate arthritis pain, increase energy levels, boost immunity, improve liver function, fight against heart disease and cancer, suppress AIDS, control appetite and can help with weight loss due to its metabolism stimulating properties. Kelp has been used to treat thyroid problems due to the iodine in kelp which helps under active thyroids due to the lack of iodine. Helps with poor digestion, flatulence and constipation. Helps to kill the herpes virus. Helps to lower cholesterol levels, maintain the health of the mucous membranes, strengthen nails and help to reduce hair loss.
Daily kelp supplementation really does have some great health benefits. Kelp is in fact a seaweed and can be processed as dried, granulated or powder. Getting the health benefits of kelp is extremely easy as kelp can be added to liquids and it can also be used for flavoring or as a salt substitute. Kelp can be used when cooking soups, stews, stir fries, beans, grains.
Kelp As Medication:
You can consider sea kelp as a natural medication. So far, it has shown great promise in the area of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. It can boost the energy level, as well as improve your immune system, making sure you have enough antibodies to fight off infection and bacteria. It helps detoxify the body. Toxins can be extremely dangerous especially if you allow them to build up which leads to disease, especially cancer. Your thyroid excretes hormones known as T4 and T3. To make sure they work well, you need to have enough iodine in the body. If you do not, these glands will go under active, and you may develop a condition called hypothyroidism, which is sometimes called Hashimoto''s disease. Some of the common signs or symptoms include hoarseness of voice, carpal tunnel syndrome, goiter, osteoporosis, fatigue, cold intolerance, hypotonia (muscle tone weakness), itchy dry skin, weight gain, water retention, slow speech, impaired memory, swallowing difficulty, decreased libido, and gynecomastia (male breasts).
Hypothyroidism means the thyroid doesn''t function properly to produce enough hormones. You gain weight, your metabolism slows down, and you may even become infertile. You do not need a lot of kelp. Taking too much may result in the exact opposite of hypothyroidism, which is hyperthyroidism or Grave''s disease. Grave''s is an autoimmune disease where the thyroid is overactive. A person who develops hyperthyroidism will experience palpitation, breathlessness, constant weight loss, fatigue, absence of menstrual period, increased bowel movements. Impressively, seaweeds seem to be showing promise in the treatment of certain forms of cancer, including breast cancer by lowering the production of estrogen.
Kelp for Weight Management: - Sea kelp can also be utilized to drop excess weight. It helps to regulate metabolism. With slowdown in metabolism, it will be close to impossible for you to lose weight. If you are already obese, you are at large risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and other life-threatening illnesses. Kelp is a great source of fiber to get rid of the waste build-up in the colon which can house several pounds of fecal matter. If you are following a low-carb diet, you certainly need to take kelp. This type of diet program reduces the intake of calcium and kelp can be an excellent source of calcium and other necessary vitamins and minerals. A common occurrence for people on a low-carb diet to suffer from constipation. As mentioned, kelp is a fibrous material and can act as a mild laxative that helps clean out the colon.
Possible Side Effects of Taking Kelp: - It''s possible to experience side effects from kelp. The difference for most lies on the type and the degree of such effects. This is because the body has to get used to the addition of another substance. However, once you get past it, these side effects will become manageable or go away. Because kelp can act as a mild laxative, one of the side effects can be loose bowel movements or diarrhea. The latter can lead to dehydration, which is dangerous since your body may lack the necessary electrolytes to function properly. Too much kelp can cause an allergic reaction which includes swollen lips, faster heartbeat, difficulty in breathing, and itchiness all over the body.
Dosage: If you''re taking any medication, the compounds and enzymes in kelp may counteract the effectiveness of your drugs and may cause adverse reactions. Kelp is just a trace mineral, which means you may need to supplement very little. I personally take the equivalent of approximately 600 to 700 mg per day. I have experienced no adverse/discernible side effects from adding 1 cup of kelp to 364 grams (approx 3 cups) of ORAC Energy Greens. In fact, after a month I noticed that my nails were stronger and had grown without splitting. And my hair feels a thicker. - Trish Seaward, CN, CETÂ
Ingredients: (100) 570 mg per capsule
Other Ingredients: Vegetarian capsule - no fillers or excipients.