A Treasure in Sea Weeds
Most people do not know that sea weeds are perhaps the most potent foods available to maintain youth and health. When they are harvested in an environmentally responsible way in deep, clean oceans water and dried carefully to preserve the nutrient value, they are an extraordinary source of food. Dulse and kelp are easy to find in health food stores, but there are other valuable sea weeds that merit our attention because of their nutritional and medicinal value.
Irish Moss, known as Chrondus Crispus, which means curled cartilage, grows off the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean on submerged rocks. It contains mucilage, 55 to 90 percent, organic minerals (14 percent), carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, iodine, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, calcium, silica, and magnesium. There are about 18 or more known elements composing the human body. Irish Moss contains 15 of these vital elements. They exist in the forms of chlorides of sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium; also as sulfates, phosphates, and very small quantities of iodides, bromides, and fluorides of the same elements. There seems to be no iron, lithium, and manganese in Irish Moss. The mucilage found in Irish Moss is called carrageenan.
Irish Moss contains water soluble sulfates. Calcium sulfate is a very active agent that remarkably cleans away decaying matter in the minute spaces between cells. Cancer feeds on decaying organic matter. Potassium sulfate supplies the skin and mucous membranes with oxygen and produces oil to lubricate and nourish. Sodium sulfate serves to drain excess water and is essential to eliminate any abnormal accumulation of fluid in body tissues or cavities. Irish Moss’s phosphates of calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium nourish bones, brains, liver and muscle. Potassium phosphate is a wonderful brain and nerve food required to help them function properly. It is believed that this salt helps generate new brain cells. Potassium chloride present in Irish moss acts on collagen to form fibrin. Fibrin builds muscles and ligaments, but unless there is sufficient potassium chloride in the blood to keep it in solution, the fibrin precipitates as a stringy, insoluble mass that forms an excess of thick mucous as well as fibroid tumors. Fibrin also serves to coagulate blood when it is exposed to air because it is a very sticky substance.
Irish Moss is a powerful alkalizing agent and can perform more suitably than antacids such as bicarbonate of soda or baking soda, which only gives temporary relief. If antacids containing baking soda get into the blood, they destroy hemoglobin, elevate blood pressure, acidity, upset kidney functions and hinder absorption of nutrients. Irish Moss provides the body with alkaline salts that build and vitalize the cells and body fluids. It also contains minute quantities of potassium and sodium iodides. These trace iodides work on the glandular system that can quickly change the body chemistry from disease to health. There is also infinitesimal amounts of organic fluorine as calcium fluoride., which the body assimilates in the surface of bones, enamel of teeth, the walls of blood vessels, and in all connective tissues and elastic fibers. The muscular strength and elasticity of the muscular system, the blood system, the bones, and the connective tissues of the nervous system depend upon minute quantities of calcium fluoride. If the body is deprived of calcium fluoride, many types of wasting conditions develop. Such as tooth decay, wrinkling of the skin, prolapsed uterus and anus, enlarged heart, sagging of the entire abdominal tract, varicose veins, aneurysm, hard swellings, weakness, and many other dreadful conditions. Fluorine is a highly radioactive element, but it is stabilized by combining with calcium. Rather than supply natural calcium fluoride contained in Irish Moss, the US Government has tried for over 40 years to dump a sub-product of industry called sodium fluoride into the water supply of American cities. Sodium fluoride is highly toxic and can cause serious damage to the human body.
Bladderwrack is called fucus vesiculosis in Latin. Like Irish Moss it grows on the coastal rocks of the Atlantic Ocean. It is also a powerhouse of mineral salts and mucilage. It contains potassium chloride (fibrin solvent), potassium phosphate (brain and nerve food), potassium iodide (thyroid gland stimulant), potassium bromide (sedative), potassium sulfate (skin food and gentle laxative), sodium chloride (blood salt), sodium phosphate (liver salt and alkalizing agent), sodium iodide (antiseptic), and sodium bromide (relieves muscular contraction or spasms). These valuable salts account for 25% of the plant. It has been used very successfully as a natural weight reducer due to its iodine and bromine that stimulate the activity of the glands that eliminate fatty substances.
In 1862, Dr. Duchesne Duparc, a French physician, while experimenting with fucus vesiculosis in the treatment of chronic psorisis, found that the patients' weight was reduced without injuring health, and used it with great success. From then on, history gives us many instances of the fact that fucus vesiculosis does actually reduce fat. Dr. Godfrey, an English physician, experimented on himself losing 5.25 pounds in one week by taking, before meals, three times a day, several pills made from a concentrated extract of Fucus. Later experiments by Drs. Hunt and Seidell indicated that this result (continued from last page) is brought about by the iodine and bromine, stimulating the absorbent glands to increased activity, without causing an atrophied wasting of the glands.
Irish Moss and Bladderwrack, when harvested correctly, are nontoxic. They can be used regularly as a food supplement. If they are collected after being washed up on a beach, they are useless for nutritional purposes.
References:
“Advanced Treatise in Herbology“ by Dr. Edward E. Shook, Enos Publishing Co.
Uncle Harry's Simple General Health Improvement System
(1) Sea weed vegetable capsules.
Ingredients: Organic kelp, organic rockweed, Irish moss, bladderwrack. 100
capsules ($10.00)
(2) Seaweed vegetable powder
Ingredients: Organic kelp, organic rockweed, irish moss, bladderwrack. 2 oz
bottle ($10.00)
The Sea Weed Bonus
B-Vitamins, amino acids, trace minerals, fiber, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins which make up the muscles, ligaments, tendon, organs, glands, nails and hair. The central nervous system cannot function without amino acids. They serve as neurotransmitters necessary for the brain to receive and send messages. There are about 29 basic amino acids, 19 of which are produced by the body. The remaining 10 are called essential amino acids that must be taken in the body through the diet. Sea weeds contain the essential amino acids and much more. A daily intake of essential amino acids will help increase alertness of the mind. The B vitamins are essential for maintaining natural hair color and healthy hair, skin and nails. The sea weeds contain the B vitamins and much more. Vitamins and minerals work cooperatively to help in the assimilation of vital body nutrients. Nearly 50% of the American people are deficient in vitamins and minerals. Sea weeds are a one-stop vegetable source for all the vitamins and minerals for good health.
Organic Kelp and Rockweed
In his booklet entitled "Kelp - The Health Giver", Dr. Powell states that the Homeopaths not only use kelp for obesity and goitre, but also for a wide range of physical ailments such as " poor digestion, flatulence, and obstinate constipation. Dr. John H Clark, the famous Homeopathic physician, advises kelp for indigestion. There is hope for many chronic sufferers from indigestion if they will give kelp a fair trial. With so many of my fellow americans suffering from various forms of stomach disorder, and chronic constipation, with its resulting toxemia, what a blessing is in this simple remedy - kelp. We physicians now know that a host of physical disorders, and even some forms of insanity are due to toxemia ( toxic substances coming from a foul, polluted colon). These poisons accumulate in the colon and are absorbed into the blood stream, causing such serious complaints as rheumatism, nervous disorders, kidney trouble and severe headache. Exerpted from "Nature's Healing Grasses" by H.E. Kirschner