After 8 years of dealing with my daughters asthma - in and out of hospital, often sick for a week at a time, we have finally found something that really works and is completely natural - seaweed. She has 5g powdered in her breakfast smoothie (doesn't taste if I put in 2 bananas) and hasn't had an asthma attack in 9 months. I taught myself to gather it from the shore and now teach others.
The power of seaweed: After 8 years of... - Asthma Community ...
The power of seaweed
34 Replies
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that sounds fab...not to keen on the picking up from shore though :S ... is it as effective from the chinese shop though!? :/
So you gather it up from what shore, have it powdered and it's a cure?! What exactly do you teach? And how does it apparently work?
To answer both posts, I live near the sea and gather the seaweed by cutting it from the rocks so that it's fresh and also will enable it to regrow in about 5 weeks. I don't use washed up seaweed from the beach because it's like compost - in fact it is very good as compost.
I gather three different kinds - carrageen, kelp and bladderwrack (whihch you can't buy in shops) and I dry it at home which can take some doing. When very crisp, I put it in a coffee grinder to powder it. I also put the whole pieces in the bath for my daughter and boil up the carrageen to make a hair treatment and also a delicious dessert which she always loves.
Seaweed has all the vitamins and minerals that exist on the planet, in concentrated form plus 1000 times more iodine than land plants - iodine is nature's cure for all manner of ills from asthma to heart disease, depression to obesity and everything in between.
Seaweed also contains Fucoidan which is the subject of over 700 recent medical studies because it's so important to health - every cell in our entire body has a receptor for Fucoidan and it's only found in brown seaweed but most of us aren't eating any seaweed at all.
The crispy fried seaweed at the Chinese take away is often cabbage and when it is seaweed it's a green one called gutweed which is very good for you but doesn't contain the high quantities of iodine and fucoidan that the brown and red seaweeds contain.
I teach people how to identify and gather the seaweed for all kinds of problems - it cures eczema, psoriasis, eases arthritis, gives you energy, makes you feel positive, raises the metabolism (which has been very useful for my daughter who had put on a lot of weight because she can't run around like the other children).
My daughter used to hate the idea of eating seaweed and I'd disguise it with all sorts of flavours but she would always know I'd put some in her food because her hair would be really shiny the next day. The fact tht I have time to even write this post, to gather seaweed or teach people about it is a testiment to it working - before that I had a sick child a lot of the time and when she was well I was so busy trying to catch up with the housework and put myself back together. Now, touch wood, it is November and there is still no sign of asthma. She even had a cold two weeks ago and still didn't get asthma.
She has two half- sisters who are in their late 20's who have asthma and theirs is still very serious and they haven't grown out of it so I don't think that's why she's clear. Having the seaweed bath is very calming and reassuring, she loves it and so do I. Thank Heaven for seaweed, is all I can say, do give it a try and see for yourself. You can get it from health food shops, or I was thinking of selling it myself.
I am afraid that I am greatly concerned by your post about the power of seaweed and in particular your claim that its high Iodine content is a cure for Asthma and Heart Disease. If this was or is the case can you explain to me why the medical world has not embraced this revelation, and the thousands or people who suffer from Asthma and Heart Disease still suffer and sometimes die daily.
Whilst I am pleased that your daughter has found relief in using Seaweed to ease her symptoms, and admire your commitment in the drawn out process of collecting the seaweed, I personally consider your daughter's great improvement down to finding a beneficial complementary therapy. As I am sure you know complementary therapies are just that, complementary, should be used with caution, and don't always suit everyone.
I sincerely hope your daughter's condition remains stable, but please don't come on here announcing something as a cure, some people on here a so desperately unwell might be inclined to put all their hopes on this and end up disappointed. I also note you appear very well informed about the types of seaweed you are collecting which is great, but like someone sent out to collect wild mushrooms, without the correct knowledge could be using the wrong thing.
that's great that you've found something that works for your daughter - just be careful she's not getting too much iodine in people that already have adequate (or more than optimal) iodine intake causes thyroid disorders (although I'm sure you're aware of this, you sound like you've researched this thoroughly)
I imagine you've found a niche in the market though for sea-weed remedies 
good luck
It's amazing that the pharmacutical companies are using seaweed to treat all manner of health problems including cancer but they are not saying so openly. I think this might have something to do with protecting their profits! But they use extracts and this lessens the effectiveness of using the whole seaweed. They also get their seaweed from mechanical means, sending down corkscrew machines into the sea-bed to rip out the seaweed which destroys it.
Seaweeds contain anti-biotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-bacterials, anti-virals etc. Kelp seaweed was used as bandages during the war when they ran out and it was found the wounds healed much more quickly with it.
Most people in the West are hugely deficient in Iodine. We need Iodine for every function in our body. To find out if you are deficient, paint a patch of Iodine tincture onto the under side of your arm, the brown mark should remain for 12 hours. For most people it will disappear within minutes.
The recommended daily amount of brown seaweed, so that you don't overdose on Iodine, is 5g. My daughter takes 5g a day. I once experimented to see what would happen if I took a lot more than this and kept eating and bathing in seaweed until my heart started to race and I felt a bit dizzy which are the symptoms of Iodine overdose - I had taken about 400g.
I posted our experiences for those people who are as ill as my daughter was, for people who are as desperate as we were. It has worked for us, I'm sure it will work for others too. I am happy to supply the seaweeds we use but going out and gathering seaweed for yourself is not dangerous - I also teach people about wild mushrooms, the study of which has taken me 20 years. Seaweed I learned in one afternoon from a book.
Hi,
This is really interesting to read, and you note many of the points we undertake as part of our work and research with our members.
I represent the Seaweed Health Foundation, which is an independent and not-for-profit forum for research, and to raise awareness of the benefits of human food quality seaweed for food and health.
We would be really interested to continue this discussion and learn more about your experiences.
Please visit our website - seaweedhealthfoundation.org.uk - to get in touch. We have lots of info and run courses.
Thanks,
Craig
i like it in sushi!
Although this thread is not offering medical advice as such, suggesting copious amounts of seaweed can help asthma.. well..IMO it isn't really what the asthma forum is about.
NB Suspect seaweed is similar to other natural therapies. To most people, aromatherapy scents are just nice smells to have around but when I did an aromatherapy course, it was dinned into us to check on the health and possible conditions of our subjects before ever opening a bottle. Seemingly innocuous scents and carrier oils should not be used with certain illnesses and conditions.
Please folks, check with your doc before doing anything.
PS Learning about a subject from a book in one afternoon isn't really learning at all. Without further training, its sheer luck you get it right.
ok rant over.
To be honest claiming that seaweed cures asthma, heart disease and cancer is just ridiculous.
And to say the pharmaceutical companies aren't sharing this for fear of damaging their profits is really quite unfair. Any human would do what ever was in their power to cure various ailments.
Whilst it's great your daughter was 'cured' it's not realistic, the fact is seaweed isn't going to cure anything and the fact you've made your self really quite unwell proves that.
No disrespect to you and good luck to you if it's helped your daughter, but considering how polluted our seas are, I wouldnt eat seaweed.
Actually, you'd have to be pretty thick not to be able to learn about seaweed in one afternoon from a book.
The really scary part is that so many people believe they can't.
Years ago I travelled a lot in Third World countries and noticed the most stricking difference between 'them' and 'us' is that they believe they are capable of doing whatever needs to be done: build their own house, grow their own veg, wash their own clothes by hand, walk 5 miles to market. But we, because we have a choise not to, have grown to believe we are not capable of doing any of these things because they are too hard to do.
Same with getting on top of asthma - when my daughter and I were under it for 8 long awful years, my deepest belief was that it was impossible to overcome. And from the posts here I think that's quite a common belief. But perhaps because I went through the process of believing I could learn about seaweed myself, and that seaweed could help in some way, that we received the ultimate reward.
As for the pollution, the ocean is a far healthier place to get your food from than from the land.
Whilst I'm glad that you've found something that manages your daughter's asthma, I have to take issue with the statement ""Actually, you'd have to be pretty thick not to be able to learn about seaweed in one afternoon from a book.""
People spend entire lifetimes studying seaweed, and there are still things left to be discovered
Unfortunately, the less someone knows about a subject, the less that person realises the level of their ignorance. If you think it's possible to spend an afternoon reading and become knowledgeable enough on a subject to teach others, you're sadly misinformed.
""perhaps because I went through the process of believing I could learn about seaweed myself, and that seaweed could help in some way, that we received the ultimate reward.""
So you just thought maybe seaweed would help? Or had you heard / read something that suggested seaweed would be useful?
I'm genuinely worried that you're ""teaching"" people information that is misinformed and ultimately unhelpful.
Or is it the two bananas she has with her seaweed? There is research that suggests bananas can improve childhood asthma. I would rather take note of that than of one individuals experience with seaweed!
What if your allergic to bananas?
I had no idea there were so many fearful ignorant people out there. No wonder you still have asthma.
That is rather rude language to use on a publically accessible forum
""Actually, you'd have to be pretty thick not to be able to learn about seaweed in one afternoon from a book""
'I had no idea there were so many fearful ignorant people out there. No wonder you still have asthma.""
You did not answer what shores in Ireland you gather your seaweed from? The east coast would not be the best place in some areas for seaweed but I know the southwest is good.
Bananas can help asthma - a link to an article abstract and full text here which Anguilla referred to respiratory.publishingtechn... for anyone interested. They could also help with low potassium levels which can be more common in severe asthma.
Edit: to clarify I meant an article which may be one of the type Anguilla was referring to
I had no idea there were so many fearful ignorant people out there. No wonder you still have asthma.""
Yes, it's absolutely fear and ignorance that makes my airways constrict.
I have no issue with people wanting to experiment on themselves, but to decide a treatment is the best thing ever, and teach other people to use that treatment with absolutely no appropriate training, or evidence to back up that treatment method is ill-informed and ultimately, dangerous. I'm really glad your daughter's asthma is being managed, but I hope if she does have flare-ups you'll seek medical advice and not just up her dose of seaweed.
One of my friends is a trained medical herbalist. He took something in the region of four years to complete his training & receive professional accreditation, and he still continues to explore and learn - that's part of his accreditation, that he engages in continuing professional development.
I have seen him for a couple of conditions, and found the treatment helpful, so I'm not averse to seeking non-conventional treatments. It's more your cavalier ""oh, I read a book for an afternoon, and had an idea that seaweed would cure my daughter and it did! And now I teach other people"" that I found worrying. Play with your own health, fine, but don't play with other people's by spreading information that may have little solid evidence behind it.
Orangatang in reply to
Have to say , I had allergic rhinitis and asthma, I take seaweed capsules, and omg I'm so much better, so yep I believe in seaweed, iv kept out of a and e dept all through covid, and WHO says it's good as antiviral and works as good as remvesider, do I'm taking it. And happy with my choice, good on the lady who has researched and helped her child. The UK has a problem getting enough codeine in there diet, WHO has been warning of this for years. Please research, it could improve you're health, everyone is different, but nothing to lose
Moderator Message
Whoa, the temperature in this thread is getting a little hot now.
There is plenty of room to discuss and debate alternative/complimentary therapies without bandying accusations of ignorance around - from both sides!! Someone once taught me that the moment you resort to throwing personal insults around, you lose an argument.
A little more tolerance please - let's stick to the facts without getting personal.
Thanks
CathBear
(Moderator)
You say the east coast of Ireland wouldn't be a good place to gather seaweed. Of course it is.
There is a very successful seaweed company operating on the east coast of Ireland and with organic status only gained from passing regular tests for purity. What do you know? Nothing. And yet you state things as though you are some kind of authority.
Potassium is a very important electrolite for people suffering from asthma but there's no good having it without the other 3 electrolites in equal balance otherwise the body rejects what you've got too much of. Didn't you know that? Doesn't it tell you that on your banana website?
Seaweeds are the only living things that have all 4 electrolites so that we get all we need without upsetting the balance. The other 3 electrolites are sodium, calcium and magnesium. There's 10 times more calcium in seaweed than in a glass of milk and it's much more easily absorbed. The magnesium becomes magnesium chloride when the seawater on it is evaporated. This kind of magnesium is one of the most important substances being researched in medical science. You don't get magnesium chloride from a banana.
Thanks Cathbear,
I too have no problems with alternative/complementary therapies but as long as they do not claim to be a miracle cure and give people false hope. I think the Maggies Centre for cancer care sound brilliant for example.
I do hope Bythelightofthefire's daughter continues to be well.
Edit: to add in response to Bythelightofthefire
Whoa, I am not claiming to be an authority. I never said there are no benefits to seaweed but as before I and others are not sure about such statements of. I do know some of the east coast and there are some areas of pollution.
I don't have a ""banana website"" but I have looked at papers by established research groups published in peer reviewed journals that suggest there are foods which provide nutrients which are beneficial to asthmatics. If seaweed works for your daughter that is good but does not mean it will work for everyone. There are no panaceas - not even seaweed.
You state that just because seaweed has worked for my daughter doesn't mean it will work for everyone.
Prove it.
I've read this thread aghast that adults can become so aggressive over something like this!
Bythelightto- I feel you've been very confrontational about something that is such a sensitive subject to so many on this forum! Asthma is a terrible disease that limits life in so many on here! Something not to be taken lightly or to show little respect for. I'm thrilled for you that your daughter is showing signs of improvement. You must be elated. But to then condescend others and imply Westerners sit back and aren't proactive with regards to their disability, or as you put it ""I had no idea there were so many fearful ignorant people our there. No wonder you still have asthma""! I'm shocked how crudely you can react to something that kills on a daily basis!!
I would move heaven and earth if it meant my daughter could breathe freely again. To be addressed in this way is hugely hurtful!
I'm shocked a mother can behave this way.
However I do hope that your daughter continues in good health.
Moderator Message
OK, I'm going to say it again, because it doesn't seem to have had much effect first time around.
This thread is getting confrontational and aggressive. I'm now going to suggest that, unless posters can respect the terms and conditions of the website and remain civil and respectful to each other, that you step away from the keyboards and STOP posting, please.
CathBear
I feel really uncomfortable reading this post because of the aggressiveness and have therefore reported it. This sort of discussion will put me off using the forum.
I am all for trying new things and am very interested in the usefulness of seaweed but all of us on here who suffer month in month out know it is highly unlikely there will be a miracle cure in the near future.
Please can everyone take a chill pill!!
Jac
No worries JF, think you've said much the same!
I'm sorry for being agressive, I'm just really shocked at the level of ""it might work for you but don't think it will work for others"" attitude that I've had all through this thread.
Why are you so convinced it won't work? Why is everyone so determined to say, from every angle that I must be stopped? It's like being censored. You're all trying to shut me up and don't want to try it. Why don't you want to try it?
It is working for us. And please don't lecture me about dealing with asthma, my daughter was 2 when she was diagnosed. I am a single parent and have had to live in poverty for 10 years because I couldn't keep a job and when I was self-employed kept missing deadlines. The lack of money meant poor food which meant my daughter was ill more often meaning the little work I could get I had to give up and so driving us further into poverty and hopelessness.
I know what it's like to have sheets covered in vomit and a broken down washing machine and no way of getting out to a launderette to get them cleaned for days and nobody to help me. I know what it's like to be waiting in a hospital corridor with an exhausted child at 3am without help when I'd told our GP earlier in the day that she was going down and needed to be in hospital but he wouldn't listen. I know what it's like to hold a child for hours and hours to keep her upright so she can sleep because the moment she lies down she starts to cough, drowning in mucus. And the keeping calm and going to that calm place when holding her and she's on the brink of panicking, for hours and hours, every fortnight, despite the multitude of drugs. Exhaustion wishing I could make it better.
So when I've finally found something that works - and it's 9 months now without any asthma, can you understand that I want to share it and that being suddenly confronted with people who are telling me I'm not qualified to talk about this and should therefore go away and stop thinking that anyone else could get any benefit from this, that I might react with anger and frustration?
Hi
Dear bythelightof,
I'm sorry about the way this thread turned out. You had such news to impart and we didn't perhaps greet it with the open arms you were expecting. You see, its just that we have had so many 'this is a cure' threads of late. Everything from telling us we don't know how to breathe properly to suggesting we take copious amounts of various vitamins.
Your history of vomit soaked sheets and no real access to a washing machine could be about most of us. I've been there too. Hanging hand washed stuff to dry over doors, curtain poles, chairs. I once lived in a part of Scotland that got so exceedingly cold for four months of the years, that if hung out, the washing would freeze cardboard stiff. No use to man nor beast.
Hospital visits, we have all had too. Ask me what I was doing the day John Lennon was shot and I can tell you. Taking my baby daughter to be admitted yet again as failing to thrive. In our case, and it did take a good while, we finally found a paediatrician who also did homeopathy and suggested we only use soya based products for the next two years. No dairy and no wheat or rye. The effect was dramatic. On the baby and on the washing pile.
30 years later, we are at the same point. That daughter's baby was allergic to milk and failing to gain on birth weight. Great, we thought, on to soya instead. Sadly no, as made the vomiting worse. Baby is on a whole different regime altogether.
So you see, that is why although we are all very glad that in this instance, the seaweed has worked for your own daughter, and truly wish her asthma stays firmly in the background. Long may it continue. However as with my tiny grandson, alas we cannot take it for granted that one cure fits all.
Please stay as a poster on the boards and let us know how your daughter is doing. But maybe ca' canny before announcing a 'cure all' for everything from psoriasis to housemaid's knee. I wish you well and am glad the washing bundle is no longer the threatening size it once was.
Take care,
Moira xox
GrannyMo
You are SUCH a treasure!
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain why people reacted the way they did to this post and for doing it so eloquently. I very much hope what you have said has helped Bythelightofthefire to understand why people have not jumped at the opportunity to try the treatment that has helped her daughter and that she will find her feet here on the forum. Equally, I hope that those who were unhappy with her post will forgive her enthusiastic approach.
Annista & GrannyMo,
Thanks for your calm words of wisdom. This had gotten into a vicious circle of responses to strongly worded/heartfelt statements.
Personally & going back to the original subject here, I think the uses of seaweed can be fascinating such as compost, alginates, food and so on. Honey can also be beneficial in several areas.
Hello, I had thyroid problems and fibromyalgia so bad for a year I couldn't walk or look after my children properly I'm only 40. Nothing the doctors gave me worked I was in tears every day and they said there was nothing they could do to help. Numerous doctors said this. I thought my life was over. I have always taken the natural way stayed fit and healthy couldn't understand why. I researched over and over through the migraines and brain fog and depression and came across brown seaweed capsules after a few hours migraines had gone day after day the symptoms went, heart palpitations, shaking nerves, memory loss, brain fog , fatigue, constipation, depression, I was my old self again and after a few weeks I could run with my kids again and laugh! Wonderful Brown seaweed thank you 😊
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