Adding Seaweed to your Diet for Fibro

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exploreandrespawn

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I have to say, when I first tried seaweed I nearly gagged. I realized that it is very important, all you have to do is do a search for radiation poisoning and seaweed and read the extensive studies on it's positive effects on radiation poisoning.

I bought my first package over a year ago, and could not handle it. Since then, I made a simple mix of seaweed, garlic powder, oil, salt and water (water to soften it) and just heat it up. That, I simply love.

For those of you wondering, It can't hurt to do some research into the benefits of seaweed:

Article: Why You Need Seaweed in Your Healing Fibromyagia Diet

Have you tried it? if so, what are the ways you like to prepare it.
 
I've been living in Southeast Asia for several year now. Seaweed is eaten a lot and there are several dishes that work well with seaweed. Stir-fried dishes with a little bit of oil, chili, shrimp, garlic, soy sauce and fish sauce are very popular. The Japanese make seaweed soup, using this simple recipe: seaweed, one egg, some rice wine and sea salt to taste. Just boil the seaweed for one minute, crack in the egg and stir and add the rice wine and sea salt. Or you can make sushi wraps with them, they're delicious!
 
As a side note, if you have thyroid issues, consider talking to your doctor BEFORE making it a regular part of your diet. Seaweed contains high amounts of Iodine, which can affect thyroid function, especially for those with Hashimoto's or Graves disease.
 
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As a side note, if you have thyroid issues, consider talking to your doctor BEFORE making it a regular part of your diet. Seaweed contains high amounts of Iodine, which can affect thyroid function, especially for those with Hashimoto's or Graves disease.

I completely agree with you. I remember my dad ate seaweed at a Chinese restaurant. One later he developed a severe allergy even though he had no known allergies to seafood. We took him to the doctor and after doing all tests concluded that he had some sort of thyroid problems. Therefore, I would advise people with thyroid problems to AVOID SEAFOOD AT ANY COST.
 
Eh, I wouldn't think it's necessary to avoid "ALL SEAFOOD AT ANY COST." That's a bit of a sweeping generalization. Three ounces of cod will provide 99µg (66%) of the USDA RDA for Iodine, or less than you'd find in 2 glasses of milk. One-fourth of an ounce of dried seaweed, however, will provide >4,500µg (3000% DV), which is an entirely different matter!
 
As a side note, if you have thyroid issues, consider talking to your doctor BEFORE making it a regular part of your diet. Seaweed contains high amounts of Iodine, which can affect thyroid function, especially for those with Hashimoto's or Graves disease.

I am so glad for your input Sulablue. I was reading through all this and thinking this would be awesome. Which it still may be, but I will be alot more cautious. I have hypothroidism and other thyroid issues. I am on a high dose of synthroid.

I do not know what Hashimoto or graves disease is, but I am curious. Does this have anything to do with thyroid functions? Iam going to look this up somewhere. My interest is peaked on this.
 
Thyroiditis include disorders of several etiologies characterized by inflammation of the thyroid.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is chronic inflammatory process of the thyroid and is thought to be due to autoimmune factors. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a subgroup of hypothyroidism, which is characterized by decreased thyroid functions. ( the thyroid functions are not working efficiently). Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a common disorder occurring in middle-aged women and is the most common cause of sporadic goiter in children.
Clinical Manifestations include a painless goiter which is the main feature of the disease. The goiter is rubbery to the touch and is not always symmetrical.
The diagnosis of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is suggested by finding a firm, non-toxic goiter on exam. The thyroid function tests are decreased whereby there will be decreased T4 and T3 and increased TSH. TSH is increased because there is negative feedback mechanism from the decreased T4 and T3.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis is managed by replacement with L-thyroxine.
 
Graves disease, on the other hand, is a subgroup of hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism can result from excessive production of TSH or abnormal thyroid stimulators. Drugs such as Amiodarone can induce thyroitoxicosis.
Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is characterized by both increased sympathetic and decreased vagal modulation.
Signs and symptoms to look for are:
1) Proptosis (Bulging out of the eyes in an anteriorly)
2) Diarrhea
3) Excessive sweating
4) Increased appetite
5) Muscle weakness
6) tachycardia
7) palpitations
There are many more but I have listed the main ones.

Diagnosis is made after the doctor has taken an thorough history of your symptoms and after doing a clinical examination. Lab results will show suppressed TSH in primary hypothyroidism (that is hypothyroidism of unknown causes) and high TSH in secondary hypothyroidism (hypothyroidism of known causes). Serum T4 and T3 are increased as well.

Management: propanolol and antithyroid drugs such as propylthiouracil and methimazole are used in the immediate therapeutic approach. PTU is said to be safe in pregnancy. Ablative surgery can also be used. Subtotal thyroidectomy is reserved in pregnancy (2nd trimester) and in children. After surgery, the person becomes hypothyroid and hormone replacement therapy is indicated. Surgery is also used if the thyroid is so large that it is compressing the surrounding structures such as vocal cord and so on.
 
Eh, I wouldn't think it's necessary to avoid "ALL SEAFOOD AT ANY COST." That's a bit of a sweeping generalization. Three ounces of cod will provide 99µg (66%) of the USDA RDA for Iodine, or less than you'd find in 2 glasses of milk. One-fourth of an ounce of dried seaweed, however, will provide >4,500µg (3000% DV), which is an entirely different matter!

I admit I over exaggerated a little bit. But the doctor did advise my dad to avoid all seafood..hmm plus, I saw my dad in a condition whereby I couldn't even described-he was really suffering and I do not wish anyone to be in the same boat- prevention is much better than cure- that's the reason why I over exaggerated!
 
Understandable. But on the other hand, fish that are high in Omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory, and an anti-inflammatory diet may well help with fibro pain. It becomes quite the balancing act!
 
This what I found online...
To increase the effectiveness of your upcoming radioactive iodine therapy, you may be prescribed a low iodine diet. Iodine
is used in the care and feeding of animals and as a stabilizer and/or safety element in food processing. Therefore, it may be
found in varying amounts in all food and beverages. The highest sources (and those to be avoided) are iodized salt, grains
and cereals, white bread, fish from the sea, shellfish, beef, poultry, pudding mixes, milk and milk products. Detailed recipes
that follow a low iodine diet can be found on the following websites: Light of Life Foundation - Light of Life Foundation (Light of Life Foundation)
and ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association (ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association). Below are general guidelines to follow on this diet.

Additonal read: http://www.thyroid.org/wp-content/uploads/patients/brochures/LowIodineDietFAQ.pdf

Avoid the following foods
• Iodized salt, sea salt, foods high in salt, baking soda and sodium
• Any vitamins or supplements that contain iodine (especially kelp and dulse)
• Milk or other dairy products including ice cream, cheese, yogurt and butter
• Seafood including fish, sushi, shellfish, kelp or seaweed
• Foods that contain the additive carrageen, agar-agar, alginate, or nori
• Cured and corned foods (such as ham, lox, corned beef, sauerkraut, cold cuts)
• Commercially prepared bakery products that could be made with iodate dough
conditioners
• FD&C red dye #3 - this appears in many foods or pills that are red or brown,
including colas, and in maraschino cherries
• Egg yolks, whole eggs and foods containing whole eggs
• Dried fruits
• Canned vegetables (salt-free canned vegetables are fine)
• Most chocolate (due to milk content)
• Blackstrap Molasses (unsulfured molasses is fine)
• Soy products (soy sauce, soy milk, tofu)

foods thAt Are oK
• Non-iodized salt may be used as desired
• Egg whites
• Fresh noncured meat from the butcher
• Homemade bread made with non-iodized salt and oil (not soy!) instead of butter
or milk
• Most fresh fruits and vegetables (but not too much spinach & broccoli), washed
well
• Frozen vegetables that don’t have high-iodine ingredients (like regular salt) added
• Grain, cereal products and pasta without high iodine ingredients
• Canned peaches, pears and pineapples
• Natural unsalted nuts and nut butters (peanut, almond, etc)
• Clear sodas, beer, wine, lemonade, fruit juices
• Non-instant coffee ortea, as long as it’s madewith distilledwater. Butremember,
only non-dairy creamer!
• Popcorn popped in vegetable oil or air popped, with non-iodized salt
• Black pepper, fresh or dried herbs and spices, all vegetable oils
• Sugar, jam, jelly, honey maple syrup
• Matzoh crackers (unsalted)
 
It's interesting because many people in Indonesia especially in the mountainous areas far from the sea suffer from goiter which is the swelling of the thyroid gland due to an iodine deficiency. They suffer from hypothyroidism, which is the lack of iodine, quite the reverse from Graves disease. So programs were started by the government to introduce iodized salt to their diet to replace the normal salt and the problem gradually went away.
 
I see that this, like most other "miracle foods" that come up for any illness, has it's plus and minus sides. I'm glad to see that it's been suggested to research thoroughly before just starting to eat or overeat any food that seems to be helpful. There are usually other things that many foods could actually worsen (i.e. the iodine in seaweed that could be deadly to some.)

That said, if a doctor approves, it's so great to hear of things like this that may help. I've only ever had seaweed that sushi is wrapped in (it's called Nori) and I enjoy it that way but not sure I could stomach it "plain."
 
Mariposa,

There's so many ways it can be tasty! Wakame is another type, and it's good cut into small little bits to have in a bowl of miso soup with tofu and mushrooms.

I've also just sprinkled it into my regular salad and hidden it there ;)

I've heard, and want to try, roasted seaweed snacks. I've had homemade kale chips and liked them, and I hear that these are a bit like kale chips. I only saw them once and they were 99 cents a pouch though for a single-serving pouch, so it didn't seem financially sensible then, but maybe if I try one and then find a more economical option I could see giving it a go.
 
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