Recently, I’ve become obsessed with learning about my ancestors. It’s semi-magical when you understand how every moment in the lives of your great-great-grandparents, their predecessors and their lineage led to you being who you are today. After all, if it weren’t for their struggles and successes, you wouldn’t be here.
If you compare your life today to life in the 1800s, wherever your ancestors lived, you have it pretty easy. While the world’s chaos seems neverending, many of us are privileged to live day-in and day-out with electricity, indoor plumbing, hot water and heat, not to mention our endless avenues for entertainment and access to modern medicine. Current events of the past few years aside, we have it pretty good.
Still, there’s wisdom in our ancestors’ everyday actions, specifically regarding their health. Therefore, it may prove beneficial to look at our predecessors’ success in survival to see if there are any habits we can adopt to improve our time on this earth. For me, my research has brought me to Ireland.
Both sides of my family have roots in Ireland, with ancestors emigrating before, during and after the Irish Potato Famine. Over one million Irish people died of starvation, and over a million fled the country after the potato crop was wiped out in 1845 and took seven years to correct. With potatoes accounting for the bulk of the Irish’s diet, the famine forced them to turn to the seas. They began consuming more sea moss, also known as Irish moss, due to the nutritional value it brought to the people of Ireland during this time. Since my ancestors benefited from the best sea moss from the Atlantic ocean, I decided to research why the Irish continue to turn to the moss for their health.
1. Sea Moss Has Many Of The Same Elements That Make Up The Human Body.
The red algae is high in elements our body needs to function, like zinc, iodine, iron, calcium, potassium, B-complex vitamins, sodium, sulfur, silicon, and iron. Those elements are all found in sea moss, so consuming it helps us operate at an optimal level. That baseline boost of nutrients then flows to other areas of our bodily system.
2. It Aids In Gut Health.
Sea moss is something of a superfood (AKA, your gut’s favorite food). It seems like every day, a new study is published highlighting the vital role a healthy gut plays in our day-to-day lives and our longevity. That’s in large part because our gut is filled with bacteria, both good and bad.
A healthy gut balances out the good and bad bacteria of our gut. That balance contributes to improvements in mood, energy and inflammation, and a slew of other benefits to our health and wellness. So when sea moss is introduced to our digestive system, the algae does a few helpful things to the body.
One, it’s a live bacteria, so it helps to replenish good bacteria in the gut, tipping the balance of good and bad bacteria in check. It does this by lining the gut with probiotics; good bacteria then feast on the sea moss lining, keeping harmful bacteria down.
It also is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. So if you suffer from digestive tract issues like IBS, adding sea moss to your diet will help keep the gut calm, helping to keep symptoms at bay. Additionally, sea moss is high in fiber, essential in keeping things moving throughout the digestive tract.
3. Because Of Sea Moss’ Effects On The Gut, It Helps Improve Immunity.
A study tested two groups and found the one with a high diet of sea moss had higher immune responses. Granted, the 2018 study tested groups of Atlantic salmon and not people, but the results are still curious. Since the algae is rich in antioxidants and has high levels of iron, it helps keep the gut healthy, boosting immunity.
4. It Does Wonders For The Skin.
Just like the gut benefits from the jam-packed nutrients of sea moss, so does our skin. It’s rich in vitamins a, c, and e – all three of which greatly assist our skin. Vitamin a speeds up healing and promotes our body’s natural moisturizing abilities. Vitamin c, on the other hand, helps to improve the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots and acne while also helping to prevent sun damage. And vitamin e plays the role of an antioxidant by shielding cells from damage. Fun fact, if you have oily skin, you typically have higher levels of vitamin e.
5. How You Use It Doesn’t Matter; You’ll Benefit From Sea Moss.
If you’re looking to improve your gut health, boost your immunity, or help recover faster after workouts (it helps aid muscle building), you can find the best sea moss in capsule or powder form. If you already make smoothies or shakes regularly, you can add a shot of sea moss to your favorite recipe. And if you’re looking to incorporate more natural remedies into your skincare routine, pick up some sea moss gel and apply it as a weekly face mask. You might be surprised by the results!
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