Kelp for Weight Loss

 Rick Valence

If I didn't lose weight fast, I could be physically hurt very badly? Concussion…broken nose….fractured rib…or worse. 1 bizarre addition to my diet changed it all.

I was training for an amateur boxing match go several years and was weighing in 196 lbs. I was overweight by 10 lbs and had to get down to light-heavyweight (less than 187lbs) or I could get seriously hurt in my first amateur fight (if I fought a skilled heavyweight). I was determined to get down to 187.

I did weight watchers with my girlfriend and began jogging 1 hour per day. I lost 6 pounds but stopped there for a while.

If you're trying to lose weight, you may be missing a very important ingredient in you diet. After adding this ingredient to my diet, I lost 2 pounds in two days. I was doing weight watchers, was running 1 hour per day, cut way down on sale, and cut carbs drastically. Still, I was stuck at 190lbs for 4 weeks. It was driving me crazy.

What is Kelp? A very good friend of mine, and health guru, from Japan told me to try Kelp. He explained that kelp is one considered by many to be a "superfood" due to its nutrient content. Most importantly, Kelp is one of the best sources of organic iodine. Due to the poor farming practices currently practiced, naturally occurring iodine is becoming less and less common in today's foods. And with my cutting out table salt and salty foods entirely, my body was surely low on iodine.

Iodine helps regulate the thyroid gland in the human body. The thyroid gland creates thyroxine and triiodothyronine, hormones that can significantly raise the metabolism in the human body. Lower amounts of iodine can often lead to a slower metabolism.

Is More Better? "Great" I said. "Then I will go out and eat a bunch of iodine tablets." Of course, this is a terrible idea, because too much iodine can cause Hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is characterized by nervousness, sweating, heat intolerance, and often times diarrhea. Like anything else, iodine must be balanced as it is taken into the human body.

I am a pretty adventurous guy and will try almost anything once. So I went to my local Asian Market, bought some dried kelp (seaweed), let it hydrate in water, and ate a healthy bowl of it.

The Results:
As stated before, I was literally stuck at 190 lbs for 4 weeks. I was eating weightwatchers "to the T", was taking in very few carbohydrates, and was exercising at least an hour per day. The day after eating the kelp, I lost 1 pound. The next day, I lost a second pound. I literally felt skinnier and felt healthier in two days.

Now I am not a doctor, and am certainly not a health guru. Too much iodine in your diet can be dangerous. But eating this kelp , and raising my iodine levels as a result, has allowed me to become healthier and lighter while changing nothing else. Consult your doctor and it may do the same for you.

Rick Valence specializes in camera repairs at C.R.I.S. Camera Services in Chandler, AZ. He is also the Chief Blog Officer at the company, revising the Phoenix camera repair blog posts written by technicians and other company specialists.