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What Whales Can Teach Us About Nutrition
16th June 2006
Jacques Cousteau, the intrepid undersea explorer once said, 'The future of nutrition is found in the ocean.'
But it wasn't fish that he was talking about. I'm sure he was already aware of all those omega 3's and fish oils… or was he?
…actually, I'm not 100% sure what he was talking about.
But I BELIEVE he was talking about all those other nutritional secrets held within the ocean depths. As was Good Lifer, C.C, when he wrote me this email recently:
“Do you have any experience or knowledge of 'Marine Phytoplankton'? I had a doctor visit me the other day extolling its virtues. He is a 'normal' doctor but with a leaning towards the Holistic and complementary side as well when and where applicable.”
Well, this was a new one for me. As far as I knew Phytoplankton was the natural food of the blue whale… and not Ray Collins.
(No jokes about weight here, please.)
But I did some poking around, and I think you'll find what I discovered quite fascinating….
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Move over David Attenborough…
it's RAY TIME
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As you WELL know, life on earth began when the waters of the sea filled with tiny organisms which could turn sunlight, water and minerals into protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and amino acids.
These singlecell plants, called phytoplankton, are a building block of life, responsible for 90% of Earth's oxygen.
They're also responsible for some of the largest mammals on the planet. Plankton is the diet of blue whales, humpback whales and other animals.
Considering how big these whales grow on plankton, it's obvious that this stuff has powerful nutritional qualities.
But could it be used to help humans?
'It makes sense that having depleted the quality of our soils with intensive farming, we are now turning our attention to the oceans,' says Carl Munson, a natural health practitioner and phytoplankton fan.
'I've been waiting for a super food like this, which contains some of the finest healthenhancing ingredients known to man such as aloe vera, noni juice and mangosteen. It also features the added benefits of frankincense and the powerful sea algae Astaxanthin.'
The claims for what this 'vegetation of the sea' can do are staggering…
Phytoplankton contains super concentrated lipids (fats) which are claimed to boost brain function, support a healthy heart, reduce cholesterol, stabilise blood sugar levels, relieve pain and inflammation, keep your liver healthy, improve your vision, treat arthritis, get rid of food cravings… and many more.
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Could it even be a cancer cure?
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I found an interesting story about how all this plankton mania began…
Apparently, an American fish farmer called Tom Harper was diagnosed with a rare and deadly form of cancer. He decided to eat the phytoplankton he grew for his livestock.
Medics were shocked when they gave him the 'all clear'.
Seeing an opportunity for a profitable new health tonic, a lot of American companies raced to use sea farms to gather phytoplankton and add it to health supplements.
The main brand I have found is called FrequenSea, which is a “blend of Marine Phytoplankton, Frankincense, Ionic Sea Minerals, Sea Vegetables, Herbs, Aloe Vera, Astaxanthin Sea Algae - carried naturally in Cranberry and Blueberry concentrates with a twist of lime.”
Yummy… I think…
I haven't personally known anyone to try this out, and I've heard nothing so far from other good lifers. (Please let me know if you've had a good experience and I'll publish the results in a future letter.)
So I don't know for sure if this really works as well as these manufacturers claim.
But it marine phytoplankton certainly doesn't seem to me to be a harmful. It's all-natural, plus I've seen plenty of testimonials online that rave about the benefits. So it could be worth trying - once you've consulted your doctor, of course.
Okay, I've been amiss in replying to your emails…(remember, I try to do this through the Good Life Letter, rather than directly)… so let's move straight onto another one.
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A question of safe detoxing
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I have a question about detoxing,” writes R.A.
“My friend tells me that to detox I should avoid meat, wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol and caffeine for one month. Is that enough? She said anything else is fair game and you shouldn't be hungry. What do you think? I always thought the liver was the body's detoxifying organ and that special regimes were unnecessary.”
Firstly, I agree with you. I think you need to be careful about suddenly changing your diet to any extreme, or cutting out any food group altogether.
My simple guide for a detox is this:
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- Drink plenty of water. Tap water is fine (although I prefer mineral water). Just make sure you get about 3 glasses a day inside you. You don't need to drown yourself to feel the benefit.
- Get some fresh air. Over the next week, make sure you stretch your legs and go for a brisk walk. You should do this EVERY day really, but if that's not for you try and make the effort over the next few days.
- Eat NORMALLY. Don't suddenly starve yourself in a bid to miraculously right the wrongs. Eat normally, eat well, but no snacking on sweets and chocolate.
- Get some early nights. A good night's sleep is really one of the best ways to help your body mend itself.
- The five portions of fruit and veg a day rule - with an amendment. As well as trying to eat five portions of fruit and veg, try and mix the colours for maximum intake of antioxidants.'
Secondly, you're right about the liver being the body's vital detoxifying organ. But problems can arise if it's not doing its job properly.
So sometimes the cleanser needs a clean!
One way to do this is to use a liver tonic that combines some of nature's most powerful cleansers... curcumin, dandelion and milk thistle to name but a few.
'Liver Pure' is designed to clean out your liver and help it do its job properly. If you're worried about your liver, you can have risk-free trial of it here:
LiverPure
I hope that's cleared up a few of your questions. I'll write again soon.
Yours, as ever,
Ray Collins
The Good Life Letter
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