The Okinawa Diet: Keys to Longevity Revealed in The Okinawa Centenarian Study

Okinawan Elixir

The people of Okinawa live longer and healthier lives than people anywhere else in the world. Large numbers of Okinawans have remained strong and active into their seventies, eighties, nineties and even as centenarians. They have amazingly low occurrences of heart disease, cancer and strokes. The phenomenon has been studied for the last 25 years in the Okinawan Centenarian study and this year the results were summarized and published in English for the first time. The study’s findings give an insight into why the Okinawans live so long and possible reasons why they seem to suffer so much less than other peoples from the common diseases of aging.

It is possible that the Okinawan people have a natural genetic predisposition to be more resistant to certain diseases but the study shows that more important than the genetics of a person is the environment in which they are in. It’s not the genes that you’ve got that matter it’s what you do with them.

The traditional diet in Okinawa has a large amount of soy and vegetables and is low in meat and accompanying saturated fats. This means that you are more likely to see a centenarian eating goya and tofu than a cheeseburger and fries. Large amounts of vegetables and whole grains bulk out the diet and provide essential nutrients and good fats (poly and monounsaturated ) while lower amounts of the wrong kinds of fats (saturated and trans) mean that their arteries are not getting clogged up. This may therefore be one of the main reasons that, on average, Okinawans have 80% less heart attacks than Americans. While many western pensioners don’t do anything more physical than switch channels or fill in the crosswords Okinawans remain active. Walking, gardening, dance and martial arts all help maintain their cardiovascular systems while also keeping up muscle and bone strength.

Okinawa is described as “The Real Shangri-La,” to differentiate it from other so-called “geriatric utopias” where claims to extreme longevity have turned out to be groundless. But all is not well in paradise. Okinawan lifestyles are changing and the statistics for mortality and morbidity are following. A more western diet high in saturated fat combined with less physical activity, and more smoking and drinking means that heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes and other lifestyle related diseases are on the rise and can be seen at increasingly younger ages.
The Okinawa Program however aims to change unhealthy lifestyle practices in both Okinawa and western societies by providing several self-help chapters that give advice from diet to meditation and even becoming and staying optimistic. Now that I’ve finished reading the book, I’m going to relax, make myself some goya champuru and have a think about how I’m going to spend the next hundred years of my life.

Okinawan Secrets to a LONG LIFE

Okinawa, a beautiful Island in Japan, boasts the longest documented lifespan of any area in the civilized world. The average Okinawan female lives 86 years and the average Okinawan male 78 years. Okinawan’s boast the highest percentage of centenarians (people that live over 100 years of age) of any country with about 40 per 100,000 (America has less than 10 per 100,000). In fact, we American’s spend by far the most on health care (over a trillion dollars!), yet we are not even in the top twenty when it comes to lifespan. These amazingly healthful folk also have the lowest incidence of heart disease, cancer and other common lifestyle diseases.

Here are some of their secrets to a LONG LIFE! (These results are from the Okinawa Centenarian Study that began in 1976 following the lifestyles of 600 centenarians in Okinawa.)

Low Stress Lifestyle: Most Okinawan’s lead a worry-free, low-stress lifestyle. No rush hour fumes and frenzy, no alarm clocks; they wake up at sunrise and follow the rhythms of nature not the ticking of a clock. Meditation is very important to them. They lead a simple, peaceful life and have a very positive outlook.

Okinawan Soil: The proximity to a volcano and one of the most pristine coral reefs in the world has created perhaps the most mineralized soil known to man. Minerals and mineral rich waters are a common denominator in the world’s longest lived societies which includes Okinawa, Pakistan Hunza’s, Vilcabamba’s, etc. The other long-lived cultures obtain copious amounts of precious minerals from the glacial waters which are loaded with colloidal minerals. Most parts of the industrialized world (America most definitely included) have mineral poor soils that burgeon mineral poor crops. (Note: A Tuft’s University study showed that organic fruits and veggies have on average 87% more vitamins and minerals than non-organic produce. So buy from and support organic farmers!)

Near Vegetarian Cuisine: If you are following a high protein diet you may not want to read this. The World’s Longest Lived People are almost totally VEGETARIAN. They eat (on average) seven servings of vegetables (sweet potatoes, bean sprouts, onions and green peppers are some favorites), seven or more servings of whole grains (like brown rice and buckwheat noodles), two to four servings of fruit, plus lots of tofu, seaweed, a little fish and hardly any meat, poultry or eggs (less than three perfect). They eat NO DAIRY, yet boast one of the lowest incidences of osteoporosis in the world.

So to summarize, the Okinawan’s diet is high in fiber (no refined flours, sugar or salt), low in fat and very nutrient dense. They use fish and meat as a flavoring or side dish, not as the main course.

Less Food: They have a popular saying in Okinawa, “Hari Haci Bu” which roughly translates to mean “Stop eating when 80% full.” Here in America, extensive research has been done by Dr. Walford linking calorie restriction with longer lifespan in every species of animal tested. This is another common trait in all long-lived areas of the world. Eat to live, don’t live to eat! By the way, obesity is almost unheard of in Okinawa while about 60% of Americans are overweight or obese.

Intake lots of water and tea: Okinawan’s drink up to 12 glasses of water a day (plus green tea). Seventy-five percent of your body is water and most Americans are dehydrated. The general rule is to drink half your body weight in ounces per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink at least 75 ounces a day (a little more than half a gallon) of purified water.


The Okinawa Centenarian Study!

Elderly Okinawans have among the lowest mortality rates in the world from a multitude of chronic diseases of aging and as a result enjoy not only what may be the world's longest life expectancy but the world's longest health expectancy. Centenarians, in particular, have a history of aging slowly and delaying or sometimes escaping the chronic diseases of aging including dementia, cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and stroke) and cancer. The goal of the Okinawa Centenarian Study is to uncover the genetic and lifestyle factors responsible for this remarkable successful aging phenomenon for the betterment of the health and lives of all people.

The Okinawa Centenarian Study (OCS) is a population-based study of hundred-year-olds (centenarians) and other elderly in Okinawa, Japan. The study began in 1976, after the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare confirmed initial reports of outstanding health and long life in Okinawa through validation of birth certificates and other statistical data. Since then our research group has investigated over 600 centenarians to uncover clues to their outstanding health and long lives. Studies have concentrated on the genetics, diets, exercise habits, and psychospiritual beliefs and practices of the Okinawan elders.

When Dr. Suzuki, the Principal Investigator of the OCS, first began his studies, he found an unusual number of centenarians to be in extraordinarily healthy shape. They were lean, youthful-looking, energetic, and had remarkably low rates of heart disease and cancer-even stomach cancer, which claimed many mainland Japanese. And they enjoyed the longest life expectancy in the world. By 1995, according to Japan Ministry of Health and Welfare life tables, Okinawan life expectancy had even surpassed the absolute limits of population life expectancy estimated by the Japan Population Research Institute and many biodemographers (see Fries JF. New England Journal of Medicine 1980;303:131-5).

Evidence-Based Gerontology
One of the most important things about the Okinawa Centenarian Study is the fact that it is based on solid evidence. The most important evidence needed for any centenarian study is reliable age-verification data.

A Selection of Findings
After examining over six hundred Okinawan centenarians and numerous "youngsters" in their seventies, eighties, and nineties, we saw certain patterns begin to emerge. It became clear that the Okinawan lifestyle was providing some real, scientifically verifiable reasons these people were so incredibly healthy so far into their senior years. And they were reasons that could have a profound impact on our health and well-being here in the West.

1. Successful Aging is More Than Just Good Genes

Genetic studies of Okinawan centenarians have shown that while there is some genetic protection that helps the Okinawans live to extreme ages most of the "successful aging" phenomenon is due to lifestyle. While genetic studies are extremely important demographic studies of Okinawans and other Japanese have shown that Okinawans have gained over twenty years in life expectancy over the last four decades mostly due to reductions in stroke and stomach cancer mortality-clear evidence that lifestyle intervention has been the key factor in this longevity phenomenon. In addition, migration studies show that Okinawans who grow up in other countries and abandon their protective lifestyle patterns suffer from higher all-cause mortality rates (especially cardiovascular disease) than those who grow up in Okinawa (see Mizushima S, et al. Hypertens Res. 1992;15:45-55).

2. Reduced Free Radical Damage
 
One of the most important findings in free-radical research has been that eating fewer calories increases life span (see Sohal RS, et al. Science 1996;273:59-63). The only evidence that this works in humans has been indirect and based on observation of the low caloric intake of the Okinawans and their long life expectancy (see Weindruch, R., et al. N Engl J Med 1997;337(14):986-94). Now we have direct evidence that the Okinawans following the traditional ways have low blood levels of free radicals. The elders had significantly lower levels of lipid peroxide-compelling evidence that they suffer less free-radical-induced damage.

3. Low Cardiovascular Risk

Elderly Okinawans were found to have impressively young, clean arteries, low cholesterol, and low homocysteine levels when compared to Westerners. These factors help reduce their risk for coronary heart disease by up to 80% and keep stroke levels low. Their healthy arteries are mostly due to their lifestyle; diet, regular exercise, moderate alcohol use, avoidance of smoking, blood pressure control, and a stress-minimizing psycho spiritual outlook.

The higher the plasma homocysteine (a new risk factor) level is, the more people suffer from cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine is an amino acid that causes damage to arterial walls. It is higher in people who don't get enough folate (e.g. green leafy vegetables) and vitamins B6, B12.
           
4. Low Risk for Hormone-Dependent Cancers

Okinawans are at extremely low risk for hormone-dependent cancers including cancers of the breast, prostate, ovaries, and colon. Compared to North Americans, they have 80% less breast cancer and prostate cancer, and less than half the ovarian and colon cancers. Some of the most important factors that may protect against those cancers include low caloric intake, high vegetables/fruits consumption, higher intake of good fats (omega-3, mono-unsaturated fat), high fiber diet, high flavonoid intake, low body fat level, and high level of physical activity.
 
5. Strong Bones

Okinawans have about 20% fewer hip fractures than do mainland Japanese, and Japanese have about 40% fewer hip fractures than Americans (see Ross PD, et al. Am J Epidemiol 1991;133:801-9). Our research on Okinawan elders showed that their bone density, when adjusted for body size, is similar to Americans, and like the rest of us they continue to lose bone mass as they get older, but possibly at a slower rate. We compared bone mineral density in a group of Okinawans to two groups from mainland Japan and found that by age forty for women and age fifty for men the groups began to diverge. The Japanese began to lose significantly more calcium from their bones than the Okinawans, suggesting the Okinawans preserve their bone density at healthy levels for longer periods of time than other Japanese (see Suzuki M, et al. Japanese J Bone Res 1995;63:166-72 [in Japanese]). Protective factors that may play a role here include high calcium intake by Okinawans in both food and their natural drinking water, high vitamin D levels from exposure to sunlight, increased physical activity, especially at older ages, and high intake of dietary flavonoids (estrogenic compounds from plant foods).
 
6. Low Prevalence of Dementia

Prevalence surveys suggest that the dementia rate is fairly low among the Okinawan elderly, compared to other elderly populations. Even into their late 90s Okinawans suffered lower dementia rates than reported for comparable populations in the United States and elsewhere.
   
7. Lean and Fit Elderly

Okinawan elders are lean, with average body mass index (BMI) that ranges from 18 to 22 (lean is less than 23). The Okinawans stay lean by eating a low-calorie, unrefined-complex carbohydrate diet, practicing calorie control in a cultural habit known as hara hachi bu (only eating until they are 80% full), and keeping physically active the natural way. In contrast, middle-aged Okinawans (age 50) who have a less traditional lifestyle have a BMI of 26, the highest in Japan and similar to Americans. A BMI greater than 25 is considered overweight and places you at greater risk for chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke).

8. Natural Menopause

There are virtually no women in Okinawa using estrogen replacement therapy. They experience menopause naturally and nonpharmacologically with fewer complications such as hot flashes, hip fractures, or coronary heart disease. Lifestyle determinants include diet, avoidance of smoking and exercise in the form of dance, soft martial arts, walking and gardening. Okinawan women have a very high intake of natural estrogens through their diet, mainly from the large quantities of soy they consume. Soy contains phytoestrogens, or plant estrogens called flavonoids. The other important major phytoestrogens are lignans, which are derived from flax and other grains. All plants, especially legumes (beans, peas), onions, and broccoli, contain these natural estrogens, but not nearly in the same quantity as soy and flax. Recent double-blind placebo controlled studies support the ability of soy isoflavones to slow the bone loss (see Alekel D, et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;72:844-52) and hot flashes (see Albertazzi P, et al. Obstet Gynecol 1998;91:6-11) that occur with menopause.

9. Youthful Sex Hormones

Okinawan elders may have higher levels of sex hormones, including natural DHEA, estrogen, and testosterone than similarly aged Americans, suggesting that the Okinawans are physiologically younger. DHEA is a steroid produced in the human adrenal gland, and some studies suggest that it may help ameliorate the ravages of aging. However, taking DHEA supplements could increase risk for breast and other cancers so we do not recommend taking DHEA supplements. More supported by the scientific literature is that DHEA levels decline in direct ratio with age, so it may be a good marker of biological age. Okinawans seem to have higher DHEA levels than similarly aged Americans suggesting that Okinawans may age slower than Americans. As Okinawans age, both sexes maintain remarkably higher levels of estrogen which may help protect against heart disease and osteoporosis. Testosterone is the male equivalent of estrogen. Higher endogenous levels increase our muscle mass and our body hair, deepen our voices, and control our libidos, among other functions. This hormone also appears higher in older Okinawan men. Cross-cultural population studies are needed to confirm these differences and their biological significance.

10. Excellent Psychospiritual Health

Personality testing found that centenarians, when in their prime of life, scored low when it came to feelings of "time urgency" and "tension" and high in "self-confidence" and "unyieldingness." Interviews revealed optimistic attitudes, adaptability, and an easy-going approach to life. Moderation was found to be a key cultural value. Strong social integration and a deep spirituality were particularly evident among older women (see Willcox DC, et al. Geriatr Med 2000;38:2000-9 [in Japanese]).

11. Integrative Health Care

The Okinawans incorporate both Eastern and Western healing methods into their health care system. Okinawa, Japan, and Hong Kong are the top three areas of the world in life expectancy, and what is interesting in their health care systems is that they have all incorporated both Eastern and Western approaches to healing. The use of natural or herbal tonics in these populations far exceeds that of North America. The implications of this type of health care are currently under investigation.

Okinawa's elders (aged > 70 years) and centenarians in particular, also seem to have experienced a slower age-related decline and markedly delayed or avoided entirely the chronic diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer's Disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. This is in marked contrast to younger Okinawans, who lead a less healthy lifestyle and experience higher mortality levels than similarly aged Japanese in mainland Japan.
 
Why Did We Only Recently Hear About the Okinawan Longevity Phenomenon?

You'd have thought such a fascinating discovery would have been big news in the West, but it went largely unnoticed for a number of reasons. First, only a few small research reports made it into the English-language scientific literature. Most of the interesting findings (more than 100 peer-reviewed studies) were published in the Japanese scientific literature always in Japanese, making them fairly inaccessible to Western scientists. Second, gerontology and preventive medicine research were relatively new in the 1970s, and baby boomers were not old enough to get the diseases of premature aging. Research dollars were only just beginning to flow into this area of investigation. Nutritional research was generally considered unscientific and unproductive, not much of a contribution to science or medicine. Finally, Okinawa's role as a battleground in World War Two and its continuing problems with U.S. and Japanese military bases tends to overshadow its role as an area of extreme longevity.

FORMULA:
Soy, Goya, Shitake, Daikon, Watermelon, Okinawan daidzu, Azuki beans, Komugi, Ucchin-TurmericKoregusu, Obako, Shiruminna, Tea and Sea Vegetables

Soy:
Eating soyfoods, such as tofu, soy milk, and textured soy protein, is an easy way to protect yourself from the major health problems-cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and menopause. All in one food? Quite possibly.
The beans from the soybean plant are rich in a group of compounds called isoflavones. Found only in plants, these phytochemicals have a wide range of positive effects on health.

Goya:
Medicinally, the plant has a long history of use by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. A leaf tea is used for diabetes, to expel intestinal gas, to promote menstruation, and as an antiviral for measles, hepatitis, and feverish conditions In Brazilian herbal medicine, goya is used for tumors, wounds, rheumatism, malaria, vaginal discharge, inflammation, menstrual problems, diabetes, colic, fevers, worms. It is also used to induce abortions and as an aphrodisiac. In Mexico, the entire plant is used for diabetes and dysentery; the root is a reputed aphrodisiac. In Peruvian herbal medicine, the leaf or aerial parts of the plant are used to treat measles, malaria, and all types of inflammation. In Nicaragua, the leaf is commonly used for stomach pain, diabetes, fevers, colds, coughs, headaches, malaria, skin complaints, menstrual disorders, aches and pains, hypertension, infections, and as an aid in childbirth.

Shitake Mushroom:
Shitake Mushroom is an adaptogen and immunostimulant. It is high in B vitamins, protein, enzymes, and essential amino acids.

Daikon:
Radishes are moderately high in Vitamin C and contain properties that appear to be beneficial for symptoms of colds, flu, fever, cough, respiratory problems, and digestive disorders. Vitamin C, present in fruits and vegetables, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This anti-inflammatory activity may influence the development of asthma symptoms. A large preliminary study has shown that young children with asthma experience significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in fruits rich in vitamin C.

Watermelon:
Watermelon has always been a good source of vitamins A and C, and provides potassium and fiber. But now consumers have even more reasons to enjoy a sweet slice of the tasty fruit. Findings from USDA scientists indicate that watermelon contains high levels of lycopene—an antioxidant that may help the body fight cancer and prevent disease. Found only in select fruits and vegetables, lycopene is very effective at trapping cancer-promoting agents called free-oxygen radicals.

Okinawan Daidzu:
Benefits of soy include promoting heart health and healthy bones, preventing cancer and alleviating menopausal symptoms. Health-conscious people have known for decades the benefits of soy foods and that they are a fun and healthful addition to the diet. It is widely known that soy beans contain high amounts of protein, including all essential amino acids (the only such vegetable source). Soy beans are also a rich source of calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, B-vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids and fiber.

Adzuki Beans:
Excellent source of Iron , Magnesium , Potassium , Zinc , and Folate. Regular consumption of whole-grain foods is associated with a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. Soluble fiber from beans, and fruit pectin has lowered cholesterol levels in most trials. Doctors often recommend that people with elevated cholesterol eat more of these high-soluble-fiber foods.

Quinoa:
Regular consumption of whole-grain foods is associated with a coronary heart disease risk reduction of about 26 percent. In general, soluble fiber, such as that found in oats, is most often linked to reductions in cholesterol levels. Whole grains (such as rye, brown rice, and whole wheat) contain high amounts of insoluble fiber—the type of fiber some scientists believe may help protect against a variety of cancers. In an analysis of the data from many studies, people who eat relatively high amounts of whole grains were reported to have low risks of lymphomas and cancers of the pancreas, stomach, colon, rectum, breast, uterus, mouth, throat, liver, and thyroid.

Ucchin: (Turmeric)
The active constituent in turmeric known as curcumin, which is responsible for the following medicinal and therapeutic properties:

• Acts as anti-inflammatory by lowering histamine levels
• Acts as anti-oxidant protecting against free radical damage
• Protects liver from certain toxins
• Improves circulation by inhibiting blood platelets from sticking together

Koregusu: (Capsicum)
Historical or traditional use: The potent, hot fruit of cayenne has been used as medicine for centuries. It was considered helpful for various conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including stomachaches, cramping pains, and gas. Cayenne was frequently used to treat diseases of the circulatory system. It is still traditionally used in herbal medicine as a circulatory tonic (a substance believed to improve circulation). Rubbed on the skin, cayenne is a traditional, as well as modern, remedy for rheumatic pains and arthritis due to what is termed a counterirritant effect.

Tea: (Camellia Sinensis)
Tea is an old home remedy for unsettled digestive systems. All three varieties have antibacterial, antioxidant, antiseptic and detoxifying properties that make tea effective in treating infectious dysentery as well as easing inflammatory bowel disease. It is an immune booster. This is due to the free radical capturing (antioxidant), invigorating (caffeine),detoxifying antibacterial properties of tea, as well as the vitamins and minerals present therein. It combats various forms of cancer. Green tea has a reputed role in cancer prevention as tea catechins have been shown to inhibit tumour cell proliferation as well as promote the destruction of leukaemia cells 17. Laboratory studies on cultures of tumour cells and mice given carcinogenic chemicals, showed green teas' potential to inhibit cancer cell growth. Similarly, both black and green tea have been shown to suppress Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) reproduction and promote the demise of tumour cells (Chopra: 2000).

Sea Vegetables:
Sea vegetables contain 10 to 20 times the minerals and vitamins of land vegetables.
1. Gram for gram, they are higher in vitamins and minerals than any other class of food.
2. The minerals are available in chelated, colloidal forms that make them especially available to the bodies of humans and animals, a concept known as "bioavailability."
All sea vegetables contain significant amounts of protein, sometimes as much as 48%. Sea plants are also a rich sources of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
3. The large brown seaweeds known as the "kelps" (including wakame and kombu) contain alginic acid. Studies have shown that alginic acid removes heavy metals and radioactive isotopes from the digestive tract, as well as strontium 90 from the bones.
4. Sea vegetables have traditionally been used in Asia to treat heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and thyroid problems. Modern researchers are trying to understand the physiological mechanisms by which seaweed can be used to successfully treat these diseases, with some promising results. One especially exciting theory proposes that consumption of Laminaria (kombu) explains the low breast cancer rate in post-menopausal Japanese women.
5. Much more will be learned in future years as the study of these wondrous plants from the sea continues.

Health Benefits of Seaweed
Sea vegetables are virtually fat-free, low calorie and one of the richest sources of minerals in the vegetable kingdom as they have ready access to the abundance of minerals found in the ocean. Nourishment is acquired across the sea vegetable’s entire surface through the gentle wave action of underwater currents. Sea water & human blood contain many of the same minerals in very similar concentrations.

Sea vegetables contain high amounts of calcium and phosphorous and are extremely high in magnesium, iron, iodine and sodium. For example, 1/4 cup of cooked hijiki contains over half the calcium found in a cup of milk and more iron than in an egg, important concerns for vegans, those who refrain from eating any animal-based products. They also contain vitamins A, B1, C and E, as well as protein and carbohydrates.

One of seaweed's most prominent health benefits is its ability to remove radioactive strontium and other heavy metals from our bodies. Whole brown seaweeds (not granulated) such as kelp contain alginic acid which binds with the toxins in the intestines rendering them indigestible and carries them out of the system.

Breast-Cancer
Japan has the lowest breast cancer and the lowest mortality of cancer deaths in the world. Studies have shown that this remarkable reduction in cancer has been linked to their daily diet of seaweed.

Cancer and Cardiovascular
Japanese research significantly reduced blood pressure using wrack seaweed as a hypotensive drink, with no side effects.

In the fight against cancer, special polysaccharides from these 'brown' seaweeds have been shown to cause the destruction of cancer cells by preventing their adhesion to healthy cells and by interrupting the progress of DNA in cancer cells.

The research has concerned itself with brain tumor , breast cancer (intestinal cancer , leukemia , lung cancer and throat cancer . By the mid-80s cancer researchers at Harvard School of Public Health concluded, "seaweed has shown consistent anti-tumor activity. In extrapolating these results to the Japanese population, seaweed may be an important factor in explaining the low rates of certain cancers in Japan." 

Cholesterol
SeaGreens® may reduce cholesterol and act as an antidote to excess sodium consumption. Arctic wrack has been found to reduce cholesterol in eggs and its comprehensive mineral content has a balancing effect on blood and cellular plasma. A 1986 scientific study showed that the incidence of strokes was reduced 100% among stroke-prone animals with high blood pressure fed with excessive salt, when control animals were fed seaweed powder of the type contained in SeaGreens® Food capsules. "Many Japanese reports show that 'brown algal-sulfated polysaccharides' have anticoagulant. One assumption is that these (polysaccharides) clear the blood of fatty substances the same way heparin does. If you inject heparin after a fatty meal, it accelerates the disappearance of visible fats, reducing bad LDL cholesterol and raising good HDL type" Japanese scientist's found a substance in brown seaweed which when tested in animals "was twice as powerful as heparin in antithrombin (clot -dissolving) activity" J. Carper, The Food

Health Benefits of Kelp
Kelp contains over 60 minerals and elements, 21 amino acids, simple and complex carbohydrates and several essential plant growth hormones. Being rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements is one of the key reasons why kelp is known as a great promoter of glandular health, especially for the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands. Kelp also supplies a natural source of iodine, which acts as an antibiotic to kill germs. Since the thyroid and pituitary glands regulate certain functions of digestion, kelp is beneficial in balancing out humans and animal's total system. Nature has offered us this marvelous "herb of the sea" in a complete and balanced form.

Kelp Uses: Birth Defects (prevention); Dropsy; Edema; Fatigue; Glands; Goiter; Low Blood Pressure; Morning Sickness; Pituitary/Thyroid Problems; Pleurisy; Schizophrenia; Senility; Stomach (bleeding); Varicose Veins; Venereal Disease; Vitality; Weight Loss.

• Beneficial for thyroid and mineral deficiences
• Aids both the pituitary and the adrenal glands
• Promotes glandular health. Rich in nutrients
• Regulates metabolism to help digest food
• A sustainer to the nervous system and brain
• Very important for the pregnant woman

Kombucha Tea
Kombucha has an interesting history ... its not just the fad of the 80's rejuvenated for the new millennium. Oh no ... Kombucha is much more than that ... read on!

The legend goes something like this: In 414 B.C. a Korean doctor, Dr. Kombu, brought a "yeast enzyme tea" to Japan to treat the ailing Emperor Inkyo. From there, the "yeast enzyme tea" spread throughout China, Japan and Korea. The first recorded use of "Yeast Enzyme Tea" was in 221 B.C. during the Tsin Dynasty of China, where it was referred to as "The Remedy For Immortality" and "The Divine Tsche." This "yeast enzyme tea" is what is commonly known today as Kombucha Tea, named for the esteemed physician who first introduced it in 414 B.C.

Kelp or Kombu is often called a treasure chest of minerals. Interestingly, kelps store almost all of their nutrients inside the roots (only 2-3% of total mass) so without the roots, kelp is nothing but an ordinary seaweed.

Kelp is known to contain calcium, potassium, iodine, algin acid and over 50 kinds of minerals, which make Kombu Root Balls an excellent dietary supplement. Algin offers good protection from many kinds of modern day pollutants, carcinogens, and toxins. Also, algin encourages the action of dietary fiber by supplying nutrients, and by normalizing bowel functions.

Studies have shown that diet including kelp have determined a link to less obesity, heart disease, lower blood pressure, less thyroid and gastro-intestinal ailments, and less constipation. Kelp also provides nutritional support to the nervous system and heart in the form of iodine, vitamins, minerals and cell salts.

Seaweeds have been a staple diet of the peoples of Japan and China for centuries. They constitute 10% of the diet in Japan. The most common forms of seaweed in the Japanese diet are Nori, Kombu and Wakame, but a lesser-known variety called Mozuku in Japan (Angels Hair Seaweed) has been a regular part of the diet of the people in Okinawa area for many years. The peoples of this region have exceptionally long life and low incidence of cancers compared to other parts of Japan, as a result of their balanced diet including the Mozuku.