If the notion of eating kelp makes you yelp, calm down. You have probably already encountered seaweed today in a processed food or personal care product. Read the label on your toothpaste, ice cream or salad dressing. If the label lists agar, carrageenan or algin, that's seaweed.

If you enjoy being on the water, you've probably seen kelp floating on the surface or swaying beneath your boat. It soaks up nutrients from the sun and sea, making it a vitality-laden, nutrient-dense food. Kelp's mermaid-looking blades are a mineral treasure chest, alive with iodine and calcium, as well as vitamin K. This amazing substance can nourish our thyroid, promote longevity and digestive movement, and make skin more luminous and hair glossier.

A feisty bodyguard
One of kelp's claims to fame is its ability to help protect us from modern-day pollutants such as heavy metals and radiation. Workers at Swedish nuclear plants are privy to this knowledge and eat various seaweeds to reduce and eliminate their absorption of radioactive elements.

Kelp is not the latest alternative-medicine fad. It has a long history throughout the world. Archaeological evidence dating back 10,000 years shows kelp as a prevalent part of Japanese culture and a delicacy in ancient China considered suited for honored guests and royalty. Kelp's use has not been limited to Asian cuisines. Most coastal regions have been consuming sea vegetables since ancient times.

Kelp is a large seaweed that grows in underwater "kelp forests." It is generally found in nutrient-rich, cold, shallow ocean water. It is known for its high growth rate. Certain varieties can grow up to half a meter a day, ultimately reaching 30 to 50 meters. Bull kelp is the fastest-growing marine plant.

Kelp is not rooted to the ocean floor but grounded by a holdfast, which usually grips a small rock and anchors the kelp. The beautifully flowing kelp blades are filled with gas, keeping them close to the surface of the water. They need light for survival and will only grow as deep as light can penetrate through the water.

An empowering experience
Harvesting my own seaweed is an empowering and connecting experience, deepening my relationship with nature and the world I inhabit. The rolling of the ocean makes me feel like I'm in the earth's bloodstream. Plus, I'm reaping the bounty of nature's abundance. Prime kelp-harvesting time is early summer, when the days are longer and warmer. Gather seaweed from clean water uncontaminated by industrial pollution. Kelp can regenerate and grow new blades, so cut well above the bulb when foraging.

But don't take my word for it. Experience the magic of kelp for yourself: Put on your hat and go sustainably harvest your own sea vegetables with a guided group or on a solo voyage. If landlocked, buy it at your local grocery store. Enjoy the beautiful waters of our coastal states and notice the many other varieties of seaweed our oceans have to offer.

Jennifer Adler holds a Master of Science in clinical nutrition and counseling from Bastyr University, where she is an adjunct faculty member. She is a popular lecturer on health and wellness throughout the Puget Sound area and provides individual and family nutrition counseling at her private practice, Realize Health, in Seattle. Learn more about Jennifer at www.realizehealth.com.