Human Health
'Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food and when you are done eating, don't forget to take a nice walk. It prevents fattening of the stomach.' (Hippocrates 400 BC).
The adage "You are what you eat" is true for different reasons. Essentially it means that the food you put into your body becomes your body, as the nutrients, toxins and other substances from food are absorbed, utilised and stored by the body. As far as possible, it is important to eat local, seasonal, organic, nutrient-dense food, suitable for your particular body type in order to remain fit and healthy. Our food choices shape our bodies, minds and the environment.
Nutrition constitutes only one aspect of health. Personal, Socio-economic, Spiritual and Planetary Health is a vast and multi-dimensional topic.
Interconnected aspects of health
In humans, health implies a state of complete physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, creative, occupational, financial and environmental well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is a state characterised by anatomic, physiologic and psychological integrity and balance, the ability to perform personally, value family, enjoy a work-life balance, participate in community and the ability to deal with physical, biological, psychological and social stress.
Elements of Health
Love, Integrity, Flexibility, Balance. Forgiveness, Endurance, Strength.
Pillars of Healthy Living
- Self-awareness, self-responsibility and preventive health care.
- Breathing properly and getting enough rest and restorative sleep.
- Drinking enough water and eating a balanced and nutritious diet.
- Exercising regularly, working, reducing and managing stress.
- Connection, communication, family and fun.
- Thinking, contemplating, meditating, praying and playing.
- Sensing, feeling and intimacy.
- Passion and purpose, gratitude and finding meaning.
Financial Health vs Real Wealth
When it comes to Financial Health, it is equally important to ponder what constitutes Real Wealth.
Financial Health
Financial health is to have enough resources to live a comfortable, debt-free life.
Real Wealth
Real wealth constitutes abundant clean air, abundant clean water, abundant nutritious food, warm comfortable housing, freedom, safety and security, loving family and friends, a supportive community and opportunities for education and creative expression.
Planetary Health
Our personal health is directly affected by the health of the planet, the natural world and natural systems and vice versa. There are ways in which this link manifests :
Air Quality
The health of the planet is directly related to air quality, which in turn relates to the number and quality of trees, as pollution and other factors like deforestation negatively impact the air we breathe. Poor air quality can cause a variety of health issues such as respiratory problems, including asthma and lung disease, heart disease and cancer. It can also cause headaches, dizziness and fatigue and may exacerbate existing health conditions that make it harder for the body to fight off infections.
Water Quality
Water covers about 71% of the earth's surface and 97% of the earth's water is found in the oceans. Only 3% is fresh water. The normal water percentage in the body for an adult women varies between 45% and 60% and for men, the ideal body water percentage fluctuates between 50% and 65%. In babies, that number is much higher. The quality of water is crucial for the health of the planet and our personal health, as we need clean water to drink, bathe in and use for other daily activities. Poor water quality can lead to a variety of health issues such as gastrointestinal illnesses, skin problems, reproductive problems and cancer. Drinking contaminated water can also lead to serious illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever and hepatitis. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the water you consume is clean and safe.
The fresh water supply worldwide is facing several threats such as climate change, population growth and pollution. Climate change is causing changes in precipitation patterns, leading to droughts or floods in different regions. Population growth is increasing the demand for fresh water resources, leading to overuse and depletion of existing sources, particularly draining aquifers. Pollution from agricultural runoff, industrial waste and other sources is contaminating water sources, making them unsafe for human consumption. These are significant threats to this vital resource and all of humanity and industry need to take responsible action to consume less, clean up pollution and ensure that there is enough pristine fresh water for everyone.
Climate
Planetary health and climate are closely linked. The health of ecosystems, including the oceans, forests and wildlife, directly impacts the global climate system. For example, deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels lead to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. Changes in the climate have significant impacts on planetary health, such as changes in rainfall patterns, sea level rise and the spread of diseases.
Responsible stewardship of our planet leads to better personal health outcomes and taking care of our personal health in turn helps to protect the health of the Earth.
Plants for Health
Hemp
One of the most beneficial plants for people and planetary health is the unequaled Industrial Hemp plant, Cannabis sativa L.
Industrial Hemp has been grown worldwide for thousands of years, with evidence of its cultivation dating back to ancient civilizations in China and the Middle East. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including textiles, paper, food and medicine. In recent years, the re-legalisation of hemp has led to renewed interest in the potential as an incredibly sustainable and environmentally-friendly crop, with a wide range of uses that positively impacts human health and the health of the planet.
Planetary Health
Industrial Hemp is considered a sustainable and eco-friendly crop, as it requires minimal amounts of water and no requirement for fertiliser or pesticides, in contrast to other cultivated crops. As one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, reaching as much as 4 metres in height within 100 days, it means more frequent harvests with less land usage.
According to research, Industrial Hemp can sequester significantly more carbon per acre than trees. A typical tree can absorb around 21 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, however, this figure is only achieved once the tree is fully grown, as saplings absorb significantly less than this. One tree could absorb around one ton of CO2 over a lifetime of 100 years. Industrial Hemp is twice as effective as trees at absorbing and locking up carbon. One hectare (2.5 acres) of hemp can absorb 8 to 22 tons of CO2 per year, more than any woodland. Industrial Hemp sequesters CO2 on various levels. Hempcrete, for example, has a much smaller eco footprint than traditional concrete and it continues to sequester CO2 for up to one hundred years post-construction, making hemp buildings more durable over time.
The root system of Industrial Hemp has several benefits:
- It promotes soil health by preventing soil erosion and compaction and by increasing soil aeration and water retention.
- It has the ability to remove toxins and contaminants from the soil, a process known as phytoremediation.
- It is a valuable crop for land remediation and brownfield restoration.
- The deep root system of industrial hemp makes it an excellent crop for conserving water and reducing irrigation needs.
- The roots can reach down one to two meters, enabling the plant to access deeper soil moisture and withstand drought conditions better than many other crops.
Human Health and Nutrition
For human health, Industrial Hemp has several benefits due to the high concentration of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound in the plant. CBD has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and is a safe treatment for several health conditions like chronic pain, anxiety, depression and epilepsy. Hemp seeds are alo an excellent source of protein, fiber, omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 essential fatty acids, important for maintaining a healthy heart, brain and immune system. Hemp seeds can be consumed raw, roasted, ground, or as an oil.
Financial Health
The Industrial Hemp plant is an extremely versatile crop and every part of the plant can be used in some way to produce a vast range of products. Its potential uses are endless and as technology advances and new discoveries are made, we will likely continue to find even more ways to utilise this versatile crop.
It is difficult to calculate an exact number of products, as new uses and applications are constantly being discovered. However, it's estimated that there are over 25,000 possible applications for Industrial Hemp, ranging from rope, textiles, clothing, paper, construction materials, biodegradable plastics, molded products to components for biofuels, food, personal care products and medicine.
As more and more people become aware of the benefits and more research is done into potential applications, we will see a lot of exciting developments in the field of hemp-based products, so it is set to become a crop that will add value and lead to financial health and prosperity. An exciting time ahead for this incredible plant!
Bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. It is a highly sustainable crop that grows very quickly and does not require much water or maintenance and has a wide range of uses and benefits. Bamboo production can sequester on average two metric tons of carbon per hectare per year, This value includes carbon sequestered in long-lived products from harvested bamboo. It is also used to produce a variety of products, such as clothing, furniture, construction materials and healthy food.
Bamboo has a long tradition of being used as a structural material where it grows natively and is still used as scaffolding and for housing in areas of Asia, Africa and South America. Only a few dozen species are suitable for construction, with Moso, Asper and Guadua among the most common. Bamboo has an extremely robust structure that makes it suitable as a building material, with tensile strength comparable to steel, compressive strength twice that of concrete and shear stress higher than wood. Compared to most wood types, high-density laminated or compressed bamboo is more stable, with less deformation and is more fire resistant.
While Industrial Hemp and Bamboo are incredibly versatile crops with a wide range of uses, they may not be able to fulfill all human requirements for abundant living on their own. However, they can certainly play an important role in promoting sustainability and reducing our reliance on non-renewable resources.
By using Industrial Hemp and Bamboo to produce a variety of products, we can reduce our environmental impact and promote a healthier and more sustainable and resilient way of life. This can help to ensure that future generations will have access to the resources they need to thrive. Research and development constantly find new applications and more ways in which these beneficial plants contribute to our health, prosperity and well-being.
Seaweed
Seaweed or macroalgae, is the common name for countless species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine plants and algae that grow in oceans, rivers, lakes and other water bodies. Because they live in water, seaweeds have structures like holdfasts, stipes, blades or floats, instead of roots, stems, leaves, or flowers like land-based plants. Medium-sized, red, green, brown and black seaweeds randomly wash up on beaches and shorelines just about anywhere. Some seaweeds are microscopic, such as the phytoplankton that live suspended in water columns and provide the base for most marine food chains. Some are enormous, like the giant kelp that grow in abundant forests from their roots at the bottom of the sea.
Ocean and Planetary Health
Seaweeds play many important roles in coastal ecosystems, by providing a rich source of nutrients and habitat for marine species. Fish, crustaceans, sea urchins, sea snails and some species of turtles and birds use seaweed as shelter and a source of food and these underwater canopies act as nurseries for many fish in their early life stages.
Ocean phytoplankton captures carbon and is responsible for 70% of Earth's oxygen production. They clean coastal waters by removing excess nutrients from runoff and absorbing carbon dioxide from the water, which protects crustanean from ocean acidification. Salt marshes, mangroves and seagrass beds also absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it.
Human Health and Nutrition
Edible seaweed is a sea vegetable and a food source for ocean and human life. It is the most nutritious group of plants in the world and can be found wherever land meets the ocean. It is a rich source of protein fibre, Vitamins A, C, and E, as well as minerals, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, antioxidants and protective pigments. Some seaweeds, such as purple laver, contain Vitamin B12, a nutrient that helps with red blood cell formation, keeps the blood healthy, supports bone health, helps build DNA and nerve fibers and repairs nerve damage. Seaweeds are low in calories and high in fiber, making them healthy additions to any diet and is a rich source of tryptophan, which can help to sleep through the night.
Seaweed is used for nutrition and medicine in several countries around the world.
Thousands of years ago the ancient Romans used seaweed to treat wounds, burns and rashes, as they contain anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agents.
In Japan, seaweed is a traditional food known as "nori" and has been an integral part of the cuisine for over 1,500 years. It is considered one of the five basic tastes in Japanese cooking known as 'umami'. Nori is commonly used to make sushi rolls, used in other dishes such as miso soup and soba noodles and used in traditional New Year rituals to decorate 'kagami mochi' rice cakes. For centuries, seaweed has played an important role in Japanese folk medicine and the robust health and low rate of cancer is believed to be attributed to nori, which is one of the best detoxifying foods, rich in anti-oxidants that absorb waste from the digestive tract and remove toxins from our bodies and effectively aids the liver in its detoxification role.
In Korea, seaweed is often used to make a type of edible seaweed paper called gim, which is used to wrap rice and other foods. Seaweed is also a popular superfood in many other Asian countries, including China, Indonesia and the Philippines.
In Ireland, seaweed is also known as 'Irish Moss and has been used in traditional Irish cuisine for centuries and is still popular today in dishes like carrageen pudding and dulse bread. Seaweed is also harvested as a remedy for various ailments and is used as an ingredient in various cosmetics and beauty products. Seaweed is an important part of the marine ecosystem in Ireland and plays a key role in maintaining the health of the country's coastal waters.
Economic Health
Seaweed is an important resource with a wide range of economic uses and its sustainable cultivation adds high value to the economic health of the planet.
Seaweed is a protein-rich source of food, providing important nutrients to people around the world. It is a fast growing, sustainable, carbon sink that requires no fresh water or pesticides, making it an ideal crop for areas where other crops may struggle to grow.
Many coastal communities worldwide depend on fishing and aquaculture for their livelihoods. The seaweed industry provides a valuable source of employment and income, as well as boosting local economies. On a global scale, the commercial seaweed market is projected to grow to $24.92 billion in 2028, making it one of the most promising products in the seafood industry, with major markets including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and industrial applications such as biofuels, fertilisers, animal feed and wastewater treatment. The value of seaweed varies depending on the species, location and market demand.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a type of fungus that play a critical role in the ecosystem by breaking down and decomposing organic matter, such as dead plant and animal material and recycling it back into the soil. They come in many different shapes, sizes and colors and can be found growing in a variety of environments, from forests and fields to caves and urban spaces.
Human Health and Nutrition
Some mushrooms are edible and are used as food in many cuisines around the world, but it is important to be careful when foraging for mushrooms, as some species can be poisonous or deadly.
In addition to their role in decomposition and as a food source, mushrooms also have medicinal properties and are used to make a variety of herbal remedies and supplements. Some types of mushrooms contain compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties, which help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. They also have antiviral and immune-boosting properties and contain beta-glucans, which help to stimulate the immune system and enhance its ability to fight off infections.
Mushrooms are one of the few dietary sources of Vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Many types of mushrooms contain high levels of antioxidants, which help to protect the body from oxidative stress and cellular damage.
Planetary Health
Mushrooms are extremely beneficial for the planet, as they are low in carbon emissions and can be grown sustainably without the need for large amounts of water or pesticides and therefore have a lower ecological footprint than many other food crops.
Mushrooms are effective in breaking down organic matter and toxins, assisting in the improvement of soil and water quality and a reduction of pollution. The use of mushrooms in certain types of bioremediation projects has shown promise in helping to clean up contaminated sites, making them an important tool for environmental conservation.
Economic Health
Mushrooms are a valuable agricultural commodity and are grown commercially in many countries around the world, including the United States, China and Europe. The industry has significant economic value and globally, the market was valued at USD 50.2 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 78.6 billion by 2027. Some of the major varieties of mushrooms grown for commercial purposes include button, shiitake, oyster and portobello.
The mushroom industry is a diverse and important sector that contributes to the global economy in a number of ways. It provides employment opportunities for many people, from farm laborers and pickers to processors, distributors and marketers. The industry contributes to local economies through taxes and other forms of revenue generation, for example through the sale of actual mushrooms, a popular food item that can be found in a wide variety of products, from fresh produce to processed foods like soups and sauces. Many companies also sell mushroom supplements and extracts, which are used for their medicinal benefits. The industry generates further revenue through the sale of equipment and supplies for mushroom cultivation, as well as through research and development into new growing techniques and products.
In addition to their economic value as a food crop, mushrooms have potential as a source of biofuels and other industrial products due to their high content of chitin, a polymer that can be used to make a range of materials, for example :
- Biodegradable eco-friendly plastic.
- Wound dressings that are absorbent and antimicrobial.
- Textiles that are lightweight, breathable and water-resistant.
- Filters that are effective at removing heavy metals and pollutants from water.
- Fertilisers that promote plant growth and improve soil health.
Food Production
The above plants are examples of extremely versatile, valuable and underutilised crops with human and health benefits. My article "FOOD : Sustainable Agriculture, Food Forests and Edible Landscapes" has more details on the following sustainable food production systems for planetary and human health :
• Food Forests.
• Silvopasture.
• Permaculture.
• Natural Farming.
• No-Till Farming.
• Edible Meadows.
• Home and Community Food Gardens.
• Aquaculture.
• Integrated Farming.
• Microgreens.
• Plantations.
Summary
Planetary and Human health is a vast and complex subject field. This article is a brief introduction to the contribution some of the incredibly versatile and valuable plants and elements make to help build and sustain human, planetary and economic remediation and health. Vast opportunities exist worldwide to cultivate these crops and help build resilience and a sustainable circular economy.
https://rinamara.com/2022/05/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-irish-sea-moss/