Hello! My name is Eleanor and I am a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), founder of Elevated Nutrition and Wellness and the Sports Nutrition Consultant for UC Santa Barbara Athletics. Since 2016, I have helped athletes and active individuals fuel smarter, recover faster, and heal through simple and sustainable nutrition and lifestyle interventions. I combine my clinical expertise with a personalized, high-performance approach to help clients achieve lasting results so they can live happier and healthier lifestyles.
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Seaweed, free diving and nutrition
Published 6 months ago • 4 min read
Provisions for Peaking
by Eleanor Baker, MS, RD, CSSD
I moved to from Florida a few years back with big dreamy aspirations, one of them to become a professional surfer.... while I may have been quickly put in my place in the California line up, what I did find were the kelp beds. Shortly after settling into the west coast, I was invited to go free dive the dark and mysterious forests there that lie beneath the oceans surface.
Being from the tropics, the ocean in California is much different here. The water is always very cold and notoriously murky alongside the sense that something bigger is swimming around close by. There are creatures I have never seen before that blend into the muted brown green tones 30 feet down. Rocks replaced white sand beaches. My summer bikini's began to rot in my dresser and started to feel oddly at home in a thick 5 mm wetsuit.
While the diving escapades started with the intent to spearfish, I soon found myself preoccupied with the kelp and sea grasses we swam through instead. The kelp beds sometimes were so dense you have to wriggle your body through the long stalks and thick slimy leaves that weave it together.
No Option But to Relax
The experience, I can honestly say, is not for the faint of heart. Adrift sometimes a mile out to sea and maybe, just maybe, I can catch sight of the fins of my dive partner as he flips head over heels into the depths leaving me to my thoughts.
I see slate grey bodies of seals that I mistake for other divers as they slip through the kelp. I'd find myself in dark tangled spaces I ventured into alone as I navigated the maze of the bed. The surge of an ocean wave sends my body hurdling too close to the rocks I was exploring. That spooky feeling that left the hairs on the back of my neck standing...
My racing mind on the what ifs were of no use. To dive deep, all the way to the bottom and to stay down there...I needed to relax and be calm. My breathing needed to slow, my heart rate needed come down, I had to quiet myself or I'd miss the whole reason I was out there.
I took 3 long deep breaths as I treaded water. Inhaling and exhaling all the air I had before filling up my lungs as much as I could. Then I dove into the shadowy depths of the ocean floor.
Schools of fish eased in and out of the forest as they go about their day. The long stalks of seagrasses danced as the waves pass overhead. I spy the sparkle of an abalone shell half buried in the sand. Spiny lobsters peer out of their den watching me. A black and white sheepshead and orange garibaldi show off their colors before hiding away a pod of dolphin pass through.
The Nutrient Dense Potential of Seaweed
Back on dry land I look around and see so much potential for seaweeds to be integrated into our lives. In exploring asian cultures, we see them utilized regularly in culinary dishes, art, beauty products and more. Only recently has the states started to see a movement for seaweeds in health and wellness.
Believe it or not, seaweeds are actually amongst the highest sources of vitamins and contain numerous minerals. A wonderful resource for athletes due to their naturally occurring electrolytes sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. They are also rich in vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E and K. They are a source of soluble and insoluble fibers that support a healthy gut microbiome and digestive transit. Seaweeds are also utilized for their rich sources of minerals.
Surfers and divers rave about the calm and clairity the feel after being in the ocean. Could it be that seaweed is a large contributor here? A cold epsom salt bath due to its richness in minerals can very well support the recovery practices of active individuals.
Integrating seaweeds into dietary practices is wonderful as well. Explore sprinkling dulse flakes on your meals in place of salt. Add a thumb sized piece of Kombu to grains and beans you are cooking to improve their digestibility and mineral content. Or sauté up wakame for a delicious and nutritious side dish.
Last fall I nerded out hard and drove 11 hours north to go to the California Seaweed Festival. I met all kinds of scientist, chefs, harvesters and more. In fact, the festival will be held in October in Los Angles this year. If you want to learn more about seaweed, its a wonderful place to start! Also, its free and is great education for families too.
I met the owners James and Kari last year who shared all about the hand harvesting they do up in the PNW. Their products are fabulous and support their small business. I highly recommend!
Whether you're chasing a personal best, recovering from injury, or optimizing your health from the inside out, Eleanor Baker, MS, RD, CSSD combines advanced sports nutrition strategies with medical nutrition therapy to help you perform at your best.
As a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, Eleanor offers data-driven, personalized coaching designed for athletes who want to feel stronger, recover faster, and stay active for life.
Achieve lasting performance, resilience, and well-being—with elite-level support tailored just for you.
You can find me enjoying my time back in Ventura, CA as I gear up for a busy fall season.
Lots of fun things happening here from crewing a friend in a 100K trail running race, speaking at conferences as well as with colleges and teams while getting back into running after a little ankle roll.
In my downtime I've been practicing yoga, painting and reading more consistently :)
Hello! My name is Eleanor and I am a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), founder of Elevated Nutrition and Wellness and the Sports Nutrition Consultant for UC Santa Barbara Athletics. Since 2016, I have helped athletes and active individuals fuel smarter, recover faster, and heal through simple and sustainable nutrition and lifestyle interventions. I combine my clinical expertise with a personalized, high-performance approach to help clients achieve lasting results so they can live happier and healthier lifestyles.
Provisions for Peaking by Eleanor Baker, MS, RD, CSSD Autumn Harvest from my friend's farm Howdy Reader, I walked through my friends large fruit and vegetable garden the other day and realized that in just a few weeks, so much had changed. Where once the passion fruit, fig and stone fruit trees were full, now pomegranates and apples have filled in where the others have gone dormant. The soft juicy flesh of summer bears way to the firmer hardier offerings of autumn. How has the focus and...
Provisions for Peaking by Eleanor Baker, MS, RD, CSSD A perfect reflection on the calm face of the Cottonwood Lake Number Two The first hints of cool air are filtering in, as the warm heat of the day creeps in a little slower. The grand efforts of summer are likely in the books and you are settling into a more predicable season with the coming of Fall. I hope this finds you feeling relaxed and excited to embrace a more structured focus. Now is a wonderful time to hone in on your sleep,...
Provisions for Peaking by Eleanor Baker, MS, RD, CSSD How fascinating it is to be in the aid station and see how athletes from all over the world fuel for a very verty 100K (~60 mile) trail running race.🍱 Even between athletes from the same country their approach to fueling the race can be exceptionally different. From showing up with a bag of what one thinks will be enough for the run to having their nutrition fully dialed down to the gram.📈 Much like training, fueling strategies can...