it seems the best protocol uses the straight stuff, the iodine and potassium iodide in lugols solution, which has been around and used safely and effectively for almost 200 years. including the others in the diet is good for the synergy of the whole food, but the iodine content is not enough to evoke the cleansing response of such a high dose as 50mg/day. that would be one heck of a lot of seaweed. besides, that is where the iodine is extracted from in the first place.