Cod liver oil, part 1: answers to common questions

COD LIVER OIL SERIES (See the complete index of posts about CLO)

UPDATE: FOR EVEN MORE NUTRITION, BE SURE TO READ ABOUT A NEW PRODUCT, FERMENTED COD LIVER OIL.

You won’t believe all the ways a daily dose of Cod liver oil can help you achieve better health. Many pages could be written on this topic, but lest you fall asleep on me, I’ll give you the shortened version, and if you don’t even want to know that much (or you’re already convinced), just skip to the links below for:

• Part 2 - Cod liver oil: tips for getting it down
• Part 3 - Cod liver oil: what to buy, where to buy it, and how much to take
• This is part 1 - Do we really need to take it?

Until the late 1940’s most Americans took this superfood every day. However, these days the typical American diet is full of foods that provide plenty of omega-6 essential fatty acids (found in vegetable oils, packaged foods, and more…), but not enough of the omega-3 essential fatty acids - DHA & EPA (found in cod liver oil, egg yolks from properly fed hens, organ meats from grass-fed animals, and some fish.) According to wikipedia.org, our diets typically have “omega-6 to omega-3 ratios in excess of 10 to 1, some as high as 30 to 1. The optimal ratio is thought to be 4 to 1 or lower.”

“Essential fatty acid ratios”…who cares?!

This all sounds like mumbo jumbo until you understand that when these ratios are off, studies are increasingly showing that it can affect many areas of our health. Even the American Heart Association, (who in my opinion don’t always give the best advice), say on their site, “Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of — or who have — cardiovascular disease.”

Not just for your heart

However, the omega-3’s in cod liver oil aren’t just for heart health. You can read the related sites below for more details if you’d like, but I’ll list just a few…

Take a breath, here we go…

Studies have shown cod liver oil to be beneficial for arthritis, obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, adult onset diabetes, bone health, muscle pain, hormonal problems, heavy menstrual bleeding, learning disabilities, brain and nervous system health, cancer, colitis or other bowel diseases. Cod liver oil taken by nursing mothers improves the fatty acid profile in breast milk to promote optimal brain development (more in related links below!) and also increases levels of vitamin A to prevent infections. It has been shown to improve brain function, memory, stress response, immune response, allergies, asthma, learning and behavioral disorders, including bipolar syndrome and manic-depression.

Obviously, that’s just a quick rundown, and I haven’t even covered everything, but more can be found at the sites below. Also, if you have a specific ailment and you are wondering how cod liver oil can help you, do an internet search and see what you can find.

It could make a huge difference for you

In some cases there are dramatic improvements with these health problems. In other cases the cod liver oil works over time to bring you back to good health along with other treatments and dietary changes. (Be in contact with a good naturopath or a doctor you trust who is open to looking at the whole picture, not just drug therapies.)

Why not just take flax seed or plain fish oil?

As explained above, one of the biggest reasons cod liver oil is so beneficial to us is because of the omega-3’s it contains, but if you take a good brand (see link to part 3 below), you’ll also be getting the very important A & D vitamins, and this is why cod liver oil is a better choice for omega-3’s than just incorporating flax seed into your diet.  (More on why you shouldn’t get too much flax.)

Also, plain fish oil (liquid or capsules) is simply not as potent as good cod liver oil, and it also usually doesn’t have vitamins A & D (or it won’t have them in the correct ratios).

Lastly, as Nina Planck says in her book, Real Food: What to Eat and Why, “The body can make EPA and DHA from flaxseed oil, but the conversion is uncertain and imperfect. It bears repeating: fish is vastly superior to plant sources of omega-3 fats.”

Enough omega 3’s in cod liver oil?

Keep in mind that omega 3 amounts in cod liver oil, while significant, still need to be a part of a diet high in other omega 3 foods as well:  fish, grass fed beef and dairy, etc.

Too much vitamin A?

Doctors may advise against high amounts of vitamin A in your diet and tell you not to take a daily supplement like cod liver oil for that reason. But one thing important to know is that the KIND of vitamin A makes a big difference. Synthetic vitamin A can be dangerous in high amounts, but the kind naturally found in high-quality cod liver oil is safe and VERY beneficial to us when taken with vitamin D in a 10-1 ratio - which is how it is found in the brands in this post. Vitamin A & vitamin D work together to prevent the other from becoming toxic. (Find out how much you should take.)

An important nutrient

This vital nutrient is needed for: the growth and repair of body tissues, proper digestion, strong bones and teeth, good eyesight, and it contributes to the health of the immune system. Foods high in vitamin A are especially important for those with thyroid conditions and diabetes - a diet rich in vitamin A will help protect the diabetic from the degenerative conditions associated with the disease, such as problems with the retina and with healing.

Sunlight and vitamin D

More and more information is coming out about the major role sunlight and vitamin D play in our health. (Read more about the bad rap sunshine has gotten.) Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to diabetes, heart disease, depression, hypertension, obesity, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, certain cancers, infertility, and it also helps to regulate the immune system. (There is much more in the related sites below.)

Important note about vitamin D and possible toxicity:

One thing to remember - as much as we need enough vitamin D, like anything, some say it’s possible to get too much as well, and sites like Dr. Mercola encourage you to get tested if you’re in the sun a lot. But according to this Vitamin D Council site, it’s very uncommon to get too much vitamin D. If you get a LOT of sun and are concerned, read here to find out more about testing your vitamin D levels. Also, read this about who should be extra careful about the amounts of vitamin D they take.

One more important thing:

When you’re taking good quality cod liver oil, you also need to be sure you’re getting enough calcium in your diet. Vitamin D regulates the amount in your blood, and if it’s not there, it will deplete it from your bones. As explained in the book, “Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats“, “make sure your diet contains adequate calcium and magnesium with plentiful whole dairy products, bone broths and lightly cooked green vegetables along with certain nutrient-dense animal products such as butter, organ meats and shellfish. These will provide a calcium- and magnesium-rich diet as well as the fat-soluble vitamins necessary for their absorption.”

That’s not all!

This was a just quick overview on how powerful and important cod liver oil is and why we need to make it a daily habit. Read the other parts of the series below to find out more…

Part 2 - Cod liver oil: tips for getting it down

Part 3 - Cod liver oil: what to buy and where to buy it and how much to take

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• Are supplements necessary?
• Where is the truth on health and nutrition?
• Info on possible vitamin toxicity from Chris Masterjohn
• More info on possible vitamin toxicity in a cod liver oil update from Sally Fallon

• Pregnant or nursing moms, read this article on the importance of omega 3’s for your baby’s brain development!
• How cod liver oil can help cure depression or anxiety issues
• More information on how much is too much vitamin A.
• Read this to find out if you should limit the amount of cod liver oil you take
• And another vitamin D article.
• Omega 3’s in cod liver oil can prevent sunburn - scroll down about 2/3 on this page to read about that and more on the many benefits of cod liver oil.
• A great overview for more detailed information on cod liver oil and it’s many benefits.
• Read about where exactly cod liver oil comes from and why some brands are much superior to others.
• Information on the correct amount of cod liver oil needed daily for adults, children, and pregnant or nursing moms.
• Cod liver oil and constipation treatment

(Many more topics & recipes along the right in the sidebar!)

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