What's So Good About Cod Liver Oil? (2 of 8)

This month at Pasture Living, we will be doing a series about "In-Depth on Cod Liver Oil." This was one of the first health food, along with coconut oil, that my family consume daily since we started our journey of healthy living. The health community regards cod liver oil as the number one superfood and I will share with you why that is so. Hopefully by the end of this series, your eyes will be opened to this amazing elixir that has kept the ancient generations healthy and strong. Afterwards you may just be convinced why you MUST, and not just SHOULD, take cod liver oil. I promise it will be the best investment to you and your family's health and something you do not want to miss out.

Image by Andre Raharja

What's So Good About Cod Liver Oil?

I covered in my original post how fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) is rich in DHA, EPA, vitamin A, and D. These four are the main nutrients that are widely known in FCLO. But there are in fact much more nutrients in FCLO than just those four, including the important bone- and blood-maintainer vitamin K. 

Cod Liver Oil and Health

Cod liver oil is one of the most valuable medicinal agents known to man. It has been proven to improve people's health and heal many sicknesses, including strengthening the bones, teeth, reducing inflammation, thyroid problems, fertility issues, and cancer prevention.

"For centuries, cod liver oil has served as a valuable source of vitamins A and D and omega-3 fatty acids. It was a critical component of Weston Price’s program for reversing tooth decay and many practitioners in his day used it to treat eye diseases, rickets, and infections. Along with many other physicians, Dr. Price recommended cod liver oil to promote growth and general health in infants and children. Clinical trials proved that cod liver oil use in adults reduced absenteeism and saved millions of dollars worth of productivity for American industry." (source)

There are many testimonies that proved how FCLO has tremendously helped people's health. In my own experience, I have seen health improvements just six months after I first consumed cod liver oil (along with coconut oil and other healthy food). Two of the most obvious ones are:

- Improved eyesight, down from -4.00 to -3.75 on both eyes.

- No more eczema. I used to get eczema on my right palm regularly. It was very itchy, I would scratch it until it bled and used an anti-itch cream to help with the itch. A few months into drinking FCLO, the eczema is gone and I'm so happy.

Cod Liver Oil and Pregnant/Nursing Mothers and Children (Source)

"Cod liver oil supplements are a must for women and their male partners, to be taken for several months before conception, and for women during pregnancy. Growing children will also benefit greatly from a small daily dose." (source)

"There is hardly a disease in the books that does not respond well to treatment that includes cod liver oil, and not just infectious diseases but also chronic modern diseases like heart disease and cancer. Cod liver oil provides vitamin D that helps build strong bones in children and helps prevent osteoporosis in adults. The fatty acids in cod liver oil are also very important for the development of the brain and nervous system. "If you want to prevent learning disabilities in your children," said David Horrobin, distinguished medical and biochemical researcher, "feed them cod liver oil." (source)

Breast Milk: Women using cod liver oil had a significantly higher levels of DHA and EPA in their breast milk to promote optimal brain development and also increases levels of fat-soluble vitamin A to prevent infections and Vitamin E. 

Fetal Development: True vitamin A that occurs only in animal fats such as FCLO plays a vital role in developing fetal central nervous system, heart, lungs, respiratory systems, skull, skeleton, and limbs. (source)

Higher Birth Weight: Women who used liquid cod liver oil in early pregnancy gave birth to heavier babies, even after adjusting for the length of gestation and other confounding factors. Higher birth weight has been associated with a lower risk of diseases later in life and maternal cod liver oil intake might be one of the means for achieving higher birth weight.

Intelligence in Children: Children who were born to mothers who had taken cod liver oil during pregnancy and lactation scored higher on intelligence tests at age four compared with children whose mothers had taken corn oil.

Diaper Rash: Cod liver oil mixed with zinc oxide is better for the skin than any of the prescription medications, and safer.

Teeth Formation and Cavities: Vitamin D must be present from conception in order for proper tooth formation to occur. If vitamin D is absent during the early gestational period, the enamel cannot form properly, and it cannot be repaired by giving vitamin D later. Tooth structure and later decay are directly related. Good teeth formation and prevention of cavities start in the womb. 

"Low levels of D, and perhaps calcium, in a pregnant mother and later in the child may be the contributing cause of "crooked teeth" and myopia. When these conditions are found in succeeding generations it means the genetics require higher levels of one or both nutrients to optimize health." (source)

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Children: Children supplemented with cod liver oil had a decrease in upper respiratory tract infections and pediatric visits over time.

Ear Aches in Children: Children prone to ear aches receiving cod liver oil plus selenium needed lower amounts of antibiotics during supplementation compared to before supplementation.

Diabetes: Pregnant women using cod liver oil have infants with a lower risk for juvenile type 1 diabetes. This effect was found only in mothers taking cod liver oil, not in mothers taking multivitamin supplements. 

Leukemia: In a study in China, use of cod liver oil was found to be protective against childhood leukemia

Mortality: In more than forty trials, vitamin A has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality of children.

Now that we know how good FCLO is for our health, especially for pregnant/nursing mothers, children, and people recovering from illnesses, next we will discuss a few reasons why even healthy people will benefit greatly from it as well.

You can buy fermented cod liver oil in Singapore here.

Disclaimer: I am not a certified or a licensed medical practitioner who can counsel anyone in medical issues and cannot be held responsible for any decision you make regarding your health. Please consult your doctors whenever you are in doubt.