Assignment 1: Participate in a discussion – or imagine
having a discussion – with someone who is using flax oil or fish oil instead of
cod liver oil because of concerns about the toxicity or Vitamin A or D content
of cod liver oil. Write a sample dialogue as to how you would diplomatically
address their concerns. This paper can be of any length you choose, but be sure
to cover the key issues raised in your readings. This dialogue should be
“conversational,” and not highly technical. Should you choose to argue in favor
of fish or flax oil instead of cod liver oil, be sure to include sufficient
information about cod liver oil to prove you thoroughly understand the WAPF
point of view.
I have a passion for studying natural health and in
particular, food as a means for obtaining a sense of well-being. Therefore, I
can imagine someone who is familiar with me asking me what supplements I take.
This is how I would imagine the conversation to go.
Friend: What supplements are you taking?
Me: I am taking cod
liver oil, high vitamin butter oil and desiccated liver.
Friend: Why are you taking cod liver oil? My doctor told me not
to take cod liver oil because it was too high in vitamin A and was really bad
for me. He recommended taking fish oil capsules.
Me: Your doctor is probably right, at least about certain brands
of cod liver oil. Many brands of cod liver oil, as well as fish oils are highly
processed in a way that destroys many, if not all of the nutrients, leaving
behind only omega-3 oils. And even the omega-3 oils may be damaged! Cod liver
oil naturally contains lots of vitamin A and D that aren’t in other fish oils.
When the cod liver oil is industrially processed, much of the vitamin D is
destroyed but not the vitamin A. Since vitamin A and D need each other to work
properly in the body, if you get a lot of vitamin A and not enough vitamin D,
taking a processed cod liver oil can be toxic. If the cod liver oil is cold
processed, or if vitamin D is added back in the right ratio, then cod liver oil
won’t be toxic and can be really beneficial.
I have found that foods and supplements that benefit me the
most are the least processed and still contain the nutrient ratios that nature
provided. Cod liver oil is one of those products.
Friend: Why would you take cod liver oil rather than fish oil since
fish oil is what doctor’s recommend and you don’t have to worry about it being
toxic?
Me: For one thing, fish oil is highly processed before being
marketed. The omega-3 oils can be damaged when subjected to the high heat and
chemical processing they are subjected to. It makes me a little nervous to take
something that may be damaged.
Instead, I would rather take supplements that are primarily
whole and minimally processed and I want to take as few supplements as I can and
I don’t want to spend a fortune on supplements or take handfuls of pills each
day. Cod liver oil lets me do that – it could be considered a super food.
Assuming that it is properly processed, I get the omega 3 benefits like the
fish oil but much, much more. Fish oil doesn’t contain vitamins A and D or
things like CoQ10, or vitamin E or K2 but the kind of cod liver oil I take, does.
And since it came from nature, the proportions of nutrients are right for my
body! I don’t think we have all the answers on what a healthy diet is or how
many nutrients we are supposed to get each day or how everything works
together, but studies consistently show that cod liver oil protects the heart
and is good for the brain, hormone production and joints and curing diseases and
giving energy and preventing infections, and the list goes on! I would rather
take a dose of my cod liver oil and get all those benefits than take a dose of
fish oil and only get the benefits of the omega 3 fatty acids – and wonder how
much benefit I am getting from something so highly processed and potentially
damaged.
Friend: My doctor says I get enough vitamin A in my diet. Don’t
you think you are getting too much vitamin A between your diet and the cod
liver oil?
Me: Well, vitamin A is primarily found in whole fat dairy, like
butter, cream, cheese and whole milk, and eggs and liver. There is a little in
fish and shellfish and some vegetables like sweet potatoes have appreciable
amounts of vitamin A. However, our modern methods of raising cattle and
chickens, has decreased the amount of vitamins and minerals in our dairy and
eggs. Besides, we are constantly being advised to eat low-fat dairy which
doesn’t contain vitamin A. And we are supposed to limit our eggs, or eat egg
whites which don’t contain any vitamin A.
And who eats liver?! So I think it is hard to get enough vitamin A from
diet alone! Cod liver oil helps to fill in the gaps. Since cod liver oil is a
well-balanced product that my body can easily use, and it has the vitamin D I
need and the vitamin D enhances the vitamin A, I feel great about taking it
every day. Besides, people that used to eat a traditional diet got a lot more
vitamin A in their diet than I do in mine and they were quite healthy!
Friend: I take a multivitamin along with my fish oil and it has
CoQ10 and all those vitamins as well. It even has some vitamin D but I also
take vitamin D drops to make sure I get enough. I get everything from Walgreens
and I don’t have to spend a fortune.
Me: How is that working out for you? Do you notice any
difference?
Friend: I don’t really notice any difference other than my
joints are less stiff.
Me: Are there other things you would like to fix or that bother
you?
Friend: Yes! My doctor says I have high cholesterol, and I am
on medication for depression. It also seems like I keep getting all the colds
that are passed around the office and I am starting into menopause!
Me: I have found research consistently shows that taking
vitamins and minerals in the amounts found in nature benefit the body much more
than taking a pill that has “100%” of everything on the label. I mean – how
much is the right amount of vitamins anyway? We are all different and need
different amounts of nutrients. Therefore, how can a pill contain “100%” of
everything we need? Research also shows that vitamins and minerals need the proper
synergy of working together to be effective. Foods created by nature seem to
know what those synergistic ratios are. I know Vitamins A and D are dependent
on each other to work properly and it is important to keep the ratio of the
vitamins at a level that the body can use. Vitamin A can be quite toxic if
vitamin D levels are low and vice-versa. In addition, synthetic vitamins –
which is what is in most multi-vitamin products or many of the vitamins that
are added to our foods – can be toxic as well. In fact, some of the studies
that indicate vitamin A is dangerous or toxic used synthetic vitamin A in the
study. Studies using properly processed cod liver oil show that it is possible
to get the right amounts of vitamin A and D and to maintain healthy vitamin D
levels in the blood.
I also have read that it is possible to overdose on certain vitamins
or create imbalances in the body when you take a pill. Same with fish oil. Taking
too much omega-3 oils – like fish oil, can create an imbalance in the body and
affect the immune system. Since we don’t know how much is too much for each
person, how can we tell if we are getting the proper amount?
For me, it is much simpler to take some cod liver oil each
day and know I am getting the right amounts of vitamins A and D and omega-3
oils and other stuff in a balanced product. I don’t have to worry about whether
I am getting the right amounts or even too much. Of course I don’t overdo the
amount either – I just take what the bottle recommends so I won’t run the risk
of overdoing it. Besides, cod liver oil was used for centuries without problems
and was known to cure or prevent lots of conditions – of course, they didn’t
have the industrial processing techniques we have today so the nutrients stayed
in the proper proportions and they didn’t have to worry about toxicity! If you
are interested, Google on cod liver oil and you may be surprised by what you
find! It is supposed to help with depression, weight loss, arthritis, heart
disease, diabetic problems, and the list goes on. Or you can go to
westonaprice.org for additional information.
Friend: What brand are you taking?
Me: I take a brand I order over the Internet from the Green
Pastures company. It is cold processed and fermented, preventing damage from
industrial processing and preserving the nutrient content in the cod liver oil.
If you decide to take cod liver oil and you don’t get the Green Pastures kind,
read the label carefully. Make sure it has about a 10:1 ratio between vitamin A
and D. You can always go to the Weston Price website and see the list of cod
liver oils that they recommend.
