by Lorene Troyer

Created on: November 06, 2009   Last Updated: November 26, 2009

While the thought of taking a fish oil supplement may not be at the top of your list of fun things to do, studies show that cod liver oil offers many powerful health benefits.

Cod liver oil is a nutritional supplement that comes from fish. It has high levels of vitamins A and D and omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. This amazing supplement has been shown to prevent and treat countless diseases.

According to Jordan S. Rubin in The Maker's Diet (2005), cod liver oil helps prevent strokes and heart attacks and keeps the cardiovascular system healthy by thinning the blood and preventing blood clots. It also lowers LDL cholesterol levels, blood pressure and triglycerides (a type of fat) and helps heal the damage caused by heart attacks.

Cod liver oil is effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis. According to Gabe Mirkin, M.D in the article Cod Liver Oil and Arthritis, researchers found that 1 gram of cod liver oil taken daily decreased the levels of pain, swelling and morning stiffness in arthritis patients.

It helps prevent cancer. In Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood, Krispin Sullivan, CN, writes that Vitamin A and all the other nutrients in cod liver oil help prevent the onset of cancer. One study in China showed that cod liver oil helped prevent leukemia in children. Another study done on women and men from Norway, showed that consumption of cod liver oil helped prevent lung cancer.

Sullivan goes on to say that in numerous studies, cod liver oil has "been shown to improve brain function, memory, stress response, immune response, allergies, asthma, learning and behavioral disorders, including bipolar syndrome and manic-depression."

Cod liver oil reduces symptoms of depression. According to an article found on the BBC News Website, Cod Liver Oil Benefits Confirmed, a study of almost 22,000 people over 40 years of age showed that those, "who regularly took the oil were less likely to suffer depression than those who did not." The longer they took the oil, the less likely they were to be depressed.

It strengthens the immune system and helps the body stay healthy by fighting off bacterial and viral infections.

Cod liver oil strengthens your teeth and bones. Studies show that it can help prevent bone loss and reverse the effects of osteoporosis in women. According to Sally Fallon in the article, Ancient Dietary Wisdom for Tomorrow's Children, a unique study done by a Cleveland dentist named Weston A. Price showed that primitives who used cod liver oil in their diet had straight healthy beautiful teeth. In his research, Price "used the combination of high vitamin butter and cod liver oil with great success to treat osteoporosis, tooth decay, arthritis, rickets and failure to thrive in children."

Cod liver oil is nothing short of a miracle food and in study after study, it has been shown to treat, prevent and cure countless ailments. It is available as a soft gel capsule or an oil. It is best to use a high quality product and follow the recommended dosages to avoid overdosing on vitamins A and D. If you are taking anticoagulants or other medications, talk to your doctor before using cod liver oil.

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