Cod Liver Oil and AS

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My mother used to make me take cod liver oil pills every morning when I was in elementary school. It didn't do anything for me that I can recall. The most I would expect from it is shiny hair...

I dont know where you got your information, but I'm sorry, I flat out disagree. Provide me with something to back it up, and maybe I'll consider it. I even ran a search for it on google and couldn't find a single bad thing about it.

Cod Liver oil is high in EFA's (sorry, not EPAs). Essential Fatty Acids. Keyword: Essential. Very, very few people get enough EFAs in their diet, and thus need to supplement. Myself, I am an avid nutritionalist and if I could recommend any one change to a persons diet, it would be to maximize EFA intake.

Personally, I cant stand cod liver oil. Even with the capsules I'm giving off fish burps all day. So I take flax seed oil capsules instead. Same great EFAs minus the fish taste. I take 2 capsules 2-3x daily. Definately does wonders.

I also try to eat herring several times a week. I buy these cans of smoked herring which I love on crackers or toast. Very high in protein and fat (the good fat).

In the end, you have to realize that adding one good thing to your diet isnt going to undo all of the many bad things the majority of people have in their diet. If you still drink loads of pop (aka Soda), chips, doritos, fast food and dont exercise the results you notice will be minimal. However if you could make one change in your diet -- and only one -- as I said earlier, this would be the first thing I'd recommend: GET MORE EFAS INTO YOUR DIET.

</rant>

Yes, to maxinmize the benefits of good fats, you have to eliminate bad things from your diet, in particular bad fats and especially transfats.

EFAs are believed now by evolutionary biologist to be the nutritional key to human brain development. Archeological evidence indicates that the time when humans were beginning to introduce fish and shellfish - sources of Omega 3s - into their diet more and more, there are a dramatic advancement in human problem solving, tool making and other traits that suggest humans were developing a more complex ability for imagination and abstract thought.

While everything they do isn't clear, EFAs are known to be critical to cardio health and neurological function. They are also used in cell regeneration, controlling cholesterol and nearly all organ function, including the skin. There's abeen a lot research showing the EFAs are important not just for neurological function, but also mental health. EFAs have been used as alternative therapy for depression and anxiety for well over a decade now by more open-minded psychiatrists.