Why Cod Liver Oil is a Beneficial Food Supplement

The benefits of cod liver oil are due to the presence of Omega-3 fatty acids in the nutrient rich oil. It contains more Vitamin A and D per Unit Weight than any other food. The cod is a tasty fish with low level of fat and mild flavour. On the top of it, the fatty acids and vitamins present in it make it a perfect nutritional food.

How Cod Liver Oil Differs from Typical Fish Oils

Normally, fish oil is extracted by cooking the whole body of the fish. But, cod liver oil is prepared by cooking the liver of the cod fish and then by pressing it to extract the oil that has multiple health benefits. The oil is much healthier to human body than other oils because of the healthier element that it contains.

Let’s discuss about some of the benefits of Cod liver oil.

Prevents Heart Diseases

Cod liver oil has positive effects on the heart functions. It prevents the heart diseases and often treats the problems even in the advanced stage. The Omega-3 fatty acids present in the oil have healing effect. The combination of vitamin A,D and K along with fatty acids work to support elasticity of the blood vessels, enhance muscle functions and assist mineral absorption. According to a study it has been found that cod liver oil can reduce the size of the artery-blocking atheromas.

Contributes to the Brain Health

Omega-3 is an essential factor that enhances memory, immune response, stress response, brain function, allergy, asthma, behavioural disorder and learning. Cod liver oil, a rich source of elongated Omega-3 fatty acids, helps all the above functions. The oil is also effective in treating manic-depression and bipolar syndrome.

Strengthens the Bone

As it has been proved that cod liver oil is a rich source of vitamin D it is used as a preventive and remedy for rickets in children. Cod liver contributes to the bone health and helps in treating osteomalacia in adults. Adult women require larger amount of vitamin D to boost the bone mineral density and it can be found easily in the Cod liver oil. The high volume of elongated Omega-3 fatty acids present in Cod liver oil rebuilds the bone and maintains the bone health. Lack of vitamin D causes muscles pain and bone pain. Cod liver oil is rich in vitamin D and helps to reduce this problem. Cod liver oil is also an effective remedy for arthritis.

Effective for Pregnant Women and Infants

Pregnant women consuming cod liver oil gift their babies with low risk of type 1 diabetes. Cod liver oil enhances the level of vitamin A to check infection and fatty acids to support brain development.

Cod liver oil is effective in treating diabetes, blood pressure and some of the stress related diseases.

There are some drawbacks of taking cod liver oil. The contaminant such as pesticides and mercury present in the fish are harmful for our body. However, the fish oil extracted from the flesh of the fish is less harmful than the oil extracted from liver.

Cod liver oil is an essential dietary supplement, but make sure that you take it in correct dosage consulting your doctor.

by: John Robinson

Nutritional Supplements for Weight Loss

Nowadays, it seems that everyone wants a quick and easy way to lose weight. At present, we are a fatter nation than ever before and the average size of everything seems to have increased: the size of our takeout burgers, the size of our cars, and the size of our waistlines. The best course of action in our fight against weight gain is to scale down the size and portions of our meals and snacks, and move our bodies more often. Good old fashioned diet and exercise is still the best defense for our ever-increasing weight problem...




While there really is no ‘quick fix’ for weight loss, there are certain measures people can take that do come in tablet or capsule form. Some weight loss supplements have been shown to effectively supplement a reasonable diet and solid exercise program, and have stood the test of time so that they are not considered ‘just a fad’. Let’s look at some of these supplements and what they can do for you.

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is an oil capsule that you take with each meal. This supplement hit the health food stores about a decade ago and they could not keep it on the shelves or re-stock it fast enough. CLA helps metabolize fats in the body and bloodstream, and there is even some anecdotal evidence that it staves off hunger. Clinical tests have shown time and again that people who have supplemented their diet with CLA over a substantial period of time have lost more weight than those taking a placebo. Even though it is no longer the fad pill of the moment, CLA has stood the test of time and is a great additional to a sensible weight loss program.

More recently, hoodia has hit the market as the best supplement for effective weight loss. This is an herb, and comes in capsule form. It works by controlling hunger and decreasing appetite. Because we are so accustomed to eating large portions of food, this type of weight loss supplement is really helpful for a lot of people. Appetite control is crucial for weight loss. Loss of control can really sabotage one’s efforts to lose weight, because the sense of accomplishment you get from watching the pounds slip away diminishes and leaves you frustrated. If you can control your appetite, your chances of sticking with your weight loss program increase and you gain confidence and satisfaction seeing your progress. For people who benefit from this type of control, hoodia is a great supplement for you.

Sugar intake in the United States is at its highest. Even though many new foods are labeled as “fat free” or “low sugar”, our sugar consumption increases with each passing year. Many of the food labels we read are misleading, as they lead consumers to believe that “fat free” or “low sugar” means “low calorie”. This is simply not true, and people end up eating more and more of these foods that are void of nutrition and very easy to overeat.

Some people have an almost uncontrollable craving for sugar, and these people would benefit from supplementing with chromium picolinate. Chromium is a trace mineral that is often difficult to get in sufficient amounts in one’s diet. It can be taken once or twice a day in capsule form, usually in a 200 mg dosage. Chromium functions to control one’s craving for sugar, and works at the cellular level to do so. Along with healthy consumption of fruits and vegetables and a concerted effort to lessen the intake of empty calories such as cakes and cookies, chromium picolinate can help maximize your weight loss efforts.

There are a great number of things you can do to maximize your weight loss efforts. If you find that the hours in your day are limited, you can wake up just a half hour earlier and get your exercise in then. When you eat your dinner, try substituting that side of French fries with an extra helping of the broccoli you prepared instead. Park your car an extra 50 yards from the supermarket entrance, instead of trying to find the closest parking space you can. When you watch TV, do pushups or sit-ups or jumping jacks at the commercials, instead of eating a bag of potato chips mindlessly through your program.

Despite these efforts, some people just have a more difficult time losing the weight. If you are one of those people, the supplements mentioned here can really help and can easily be incorporated into your daily regimen. Try these daily, along with some healthy new habits and you will be well on your way to maintaining your weight loss and getting into the healthy shape you deserve!

by: Megan Hazel

Anti-Aging Supplements: Do They Work?

The amount of recent information about anti-aging supplements is staggering. Suddenly, everywhere you look there is a new way to turn back the clock and preserve your young skin. Previous products being offered usually came from a lab and included ingredients that you could hardly pronounce let alone relate to. Now, not only are there topical solutions to aging being offered, but there is also relief in the form of vitamin and mineral supplement. It is being strongly suggested that you drink, eat, and...

topically treat yourself to a more youthful appearance.

A great number of exciting discoveries have been made with regard to how we age, and how we can best prevent it from appearing in our skin. Obviously, we cannot stop the aging process, but we can certainly slow it down and prevent it from making such a marked difference in our appearance. One of the best and most critical ways to do this is to protect ourselves from the sun, which is the ultimate aging factor for most people, especially if you are fair-skinned. However, there are a number of great supplements to take in order to help keep our skin looking young, supple, and beautiful even longer.

A group of molecules called antioxidants are the key to keeping our skin in shape. While antioxidants have been used in the medical and health industries for quite a long time for situations regarding heart health, cardiovascular support, and other physical longevity reasons, they are a relatively new find for the field of skin health. There are a few very beneficial antioxidants that stand out as being the most critical for skin renewal and rejuvenation including Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is highly touted as the new addition suggested to use with vitamins C and E because it appears to prevent the deficiency of those vitamins. In other words, by combining alpha lipoic acid with vitamin C and E, the two vitamins are used more efficiently and effectively in the body. Many people take alpha lipoic acid orally in supplement form daily, but you can also find many high-grade cosmetics and skin care products that include it in their formulas if you prefer topical use.

Vitamin C is essential to one’s heath, and is important for everything from skin health to heart health to cellular growth. Also known as ascorbic acid, it is an essential nutrient and cannot be manufactured alone in the body. Therefore, it must be ingested it in order to reap its benefits. The benefits of vitamin C as an antioxidant cannot be overstated; it helps to synthesize collagen in the body, which is all-important for youthful skin and skin elasticity. It also helps in the synthesis of carnitine, an amino acid that transports fatty acids which are also crucial for optimal skin health. Since vitamin C has a very low toxicity level, one cannot easily ‘overdose’ on vitamin C. It is excreted by the body via urine and excessive intake will not damage any organs. Time-release capsules of vitamin C are also available so that the benefits can be gradually accepted by the body throughout the day. While many people get vitamin C through their consumption of fruits and vegetables, supplementing with it is a great idea. As a powerful antioxidant, it protects your body , including your skin, from free radicals which are damaging and aging. As with alpha lipoic acid, some manufacturers of this supplement also make an elixir or topical form to use on the skin. You can experiment with both oral ingestion and topical application and see which combination works best for you.

Vitamin E is another great supplement that should be incorporated into your regimen of anti-aging skin care. It is in a class called tocopherols, and it is a fat-soluble vitamin with strong anti-oxidant properties. This vitamin also protects against free radicals, much like vitamin C. However, whereas vitamin C is water soluble, vitamin E will stay in the fats of the body and be absorbed differently. Vitamin E is wonderful in its role as a beneficial supplement to help reduce the risk of cancer, and in reducing cholesterol. It is also considered a wonderful salve for the skin as well as a good moisturizer. When taken internally, it can help turn back the hands of time with its anti-aging properties. Many people use a topical supplement form that combines both C and E. You can find them in your local health food or vitamin shop, or look at some of the finer cosmetic companies for them.

The skin is the largest organ in the body, so it is important to treat it right! Give your skin the proper nourishment and it will reward you by looking nourished and healthy.
by: Megan Hazel