October 24, 2011
By Jessica Forbes MS, CCN
As the winter months approach, many of us get out our bottles of cod liver oil and start taking preventive doses to ward off flu viruses and keep the winter blues from setting in. The vitamin D content of cod liver oil tends to get most of the credit for the above benefits (and rightly so), but there are actually a couple of other factors at work to make cod liver oil a fantastic cool-weather supplement:
- Cod liver oil supplies a natural form of activated vitamin A. Vitamin A is necessary for immunity (white blood cells actually require vitamin A in order to mature properly) and a deficiency in vitamin A can be related to fatigue. Most of the negative press surrounding vitamin A has been related to synthetic forms, such as those found in acne medications. However, excessive intake of natural forms that require conversion and activation by the body, such as beta carotene which requires zinc for activation, can cause problems. People with altered vitamin A metabolism (such as alcoholics) should still be careful to watch total vitamin A intake.
- Cod liver oil is a balanced source of highly absorbable omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the signs of inadequate omega-3 intake include depression, lowered immunity, weakness, fatigue, lethargy, dry skin, dry hair, dry eyes, frequent infection, and irritability. Foods that are richest in omega 3 fats include cold-water fish, egg yolks from pastured hens, flax seed and flax oil, and walnuts.
For more detailed information on cod liver oil, see the article Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood which is available on the Weston Price Foundation website, www.westonaprice.org.



This month we are running a special on Vitamin D in the form of Arctic-D Cod Liver oil or Essential D3. Vitamin D is now commonly recognized to be vital to healthy mood and proper formation of bone tissue, but there is so much more to this amazing vitamin! Below is a link to an excellent article on the subject, complete with a list of food sources of vitamin D. Enjoy!