My Family Started Taking Cod Liver Oil in 2006
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| picture from curetoothdecay.com |
The Blue Ice cod liver oil was very light in color; clear with a hint of yellow. It didn't have a very strong odor or flavor, but it did smell and taste like fish. We had amazing results when we started taking the cod liver oil, and noticed that it particularly benefited our immune systems. My husband and I took a daily dose of cod liver oil each morning before breakfast, and then made sure to eat plenty of grassfed butter with breakfast (since cod liver oil works synergistically with the Vitamin K found in grassfed butter). In 2007, we had our first child and as she started eating foods in addition to breastmilk, she also started having a daily dose of cod liver oil. She loved it and would ask for her cod liver oil every day.
A New Cod Liver Oil on the Market?
Fast forward a few years to 2009, when I was beginning my second pregnancy. I heard that the Blue Ice cod liver oil was no longer being produced, so we stockpiled about a dozen bottles. I started hearing about a new Blue Ice cod liver oil that would be even better because it was fermented. We regularly eat fermented foods, so fermented cod liver sounded fine. I ordered a bottle, thinking that I wanted to get the best nutrition for the baby growing inside me. When the new fermented cod liver oil arrived, I was surprised to see that it was very thick, very dark, and had a very foul odor. I went ahead and tried one dose; it was absolutely disgusting! It burned my throat, and it didn't help that I was already nauseous from pregnancy. After that one dose, even the smell of the fermented cod liver oil would turn my stomach. I was glad we had stockpiled lots of the non-fermented cod liver oil to last through my pregnancy. Fast forward another year, and we ran out of our stockpile of the original Blue Ice cod liver oil. We now had two children, and by this time, I was hearing that the fermented cod liver oil was superior nutritionally, and that the initial strong taste and smell was no longer quite so bad. We went ahead and ordered some and made ourselves start taking it. My daughter hated the cod liver oil, but we finally found that she would take the combination butter oil/fermented cod liver oil in cinnamon flavor. She didn't like taking it, so I came up with all sorts of ways to get her to take her daily dose. My infant son, after one taste, refused to eat any food at all for a few days (so he just nursed more); I tried again every few months and he eventually started to take the orange flavored liquid fermented cod liver oil.
Digestive Problems from Taking Fermented CLO
Meanwhile, my husband often complained that the fermented cod liver oil made him nauseous. He had to try to find ways to take it to minimize the nauseousness. I found that it could also make me nauseous, especially if I took it on an empty stomach. Yet, through it all, we persisted in taking it. So many trusted people were saying it was good for us, and I wanted my family to have the best nutrition. And we still found that, particularly during flu season, the fermented cod liver oil really helped our immune systems. I even coordinated large group purchases of cod liver oil for others we knew who were taking cod liver oil.
Different Methods for Making Cod Liver Oil
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| picture from curetoothdecay.com |
As cod liver oil became more popular for medicinal use in the 1800's, there were practitioners who used the pale oil and also those who used the dark brown oil. Great health benefits were observed form both types of oil, but some people did have digestive problems from the dark brown oil. (Archie has put together a great article detailing all of this history here.)
Once I read Archie's article, I really understood better why we had such problems with the fermented cod liver oil. Because of the way it is produced, it is likely to contain some bits of rotting livers, and this is why the oil could be so offensive to us. (To be fair, some bottles of fermented cod liver oil were not as bad as other bottles. But some were downright horrendous.) But with no other good alternatives on the market, what were we to do?
The Last Straw
Upon taking a dose of particularly dark cod liver oil last summer, I had severe stomach cramping and diarrhea. Afterwards, I couldn't bring myself to take another dose. Over about a month, we all stopped taking the fermented cod liver oil. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop; wouldn't we start getting sick more often now?Over the same time period, every member of my family has started undergoing constitutional homeopathic treatment. Constitutional treatment is a long process, sometimes taking a year or more, but rather than focusing on a single illness, constitutional treatment focuses on every aspect of a person's personality and health. This means that, over time, constitutional treatment actually helps the body cure itself of the tendency to even get sick in the first place. I have also been using my new knowledge of homeopathy at the first signs of any illness in my family (this is acute homeopathy treatment, as opposed to constitutional which I am not trained in yet). So, even though we haven't been taking our cod liver oil, this has been the best year for our family in terms of contracting illnesses. Each of us has had one cold in the last four months. The previous winter, we all had multiple stomach flus and colds. (I will be talking more about our healing through homeopathy in future posts.)
So as of now, no one in our family has taken cod liver oil in over 6 months. And thanks to homeopathy, we haven't been sick either!
Will we ever take cod liver oil again?
We don't plan to take fermented cod liver oil again. However, I would like to have some light-colored cod liver oil on hand just in case (since it has worked so wonderfully for us in the past in helping us quickly get over illnesses). There hasn't been a traditionally prepared light cod liver oil on the market in the United States since production of the original Blue Ice cod liver oil was stopped years ago. But, after doing all of his research into cod liver oil, Archie Welch was able to find small company in Norway who was using the ancient extraction method with no heat, chemicals, or pressure to make ratfish liver oil. As a result of Archie's prompting, this small company is now using the same method to make raw cod liver oil. Archie is finishing up the process of making that cod liver oil available here in the United States and he will be selling that light cod liver oil at rawcodliveroil.com in February 2013. We will definitely be buying some of the raw cod liver oil, and will be happy to once again have the lightly flavored, lightly colored oil to take just as we did years ago.Does this information make you think twice about taking fermented cod liver oil? Have you or your family had any bad reactions to it?
This post is part of Pennywise Platter and Fat Tuesday!
Thank you for this. I have been taking cod liver oil for quite a few yrs. I have mercury poisoning among other things (undiagnosed MS and Addison's Disease). Serious adrenal problems!
ReplyDeleteI came across FCLO about 2 yrs. ago and started buying it up. I even spoke with the owner of the company and wrote a piece on it at Suite101 because I am certain that fermented cod liver oil is the way to go, however, I've had these problems with histamine for a couple years and couldn't figure out why I am having such bad histamine problems.
I bought an ebook about how some people do not make enough enzymes to break down histamine and which foods contain a high amount of histadine which turns into histamine and to stop taking in those foods - guess what was on the list: fermented foods, of course. (I've studied with Hawthorn University to become a Nutritionist, so I know the benefits of fermenting; this piece of info saddened me re: the histamine / fermented foods). So I stopped taking in high histadine / histamine foods which included the FCLO - voila! A week later, I'm having no problems, can concentrate better, am actually healing (I was dying in 2010 and been in bed nearly 24 hours a day since then).
I'm SO GLAD I came across this blog post. I don't know if I can take the one you recommended at the bottom or not, but I *might* give it a try later on down the road.
For now, however, I am not sure which cod liver oil to take since it's the fermentation that causes the histamine problems. I would think just taking a denatured CLO and adding the D in it (already take ghee or butter oil and extra K and E anyway). Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks so much for letting us know about your experience.
Tamara Slack
hi tamara,
Deletei'm currently dealing with a severe allergy situation.
would you mind telling me what the name of the ebook was and/or any recommendations re: research of "histamine foods?"
this is a relatively new development for me, but i do live with a chronic illness that has wreaked havoc on seemingly every system in my body. i'm strongly considering the GAPS diet, but again, i need more information.
i've been waiting on tenterhooks of anticipation for the FCLO to show up at my acupuncturist's office---however, i don't want to take something that's potentially disruptive. my body's been through enough!
warmly
ariyele
Tamara,
DeleteSymptomatically it seems like you may have undiagnosed Lyme which can disguise itself as many other illnesses. Just thinking. You may want to investigate that and see if there are any Lyme Literate Doctors near you. To find one, go to www.ILADS.com, click on "Contact Us" and send an e:mail letting them know your location. They will send you the names of LLD's near you. Best of luck.
My daughter takes it every day (she is 3 1/2). I am amazed that she takes it (plain, non-flavored), as she is the pickiest eater in the world. I give her 5 ml dose every morning, and sometimes I also give it to her in the evening. I don't take it due to cost (very expensive). My husband started taking it in capsules as he would never be able to stomach that taste. It really taste like fermented fish and the taste is horrible. If it were cheaper, I would take it as well (I only take it occasionally). However, we only take it in the winter months. In the summer, we don't need it- no flu season to be protected from. I has a few times when my daughter would get a fever and after a large dose of the fermented cod liver oil, her fever was gone in 1 hour. I am not 100% sure it is this oil, but it seems that it is.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this, I read your post very carefully and with interest. I would be very interested in buying the oil from your friend when available. Also, have you tried krill oil? Dr. Mercola recommends it strongly.
You are a brave woman! FCLO is such the rage for members of the WAPF. I'm a serious member myself, and yet, taking fermented cod liver oil has been a great challenge. We have 2 bottles of plain in the fridge with very little out of them. I can't tell you how glad I am to get this post. It gives me hope that we can take a good version of cod liver oil. I hope the price is better, too!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xEh8Tk6Wb8
A Pennsylvania chapter leader sent out the above u-tube in regard to skate oil. I found it very interesting.
Best,
Lynn
Try the "cinnamon tingle" flavor. It makes it palatable for our family. I will continue to take Green Patures FCLO for life as I do not seem to have the histamine reactions mentioned here. It not only helps us with our immunity (knee deep in flu here in the south and no one in our family has come down with it) but it also helps me *significantly* with my depression and arthritis symptoms. Hate the taste, love the results!
ReplyDeleteI've had no trouble with the plain FCLO. In fact according to muscle testing my body REALLY needs it. I did have a lot of gastric distress with the cinnamon flavored one though and it did not test well at all...my body wanted no part of it. I am not intolerant to cinnamon either so it must have been something with the processing.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way - I've been trying to stomach the cinnamon flavored FCLO but I get a mild stomach ache each time, and it makes be burp numerous times after each dose - not very pleasant. I'm glad to hear the unflavored worked for you, I'm going to try that instead.
DeleteMy family has been taking FCLO for the last year and haven't had any digestive issues with it unlike other CLO. I think it is easier to digest and we don't get fishy burps with it. I am concerned about some of it being rancid as that could be toxic to those of us with sensitive systems. My sense of smell is so good that I have to take the capsules and even then I can smell them going down my throat. The only way I can keep from gagging is to chase them with food.
ReplyDeletewhat i'm appreciating from this post (and the last) was the addition of an alternative narrative in the WAPF world--because it can feel at times from reading about it as though living this lifestyle will do something magic.
ReplyDeletei know the benefits personally. it has helped me so much. but, it also hasn't "cured" me and i think that it's important to ascribe a one-size-fits-all lifestyle onto everything. thank you so much sarah for keeping us posted!
now on to more GAPS research...
Thank you for this very informative post on what I think is a very important topic, CLO.
ReplyDeleteI like Lynn have a good deal of confidence in the WAPF leaders/writers etc. but trust any of us are fallible and we should all be open to new information.
I have never taken FCLO or felt I could recommend it to my clients simply because to me the cost was prohibitive (the taste may be for some but I would have happily tackled that for the supposed benefits). I have used Nordic Natural CLO with D added (I'm not afraid of their source of D3, should I be?). This seemed to be a very high quality source from a company that I think is very reputable (just expensive) http://www.nordicnaturals.com/en/Products/Product_Details/515/?ProdID=2.
Standard Process, another company I think has very high processing standards and ethics has just started carrying a CLO which supposedly is produced in a way to preserve the natural A & D.
( https://www.standardprocess.com/Products/Standard-Process/Cod-Liver-Oil)
I'm very interested in the source you are recommending and will look into it as well as review the literature on WPF and review Green Pasture's CLO to compare.
I consider CLO a super "food" vs. supplement and am very interested in finding the best source for myself, my family and my clients, so I am very appreciative of this very informative post.
Thanks,
John Ray, RN
Family Health Consultant
I think it is ALWAYS important to pay very close attention to what your body is telling you. Yes, FCLO may be touted as this fantastic and healing remedy, but that doesn't mean that it's right for everyone. I am a WAPF member and always sample the Blue Ice cod liver oil. It tastes awful, makes me burp (which indicates it's not being digested properly) and leaves literally makes me stink (It emanates from my pores). Why would I want to subject myself to that everyday? There are so many options out there. Why would it be a one-size-fits-all scenario? Maybe FCLO works for one person, homeopathy works for another, and beer and chips work for another. We all have different constitutions, and we need to honor ourselves primarily.
ReplyDeleteIf the purpose of CLO, fermented or not, is to ensure absorption of fat soluable vitamins/minerals, what other strategies can be used to ensure this?
ReplyDeleteWould inclusion of a healthy unsaturated fat, such as EVOO for a salad's dressing, or avocado within salsa.... Does this not suffice for ensuring absorption of fat soluable vitamins/minerals? Patty
From what I have read: not just any fat will do for absorption of fat soluble vitamins. Some examples of fatty acids needed for fat soluable vitamins is Omega 3 and DHA which are more abundant in certain animal fats and quite scarce or non-existant in vegetable fats. Maybe CLO is popular because it has a wider spectrum of fats than animal or vegetable fats. Sorry if my facts aren't perfect here. Generally, I have read that the body doesn't need a lot of specific fats for fat soluable vitamin uptake, but the fat it does need is mostly absent from vegetables.
DeleteGerson recommends Flax Seed oil for absorbtion of fat soluble vitamins. He discovered this after he wrote his book.
DeleteThanks for this post. I cannot stomach the FCLO either and have felt so bad about wasting it. It sits in my fridge because not only is the taste horrible, I get burning in my throat, and digestive distress after taking it. I have often wondered - how can something that smells and tastes so foul be good for me?! I am interested in trying this new kind you speak of. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMonique
What do you think of Garden of Life clo? I feel it is a quality product. Have you heard anything about it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great post Sarah.
ReplyDeleteI have been taking FCLO around a month now, and was also expecting some magical transformation...I haven't noticed any response to date, bad or good. Can any members indicate how long before one is likely to get results? I have very severe CFS/ME -15 years worth- and know my road to improved health will be a long one. Meanwhile, I'm on a disability pension in Australia and the cost of FCLO is even more prohibitive after import. So I really need to weigh up which GAPS supplements are absolutely vital for me!
Any help would be great, thanks.
Cindy
cindy! i have severe me/cfs as well. i was actually in a wheelchair/completely bed bound for all of 2009---i attribute my achieved functionality to food, acupuncture, herbs, rest, knowing my triggers, and lifestyle changes. in the meantime, if you'd like to connect off the forum, please do reach out. i just launched a cooking show/blog in order to share my experience, food, and tips for cooking with chronic illness (for those low energy days). i'm currently in a bad flare (with TONS of new food allergies) and so i'm looking more seriously into GAPS. have you done it? are you doing it? please do get in touch!
Deleteariyele.ressler@gmail.com or you can google my show/blog with my name In The Kitchen, Keepin' It Real
hope you're feeling as well as possible,
ariyele.
I'm doing gaps to cure food allergies, extreme adhd, and severe depression. (I also studied homeopathy and use it.) I push the healing, so my body has produced some bizarre, some hilarious, and some downright terifying symptoms but its WORKING! For example, I went from NEEDING 200 mcgs of Huperzine-A (divided, of course, and yes I know that's waaay to much) to being unable to tolerate any in a very short time. (6 weeks maybe?) I no longer need GABA (except rarely to correct a mistake) and I actually cut my ritalin from 40 (sometimes 50!) mgday to only 30 today! And I functioned well!
DeleteThe st important thing about gaps is: the into diet is REQUIREDfor optimal result. It was for me anyway. Actually, I've been in stage 3 of the intro for about 6 weeks living only on the soups and eating GOBS of fat. I thought that'all I would ever want, but suddenly I quit devouring tons of coconut butter and now I'm craving carrot juice. I feel better than I ever have in my 45 years!
Interesting timing on this post. I was just getting ready to order some FCLO but after reading this I am having some serious second thoughts.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Tons of people have raging success with FCLO, so don't give it up on someone else's account. It's all about finding what is right for you!
DeleteI love that you're so candid with your family's experience and willing to be honest when something hasn't worked for you.
ReplyDeleteIt always bugged the skeptic in me that FLCO was only made by one company, it was twice as expensive, was somewhat "new", and the only information I could find on it was from Green Pastures. And the horror stories I heard about the taste made me cringe to spend so much on something that my kids might not take at all. So we just kept on taking the regular stuff that was listed under "Better" on the WAPF website.
Archie's website seems very well-researched, which does my skeptic's heart good. :) I'll definitely be looking into it more come February.
-Brittany
I'm confused. By far the majority of cod liver oils available on the market are NOT fermented. You have to go out of your way to find fermented cod liver oil (FLCO), and to my knowledge, the only brand commercially available is Green Pasture's Blue Ice line of FLCO. If you prefer non-fermented varieties of CLO, there are plenty of options out there from several brands.
ReplyDeleteIt's worth noting that FCLO is much healthier and traditional than non-fermented, so your experience with and comments on the newer Blue Ice line are puzzling.
For what it's worth, my family has been taking daily FLCO for the past six months as we've been on the GAPS diet, and have not had a single digestive complaint about it. We get the flavored Blue Ice FCLO from Green Pasture. My favorite is cinnamon, my wife likes mint, and my kids like orange. We just tried their newer butter oil / FLCO blend "gel", and again I like cinnamon, but the rest of my family likes chocolate.
You are correct that there is only one fermented CLO on the market. However, the vast majority of the other CLO's on the market are not produced in a traditional way; many of them have the Vitamin A removed due to supposed Vit A toxicity (which would not be an issue with natural Vit A anyway); and many of them even have the Vit D removed as well and then have synthetic vitamins added back in (this is cheaper since they can process the oil/purify it/deoderize it/etc and not worry about the Vitamins since they add back in synthetic ones anyway). So, back when we took the original Blue Ice (light-colored, NOT fermented), it was one of the only ones on the market that actually had the natural Vitamins A and D still intact in their natural ratios.
DeleteFCLO is not necessarily more traditional than non-fermented. As noted in Archie's long article, there were originally processes that either kept the oil raw (and NON fermented) or lightly steamed the livers to remove the oil. Fermenting it came about later. After our experiences with FCLO compared to the original Blue Ice (which was more of a traditional processing than most CLO's now), I know that for my family, we will do better with the raw or lightly steamed method. There isn't a lightly steamed oil on the market now, so we will be buying some of the raw oil when that becomes available next month.
I'm auto-immune and the fermented is the only one I have ever been able to stomach at all. I love the taste of the cinnamon one and feel better when I take it and miss it when i don't.
ReplyDeleteAnother great read, I cant believe I just found your blog!
ReplyDeleteI took the combo FCLO/butter oil capsules made by Green Pastures. The capsules never bothered me, but I never felt like I was getting a high enough dosage, even when taking several capsules through out the day. Plus finically it seemed like a bad idea taking the capsules rather then the liquid. How ever looking back (I took that all last year and not at all this year) that year on the capsules I stayed super healthy and was never very sick. This winter I have been sick constantly.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that another brand/option is coming our way! I have always been displeased that there is only one option that is "approved" by the WAP foundation. I have always been left with this feeling that Green Pastures are stock holders in the foundation. I will be buying a bottle of the new stuff come Feb. and can then decide which brand I prefer.
Thanks for the post, Sarah! My family has been taking Cinnamon Tingle FCLO/butter oil for the past 1.5 years as part of our GAPS diet regimen (we've been on GAPS for two years).
ReplyDeleteAlthough we've noticed considerable variability in the quality of the product we buy, we haven't had any noticeable side effects of taking it (and we're pretty well versed in the way our bodies react to foods and supplements). However, I'm glad to hear about your experience and about another option that will be coming soon!
Incidentally, to get my sons to eat their daily 1 tsp serving of cinnamon flavored FCLO/Butter oil I add about 1/2 tsp of honey and 1/2 tsp of coconut oil and stir it up into a paste. My younger son (6 yrs) gobbles it up. My older son (9 yrs, generally more sensitive) complains but does eat it.
What worries me about Cod Liver Oil is the same worry I have about all unsaturated fats. As most WAPF members, I agree that cholesterol is not the cause of cardiovascular disease. However, some scientists are beginning to think that oxidized cholesterol is a major contributing factor in CVD.
ReplyDeleteIf this is true, we should look at the sources of oxidized cholesterol. Saturated fats are very stable and therefore not oxidized. Although Sally Fallon points out in The Oiling of America that powdered protein contains it. So vegetable oils and powdered or dehydrated protein are the big no nos.
There is nothing new here until we look at the all sources of unstable saturated fats. Which highly unstable unsaturated fat does the modern health movement constantly promote as way to prevent CVD?... Fish oil! It quickly oxidizes in contact with air at room temperature; not even needing to be heated. So fish oil capsules are beginning to be seen as a contributing factor in CVD risk.
WAPF published an article by Christ Masterjohn titled Precious Yet Perilous where he demonstrated the toxicity of fish oil. What concerns me is that CLO is not being treated as an unstable unsaturated fish oil.
Also, Dr. Barry Sears is a great promoter of large amounts of fish oil to remove Soft Vulnerable Plaque (SVP), a sort of pimples that grow inside the arteries and cause heart attacks when they explode, from the arteries and valves. He provides solid evidence of his claim demonstrating that 40 days of fish oil remove SVP. However, he does not account for oxidation, nor does he account for the other effects of Fish Oil.
For example it is well established that fish oil suppresses vitamin E (Peat), and it is also established that vitamin E suppresses CoQ10 (Langsjoen). Finally, Dr. Peter Langsjoen (the father of CoQ10) proved the great cardiovascular benefits of CoQ10. So I'm beginning to suspect that fish oil is not the cause of the reduction in SVP. Rather, it's suppression of vitamin E allows CoQ10 to become more effectual and therefore clean the SVP. So Fish Oil may in fact be piggy backing off its side effect, not being the real benefit.
Furthermore, Ray Peat's article The Great Fish Oil Experiment gives evidence that oxidized CLO has been shown to dramatically increase the rate of cancer in animals.
I don't understand the disconnect. I'm trying to reconcile the conflict between the dangers of unsaturated fats and the benefit of CLO. Does the fermentation process prevent oxidation? Does fermentation remove the carcinogenic factors? How else could CLO not be harmful? I don't know so as for now I will avoid it.
Hi Gabriel,
DeleteTraditionally prepared cod liver oil should not be oxidized. It is not heated (oxidation occurs more at higher temperatures) and it is protected from light by the dark color of the bottle. One thing also to note is that cod liver oil is not the same as fish oil. Cod liver oil has a much higher amount of Vitamins A and D, plus more DHA/EPA than fish oil. I think the benefits of cod liver oil, which we experienced when we first started taking the light oil years ago, are largely due to the high concentration of Vit A and D. Any time we've been sick, taking a full tablespoon (or two) of cod liver oil has a hugely beneficial effect on the immune system.
Most of the cod liver oils on the market are probably oxidized curing processing through heat and/or chemicals. Fermented cod liver oil and the totally raw oil that will be coming out soon are not prepared in ways that should cause oxidation. You may be interested in this article:
http://nourishingourchildren.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/industrial-versus-traditional-cod-liver-oil-production/
Hi Sarah,
DeleteThanks for the resource. Mr. Welch's history is very good. If I go wish CLO or FCLO it'll be his.
I do have one last concern. I'm trying to find out if unsaturated fat oxidizes in the blood. I've been reading articles that claim it is safer to actually oxidize the PUFA before you eat them because the digestive system rejects them before they're absorbed. That debate is found here (http://peatarian.com/?qa=1632/externally-oxidizing-pufa-in-food-to-prevent-assimilation. They claim it is the oxidation inside the body that causes the harm from oxidation.
Here (http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/unsaturatedfats.shtml) Dr. Peat claims that PUFA do oxidize inside the blood. However, he really does not distinguish between oxidized and unoxidized PUFA.
And then there is Mercola who claims that fish oil is very unstable and needs astaxanthin to keep from oxidizing (http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/beginner_fats.htm). That is why he recommends Krill oil, which is naturally high in astaxanthin.
What I can't find is who's done the research on the oxidative stress of CLO/FCLO. There is an article at WPF, but they're website seems to be down for the day. If you know anything about this, please let me know.
Sarah, you've a great help. Thank you!
Hi Gabriel,
DeleteI can't answer your question with any certainty. One thing I've learned in the 7 years since we started our real food journey is that nutritionists/health professionals rarely seem to agree on anything. I've stopped worrying so much about all the tiny details and scientific studies, and instead I generally use one rule when trying to figure out what to do diet-wise: I ask the question "Did any traditional societies consume this, and if so, in what form?" In the case of cod liver oil, there were several traditional societies that used it, so I think it is safe to consume so long as it is prepared in a traditional way. Then once I start using something, I try to pay special attention to my body and whether or not I feel better or worse. Some things work wonders for some people, but make others feel awful. Everyone is different. Then the nest step is to keep paying attention over time, and this is the thing I struggle with the most. I'd like to think that once I find something that works, I'm done having to figure it out. But inevitably, my needs change over time, so I have to be open to re-evaluating my diet over time.
One random link you may like is here:
http://ournourishingroots.com/nutrition-minutiae-got-ya-down/
Hi Sarah,
DeleteExperts do tend to argue quite a bit. I wonder how our current dietary debate will be seen by society in 100 years. I wonder if they'll look at us like we see the medieval doctors who cured by trying to drain the evil spirits from the blood. Comparing modern research to historical diet does seem like a wise standard.
When you titled the link, "One random link..." I thought it was going to be unrelated to the conversation. I was expecting something like Why Marsupials Don't Climb Trees, but I was pleasantly surprised that it's about not over-thinking your nutrition. There is a mountain of information that sometimes hurts more than it helps; a lesson I really needed to learn. So I decided to put on my cyber mountain climbing gear and head up the west face.
The article immediately sent me rolling off the "Does my juicer kill enzymes" cliff, stretched to its limit the lanyard held. Suspended mid-air I continued to read. The sensible tone of the author brought back my footing. The rocks were dry and the grip was firm when suddenly a gust of "go eat McDonald's" wind sent me sliding towards a crevasse. Had it not been for my old buddy, eating at McDonald's is not too smart, to belay the fall, I would've certainly been done for.
All was smooth when a team higher up the mountain carelessly started to shed weight. First came a list of healthy food options which I easily dodged. It didn't even tempt me to research them. Then came a flurry of sleep 8 hours, have one bowel movement a day and get your temperature to 98.6 degree. I had to use all my skill to keep from writing it down. My first instructor, Ms. Hazard's words rang in my mind, "Three points of contact, young man. Three points of contact." Unable to write while simultaneously holding pad and pen with one hand, I put away the thought.
My line of sight was blocked by the edge of a ridge just two feet ahead. It was the highest visible point on the mountain, but seventy two years of mountain climbing experience have taught me that the next ridge is not the last ridge; there is always something more. Knowing this, I braced myself for the long article ahead. When I peaked passed the ridge I found the summit. There was nothing more. I was at the end.
The author brought me to the point where the arduous inching up the mountain of knowledge need not be encumbered by "dietary philosophy" and that "health authorities" were often not ropes to cling, but weight to shed. I don't know if this high plateau is the end of my search, but I will enjoy the warm, easy sun for a little while.
Sarah, thanks for the link!
Wow Gabriel, what a poetic description! This certainly made me smile this morning. I'm also enjoying the warm, easy sun at the top.
DeleteI used to take CLO too. I stopped after I became to realize the drawbacks of the PUFAs. Weston Price only used it in combination with butter oil. D3 is now available much cheaper and in an coconut oil or olive oil base and is better for you.
ReplyDeletehttp://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml
-Jenn
Hi Jenny,
DeleteDr. Peat is awesome. Thanks for the link.
D3 is a good, but there is a little risk to it. Dr. Joseph Mercola interviewed an expert in vitamin K, Dr. Cees Vermeer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTm95J8SNGo In that interview Dr. Vermeer explained certain dangers vitamin D. He said it is a calcium transporter and if it's not properly conducted it will move calcium from the bones into the arteries and create blockages.
It's the long interview but the point regarding D3 is that it needs a specific form of Vitamin K2 to work properly, that form is MK7. The best source of MK7 is Natto (fermented soy beans). There are other sources which are not nearly as good as natto, such as fermented cheese.
I hope this helps.
Interesting post. My two younger kids love fermented CLO and my 10 yr. old takes it with a chase of lime juice just fine. We've noticed no ill effects. I'd be interested in this new raw oil you refer to, but found out that they are charging $65 for only 5 oz., which makes it $104 (plus shipping?) for 8 oz. vs the $37 shipped I am paying now for fermented. Can't do that.
ReplyDeleteYes it is pricey, but I think the recommended dosage is actually less, so I am hoping it will balance out. We currently have a bottle of the ratfish liver oil, and it has such a mild taste. My youngest LOVES it, and his sister takes it without complaining or making a sour face (which she never did with the fermented CLO). But I know some people also do fine with the fermented, even though we didn't.
DeleteHello, I'm curious how you might get an upset stomach from fermented CLO... Me and my girlfriend take it almost daily and while yes, it tastes terrible, we've never gotten nausea from it. No one I know who takes it has had any problems. Perhaps you should try it now after having been off it for such a long time?
ReplyDeleteIt's been well known since ancient times that it's best to cycle on and off from fermented foods so your body doesn't grow resistant to the benefits. Perhaps before saying homeopathy was the cure all, you should try to get back on them? I personally think homeopathy is snake oil anyways...
More experimentation is needed before we assume anything!
-Yossif
Hi Yossif,
DeleteI think the nausea from the FCLO was caused by the rotting bits of liver left in the final product (that is detailed more in Archie's article, which I linked to in the post above). While I know many people who have no issues taking FCLO, I also know plenty of others who have also had digestive problems with taking it, especially in the GAPS community.
As for homeopathy, it is easy to assume it is snake oil. I used to think the same thing, and there are plenty of people out there who say it must be placebo effect or that there is no way it could work because of how the remedies are made. But as I've done my own research and tried homeopathy within my family, I have learned that it really does work and that it works amazingly.
For instance, my daughter (now almost 6 years old) has been prone to catching lots of colds and flus for her whole life. As in, if there was ever anyone even slightly sick in her vicinity, she would always catch it and be ten times worse than anyone else. She would get 8-10 illnesses a year, and often had lingering coughs for 2-3 weeks each time.
Her diet has always been excellent (we started eating strict Nourishing Traditions before she was conceived and then we did GAPS starting when she was 3.5 years old). She's taken CLO or FCLO all her life until we stopped last summer. But as of now, she hasn't had a single illness in over 5 months. That is huge for her, and we were never even close to that previously no matter how great her diet or how much CLO she was taking. And she has even been around sick people multiple times, and still not caught anything. She has also had weight gain problems her whole life (and she had actually lost weight in the months leading up to starting homeopathic treatment), and this is another area that has been helped tremendously since we started her homeopathic constitutional treatment.
One big argument I hear is that homeopathy is just a placebo effect. That can not be true, because placebos only ever have positive effects, whereas homeopathy can cause negative consequences and aggravations. Homeopathy has also been shown to work on very young babies and animals, which are two groups that can't exhibit placebo effects.
I admit that we don't scientifically know everything we need to know to understand fully how homeopathy works. It works on the quantum level, and science is just scratching the surface on how things work at the quantum level. But a lack of scientific understanding does not mean that it doesn't work; it only means that we can't fully understand how or why it works yet. Anyhow, that is just my two cents.
Although I do well with the FCLO, I'm glad to hear there is another alternative coming on the market. In the past year, demand has increased so much that the FCLO is getting harder to buy. It's no longer available in bulk (so no discounts) and my last purchase is on backorder and I don't know when I'll receive it. I'm curious to try Archie's oil. Please let us know when it's available.
ReplyDeleteWe (adults & child) take the Nordic Naturals Childrens DHA. It's light coloured like you mentioned. We've very happy with it. From what I understand the are an ethical company who only specialise in fish oils (rather than a supplements brand that have added on fish oil). The also have sustainable practises e.g. they don't make any krill oil products. I have tried lots of different fish oils but we keep coming back to the Nordic Naturals cod liver oil
ReplyDeleteI did not do well on FCLO either. Seriously- the last time I took it I thought I was dying. I couldn't breathe, my heart was racing and I was so sick to my stomach. It was a nightmare. Just the smell of the cinnamon tingle can put me over the edge. Nope- will never take it again.
ReplyDeleteI am on my second week taking the FCLO capsules from blue ice. I do not feel any different (and I also don't feel sick from taking them). I just really expected to feel this burst of energy and less joint pain (shoulders and hips). Maybe my expectations were a bit too high. My pain comes from physical issues, not systemic or chronic issues. (Accidents, sports related injuries, etc). But I still had high hopes.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I have been taking for over 9 months now, is Protandim. IT is supposed to boost your immune system and take years off your life, etc etc. A miracle antioxidant thing. I don't feel any different.
I know I already live a healthy lifestyle, but maybe I am just a person who isn't affected very much by certain things. I do find that hard to believe, because just eating some raw cacao (homemade chocolate made with coconut oil, raw cacao powder, stevia/raw honey, vanilla) and the theobromine in the raw cacao powder (a stimulant) makes my heart palpitate and I get real jittery. So I only eat small amounts at a time. I am sensitive to chemicals (even natural ones) and such (my body reacts to them, I don't have chemical sensitivity though like some folks have).
Anyway, I have a two month supply of the capsules, and I will try it through, 'til it is gone. Hopefully it is doing something inside me :)
I also take Protandim. I didn't notice anything until taking it daily for about two months. Then I noticed that my afternoon energy slump was gone. On days when I forget to take it, sure enough, I get very tired in the afternoon.
DeleteYou might to check out raw salmon oil.
ReplyDeleteBecause it's mostly unprocessed, it still has its natural vitamins (A & D) plus it has astaxanthin and omega 3s.
Vital Choice is a good brand but North American Herb & Spice is also good. (Though I prefer Vital Choice)
Swanson Vitamins and Amazon sell both brands.
Hi Sarah.
ReplyDeleteI really love your blog and I'm glad I found it. I just found out I am pregnant and I feel I need to take some sort of fish oil. Until Corganics cod liver oil is ready for sale (I signed up via email to be notified when it is ready for sale) do you recommend any fish oil at all? Skate Liver Oil? Ratfish Oil? Krill Oil?
Thank you.
Hi Stephanie,
DeleteIn the meantime until the coorganics CLO is ready, I am keeping a bottle of the ratfish liver oil on the shelf. If I was pregnant, I'd probably make a point to take that daily, along with lots of grassfed butter (CLO and grassfed butter work synergistically together, so I would assume it's good to have butter alongside the ratfish oil too).
If I really wanted a CLO for now while waiting for the other to become available, I'd probably move to the next one on the WAPF list of recommended CLO (skipping the fermented CLO since I know I have issues with it). That list is here:
http://www.westonaprice.org/cod-liver-oil/cod-liver-oil-basics
And it lists the following as the next alternative after the FCLO:
GOOD (and available in Stores):
Carlson soft gel Cod Liver Oil Super 1,000 mg capsules
Nature's Answer liquid cod liver oil
NOW double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
Sonne's Cod Liver Oil
Swanson double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
Twin Labs non-emulsified liquid Cod Liver Oil
I was very distressed this morning when my 14mo daughter had an allergic reaction to the FCLO. She has reacted to prawns in the past, but I wasn't sure if the FCLO would be a problem. Well her face blew up like a balloon and I had to give her an antihistamine.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you knew of any alternatives to FCLO that would provide an almost similar benefit?
Sorry to hear it! I keep a bottle of the ratfish liver oil on the shelf, but it sounds like maybe any fish would give her issues?
DeleteLiver (beef or chicken) is always a good choice for getting in tons of nutrition. My son particularly liked liver this way when he was that age:
http://nourishedandnurtured.blogspot.com/2011/08/liver-and-butter-saute-gaps-legal-grain.html
And adding a little raw grated liver to any dish (or bottle) is another option. (For using raw liver, make sure it has been frozen for at least 14 days prior to use, which will destroy any pathogens that may be present).
My family takes the FCLO with no issues. Before the kids could swallow capsules we had to find ways to get them to eat it. Now we all take capsules and my 4 1/2 chews them up. I am glad that we haven't had any issues with them at all. I appreciate hearing your story and it is good to keep in mind but will still be taking ours.
ReplyDeleteI read all these comments of taste etc but I purchased anyway as I do not necessarily accept what others are saying and found it to be no different than when I was a kid over 70 years ago. No repeats etc. My husband who is older has no problems either. Many things we do are not seen as positive or neg for some time. For example smoking does not noticeably effect you immediately but over time it does so why would we expect anything different from the vitamins or food etc we take. We should always continue to research and decide what is or is not benefit to us. We can not let a Doctor or some other person make that decision. We have to take responsibility our self.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree. Everyone has to decide for themselves what works best for them. We took the fermented CLO for several years before figuring out that it caused us digestive issues for us. I know plenty of others who have no problems with it, and also plenty of others who do. Everyone is different.
DeleteHi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering with all the concern with regard to mercury levels and the NRDC rating Alaskan cod as moderate in levels, recommending six serving or less a month your then views on taking this as a supplement
Appreciate your thoughts
Thank you so much for this post! I just started taking FCLO after reading about the numerous benefits, but unfortunately it made me super sick. I only took it twice, and I really want to make myself take it, but I just can't after the digestive issues. It's really a breath of fresh air to know I am not the only one who suffered negative effects.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post... we tried the FCLO and it was really nasty! The only way my kids would take it was doused in butter and honey:) LOL! However, I just now found out that I am 5 weeks pregnant, we are all on GAPS (mostly;) and I am looking at the Weston Price diet for pregnancy- what do i do about the FCLO? currently we are just taking fish oil (nordic naturals) and I add Vitamin D to that with a spoonful of butter... Do you have any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Stephany
Hi Stephanie,
DeleteIn the meantime until the coorganics CLO is ready, I am keeping a bottle of the ratfish liver oil on the shelf. If I was pregnant, I'd probably make a point to take that daily, along with lots of grassfed butter (CLO and grassfed butter work synergistically together, so I would assume it's good to have butter alongside the ratfish oil too).
If I really wanted a CLO for now while waiting for the other to become available, I'd probably move to the next one on the WAPF list of recommended CLO (skipping the fermented CLO since I know I have issues with it). That list is here:
http://www.westonaprice.org/cod-liver-oil/cod-liver-oil-basics
And it lists the following as the next alternative after the FCLO:
GOOD (and available in Stores):
Carlson soft gel Cod Liver Oil Super 1,000 mg capsules
Nature's Answer liquid cod liver oil
NOW double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
Sonne's Cod Liver Oil
Swanson double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
Twin Labs non-emulsified liquid Cod Liver Oil
Thank you for replying, Sarah. I cannot get true grassfed butter at this time. Do you think Organic Valley's Cultured Butter is good enough to work with the ratfish oil?
DeleteYes, I think any nicely yellow butter works. I use Kerrygold, Organic Valley, or Kalona Supernatural. The yellow color shows you that it is at least mostly grassfed. (The yellow color diminishes some in the winter months in the Organic Valley and Kalona Supernatural, since there isn't much of a fresh grass supply.)
DeleteMy family has been taking Green Pasture Products Fermented Cod Liver Oil for 7 years. We have never had any issues with it and would not miss a our regular daily dose. I am personally very disappointed with the article written by Archie Welch. I don't believe it is ever appropriate to attack a product from one company just to promote your own.
ReplyDeleteAs I described in the article, my family also took Green Patures CLO for years. We used the original Blue Ice from 2006 through part of 2010. And then we used the fermented CLO for 2 years. It took us a long time to figure out that we were having problems from the FCLO, because I wanted to believe that it worked for us since it is so widely touted. I don't have any vested reason to attack FCLO, but am sharing our unbiased experiences.
DeleteArchie Welch is certainly not attacking a product from one company just to promote his own. When he and I first talked about problems with FCLO, he had no connections whatsoever with selling cod liver oil. Rather, he and his son had problems with the FCLO, just as we did, and he also knew of others who had problems. In the last year, he has gone out on a limb to try to find a better source of CLO that would work better for those who aren't able to use the FCLO. I personally find his article to be very informative, and am glad to know more of the history of cod liver oil and it's use throughout history.
Sarah, I sent this article to Green Pastures and recently, they sent out an email about a study on raw cod liver oil. The results are somewhat disturbing. I was planning on buying the raw cod liver, but I don't think I should anymore. here's the link: http://www.greenpasture.org/fermented-cod-liver-oil-butter-oil-vitamin-d-vitamin-a/comparison-of-green-pasture-clo-to-virgin-minimally-processed-clo-from-norway/
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think?
Hi Sarah,
DeleteI've seen this too. It doesn't make any sense to me that these oils are being tested for energy, rather than nutrient-composition. I personally don't have any confidence that there is a reliable testing methodology for testing the energy in an oil, or even that the results mean anything in terms of health. I myself am awaiting results of tests that make more sense, such as actual nutrient compositions in the oils instead of energy testing.
I also asked Archie about this last week, and he was a bit confused as to what was actually tested. Since the raw cod liver oil isn't yet on the market, where did they even get it from to test it? There are quite a few things about this that don't seem to make any sense to me...
ok, thanks for the analysis. I didn't even know what they were talking about. Please keep us updated on this! There are few of us who have enough knowledge to sort all this out. It seems I not only need a degree in nutrition to feed my family, now I need a doctorates to keep them healthy!! Your website is invaluable.
DeleteI had the completely opposite experience with FCLO. For one, I took the pills since i knew that fermented fish oil would taste bad. Secondly I had zero digestive issues from it whereas with unfermented I would burp up the oil all day (and I was taking the highest quality stuff). My skin got very soft and I stopped getting sunburned. I personally won't write off the product simply because some people had a bad reaction to it. Every body is different and will react differently to different things. I have to wonder if some of why you felt so repelled by it was taking it in liquid form. Thats not for the faint of heart.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that what works for some may not for others. If you look to see what the recommended daily amount is for a nursing mother (1 Tablespoon!), you will see why I had to take it in liquid form. It would take over 20 pills to get to that amount in a day!
DeleteI also do not doubt that these large amounts are part of the reason for the digestive problems, but the fact remains that I was able to take the same amount of the non-fermented Blue Ice CLO with no issues whatsoever.
For about a week, I took the plain liquid FCLO (B.Ice)using the attached oral syringe - 2ml per day. I totally regret it. It worked great for my partner and my pets, but I had a reaction to it. It was definitely the fermented component that was the problem, as I have used other brands of cod liver oil before with no problems. It's been about 2 months and I'm still not fully over the diarrhea. Also, I came down with a sinus infection with my cold which never has happened to me before. And worst of all, the back of my throat (due using syringe) is bumpy and swollen, and my lower throat (spincter perhaps) feels like I have a perpetual lump in my throat that I cannot swallow away. Originally it felt like I was having an allergic reaction and my throat closing up. This was way not worth it for me. I have realized that the 'exotic' quality of a lot of 'health' supps and foods is misled. We should eat clean and simply with minimal amounts of potent sour, spicy, etc herbs and whatnot. Anyhow, I guess it is hit and miss, but I would recommend that if you do try it, listen to your initial reaction on days one and two. If your body says no, then don't keep pushing and forcing yourself to get used to it, you may get worse : (
ReplyDeleteI take both the unflavored FCLO and the butter oil for about two years now and I have very good results. The syringe is only for measuring and you shouldn't have used it to administer the oil. I take 5ml of FCLO and 2.5ml of the butter oil every morning on the spoon and wash it down with a glass of ice water mixed with lemon juice. I tried the flavored oil but I didn't like it.
DeleteI think this article is very one-sided. Its all about: "Let's not take fermented cod liver oil" I wish that when people post things like this, they would invite the maker to write and have both articles on the website side by side, not just a response from the maker. I've taken it since its inception, and have had many, many of clients on it with incredibly wonderful life-changing results. My recommendation is for people to be cautious of this article and do your own study with the maker.
ReplyDeleteMaria Atwood, CNHP
traditionalcook.com
I disagree that the article is one-sided. I described how we took cod liver oil for years, and that we had good benefits from it for years. But later, we did start having problems from the fermented CLO. This is just factual on what we experienced. I also know lots of people that have had great benefits from FCLO. My mother still takes it for her joint pain, and I still find that it seems to make a big difference for people that are just moving into health through nutrition. But, I also think it is fair to share our experiences so people know there is the possibility that they may have problems with it. I have been contacted by so many people who are relieved to finally have someone acknowledge that FCLO can sometimes cause problems. People with compromised digestion, such as GAPS kids, can have real problems from the FCLO. It took me a long time to be willing to recognize the FCLO was causing my family problems, because everyone in the community is shouting from the rooftops how great FCLO is. I didn't want to believe it was causing me problems, but I finally realized that it was indeed causing issues. To me, there is nothing one-sided with just sharing our experience, especially when there is already so much pro-CLO information out there. I even used to write such information myself before I realized the problems we were having from the FCLO.
DeleteThanks for this article, Sarah. I tried taking Green Pasture FCLO a couple of different times, had to stop both times due to burping up (cinnamon flavored burps ... yum!). I never had a problem with the flavor (I liked it, actually) but my gut just didn't want to process it. For whatever reason(s) it just doesn't work for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI always like to read articles that challenge the mainstream WAPF/Paleo/traditional points of view ... generally they shed some light on my own health, or, like this one, are proof that I am not alone in experiencing issues with what is supposed to be a superfood.
End of March, Still no oils! What gives??
ReplyDeleteLast I heard earlier in March, they are doing final product testing right now.
DeleteInteresting article, thanks for sharing. I am particularly interested in the fact that there were other traditional methods of making cod liver oil (I had suspected as much). My son and I have no issues with the FCLO (although it is yucky, we can handle it), but my husband won't touch it. And I know a lot of people have had trouble with the fermented CLO. Seems like this could be a good option for a lot of people. I may stick with the FCLO because of the increased vitamin content though.
ReplyDeleteSure there are benefits from Cod Liver Oil but a simple balanced diet is what is really required. People like to eat rubbish and then think they are being healthy by taking all sorts of drugs and supplements, sold to them on the TV by companies with only one agenda (money). People are so gullible. You say that you have been off CLO for six months but thanks to homeopathy you have not been sick. If you had eaten McDonalds for six months and taken nothing you would probably not have been sick, you are fooling yourself if you thin it is thanks to homeopathy. I have retired and in my whole working life had only one week off sick as a result of an accident with boiling water. I simply eat a balanced diet and occasionally take CLO as I do not always eat much oily fish. Essentially I don't need to think about food too much, there are a lot of people out there obsessing about what they should or should not eat. Stress over what they are eating is probably more of a danger.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I say that homeopathy has kept us from being sick is that, with the use of homeopathy, we are sick way less now, even than when we were taking CLO daily. Homeopathy has boosted our immune systems dramatically. For instance, my daughter has always had a rather poor immune system, despite having a very good diet and daily cod liver oil since she was a baby. In previous years, my daughter would typically get about 8 colds and 2 stomach flus every year. Now we've been using homeopathy on her since last October, and in that last 7 months she has had two colds and that is all (and they were very minor compared to previously). This is a HUGE turn-around from previous years.
DeleteHi Sarah,
DeleteThank you for your blog post. Do I understand that you did two things at one time? 1) you stopped ANY cod liver oil and 2) you started taking homeopathics
If I got what you said right, it seems like a person would have to consider both changes you made to determine which caused the improvement in your daughter's health? How to rule out one or the other seems very difficult.
I know it sounds basic and her problems already seem to resolving themselves, but does your daughter have vitamin C running through her system before she comes in contact with others? Maybe she needs more C than most.
I read everything on your post from top to bottom--it's been great and I loved everyone's contributions.
Leah
Hi Leah,
DeleteWe actually stopped the cod liver oil a few months before we started her homeopathic constitutional treatment.
It is very obvious to me that the homeopathic treatment is working wonders for my daughter. I can tell a dramatic difference in many aspects (and I can tell since I've tried not having her on the correct remedy, and I see an immediate backsliding in all of these areas when she is not on her remedy):
-Her behavior is better (she tends to be overly emotional, and homeopathy makes a big difference in this).
-Her moods are much more even and happy
-Her appetite is MUCH better when she is on her constitutional remedy. Her weight had plateaued and she had even lost a little in the 6 months previous to starting homeopathic treatment. Now she has gained over 4 pounds in 7 months. 4 pounds may not sound like much, but that is a LOT for her because she has always been very underweight. Even with the weight gain, she is right now only 32 pounds at 6 years old. The difference in her appetite is very dramatic; she goes from picking at her food and hardly eating when she is not on her remedy, to actually asking for seconds and thirds when she is on her remedy.
-She is much less clumsy when on her remedy. Without it, she easily hurts herself several times every day; with it she can actually go a day or two without hurting herself and that has never happened since she learned to walk.
-Her immune system is dramatically better, as I described above.
-She is much less argumentative and more cooperative when on her remedy.
I know all of this sounds too good to be true from just one remedy. But I've learned through our experiences that the benefits of the correct homeopathic constitutional remedy affect all aspects of our health: physical, mental, and emotional. You really have to see it to believe it. And my daughter is just one example, as the rest of the members of our family are also seeing big improvements from constitutional treatment.
Thank you for this article. I began to have absolutely terrible heartburn when taking Green Pasture's FCLO. When I emailed the company to find out what's going on and if there was anything I could do to eliminate this, I was pooh-poohed away by two different people including Dave Wetzel himself saying he'd "never heard of" this happening. Since I was shoved aside I kept taking the FCLO thinking it was in my head and my heartburn was from something else I was eating. Turns out I have GERD, and actually did damage to myself taking the oils for as long as I did.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't trust Green Pasture at all if they don't even know their product can do this to their customers. Their reputation took a nosedive for me and I won't be recommending them to anyone anymore.
I started taking the FCLO and butter oil because of the benefits to tooth health and my skin. I guess I'll have to research alternatives.
When is the new product expected to come on the market?
ReplyDeleteLast I heard, it is in final product testing. So hopefully soon!
DeleteI stopped reading after "homeopathic"... Sorry, if u believe in homeopathy you cannot be a reliable source of info :(
ReplyDeleteAnna, Poland
Hi Anna,
DeleteI, like you, used to believe that homeopathy must not really work, since there are so any naysayers about it. You might like to read this article that links to some studies and more info about t really working. http://joettecalabrese.com/blog/homeopathy/lookingforproof/
My boys and I take FCLO and have had no issues. I've read that if an individual has improper digestion due to imbalanced gut flora or leaky gut, FCLO might be too potent for them and they could have a bad reaction.
ReplyDeleteI really love your input on homeopathy. We are working with an NP and using constitutional homeopathy for my boys, one of whom is two years old with leaky gut, severe eczema, and tooth decay. We are seeing wonderful improvements after just six weeks.