Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Why Fermented Cod Liver Oil is the One Supplement You Have to Take For Gorgeous Skin

 

I just bought this stuff, and it's not too bad tasting! It was easier to get down in liquid, before it gelled up in the fridge...but so glad I got it! The health benefits are so worth it. I had to share this amazing article by Tracy. Click the link of her name to visit her blog.

by Tracy
I was going to write about cod liver oil last Friday, but I decided that first explaining who Weston A. Price was would help me to emphasize why I so strongly recommend you try Green Pasture’s fermented cod liver oil/butter oil blend.
 
Now, you may know that I’ve actually always recommended cod liver oil. Just straight cod liver oil though – because that was before I learned about FERMENTED cod liver oil and its side kick, high vitamin butter oil.

And then once I heard about this particular product, I never stopped hearing about it. It seems as though everyone I follow (and let it be known that I follow lots of real food bloggers who don’t necessarily believe in heavy supplementation) feels it’s, like, the one essential supplement that they can’t do without – because it’s that good! And you know what – since I already knew how great cod liver oil was and had been taking it for a long time – I believe them!

So anyway… remember how I told you about how good ol West Price went around studying primitive people and their diets, found zero incidences of degenerative disease, and also noticed how they were all stunningly handsome (and didn’t have acne)?

And also remember how, aside from the complete absence of modern processed foods, the common demonimator he found with the diets of all these tribes (14 different groups of isolated people from completely different continents, by the way), was that their diets were particularly high in fat soluble vitamins – Vitamins A, D, Activator X (Vitamin K2)?
Well fermented cod liver oil is one of the best natural sources of all these nutrients, as well as precious Omega 3 fatty acids – all essential to healthy skin (and body, and brain, for that matter).

What’s High Vitamin Butter Oil?

Dr. Price found that the vitamins in cod liver oil work synergistically with other important nutrients, and that its effectiveness was reduced if the taker was lacking those nutrients in his diet.

He particularly found that butter oil, made from the butter of cows eating fresh green grass in the spring, is full of Activator X (Vitamin K2), which works in beautiful concerto with the Vitamins A & D. Together, all three of these nutrients ensure proper assimilation of many minerals and water soluble vitamins in the diet, as well as the Omega 3s. Therefore, Price always gave his patients high vitamin butter oil along side the fermented cod liver oil.

Other foods and nutrients he found important for the assimilation of the nutrients in cod liver oil are grass fed butter, saturated fat, calcium, and magnesium (all of which you can get plenty of in a good ol’ traditional style diet from foods such as full fat animal foods, raw dairy, and bone broths).

And Why Fermented Cod Liver Oil?

Well, I’m annoyed to learn that even the supposedly “best” cod liver oils out there on the market (like Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals that I have always taken) aren’t actually that good… or natural! They might be much better than other brands, but the process of extraction from the cod liver is still pretty brutal (alkali refining, bleaching, winterization, and deoderization) and many of the vitamins have to be added back in.
I’ll interject here that I don’t feel that taking synthetic vitamins is usually of much help. I believe much more in using foods as supplements to get all the nutrients you need because the nutrients in real foods work together to be assimilated and used by the body. Synthetic vitamin pills are kind of useless in my opinion.

I don’t want my cod liver oil to just be another dumb, processed, synthetic supplement.
Back in the good ol’ days, they used to make cod liver oil by throwing all the fish guts in a barrel and fermenting it – eventually the oil would rise to the top. This process retains twice as many natural vitamins at double the level of any industrially extracted cod liver oil with excellent A to D ratios. Of course, this whole thing takes way too long for profits, so it’s been thrown by the wayside by nearly all the CLO companies in the world.
Unfortunately (or fortunately that someone does it at all) there is only ONE company in the world who does it this way today, and that is a company called Green Pastures.

Blue Ice Royal Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil Blend

So, ever since I heard about this, I’ve been super keen to give it a try.
However, I hate to say it, but it’s an expensive supplement. Around $50 bucks a bottle that will last you anywhere from a month and a half to 3 months. And if you don’t live in the United States where it’s produced, the shipping charges are pretty sucky. And since shipping charges to Australia are sucky as it is, I figured I’d wait till I was back in Canada before getting my hands on some of this.

Howeveerrrr… if you’re turned off right now, remember that this stuff is potent, meaning you are getting WAY more bang for your buck than if you were buying other CLOS, and you can probably throw out a bunch of your other supplements to make way for this beauty of a product.

PS – if you’re still not convinced, go right now and read this article about Green Pastures CLO from some lovely ladies over at a blog called BeautyEditors.ca …. I bet it will certainly sway you to the benefits this stuff can have for your skin and your acne.
Anyway, I finally have some, and I am taking their cinnamon tingle flavoured cod liver oil/butter oil blend in the gel form. Generally I pretty much suck at saying for SURE whether something is definitely helping my skin or not (and I really haven’t been taking it that long), but I have been eating not fabulously for the last month or so and I have very little inflammation. So… that’s a good sign!

Flavours, Doses, Taking it, Etc

If you look around the internet, people generally say this stuff tastes gross. So you might be tempted to go for the capsules that they have available instead of the gel.
I would highly discourage it though because it’s not cost effective at all – apparently you need a LOT of the capsules to equal the same amount that you’d get if you were just taking a teaspoon of the gel per day (like.. 6 capsules or something).
So in that case… which flavour should you go for?

Well, it seems to be a consensus that cinnamon tingle is the best, so that’s what I got, and to be honest – it doesn’t taste like fish at all. I have detected not any fishiness. Nada. It kinda tastes like cinnamon hearts, and I take it right off the spoon, no problems.
If you still don’t like it though, you can always put it in a glass with water and swallow it down in a gulp.

And how much to take per day? The serving size on the bottle is 1/2 teaspoon, but if you can afford it, I believe 1 teaspoon per day is probably more effective. Note that this is considered a food, not a supplement, so there isn’t actually any RDA measures of the vitamins or anything.

And In Concluuuusion…

If you can afford it – try this stuff. There’s a good chance it could really, really help your skin and happiness levels to boot. I know it’s expensive, but if it can replace a ton of ineffective supplements you’re already taking, it will certainly be worth the money.

Garden 5/18/2013

We got some pretty good rain for 2 days...so the plants got a good soaking and they're recovering from the transplant and windy warm weather that followed

5/18/2013 -  Lettuce - a few days after transplant...so far so good

 5/18/2013 - Michihilli Cabbage

5/18/2013 - Bok Choi

Herbal Cocoa

 Mmm there's nothing I love more on a cold day than a hot cup of cocoa!

My cups of cocoa have evolved over the years, but forever a part of my life! It keeps getting better and I love it so much!

Ingredients

• 1 mug of unsweetened Almond milk
• 2 tsps organic coconut palm sugar 
• 1 heap tsp raw cacao powder
• 1 tsp maca powder
• 1/2 tsp Ho Shu Wu 
• 1/4 tsp Cordyceps
• 3 drops Loving Energy

Recipe

Heat up the almond milk on the stove on high heat. After slightly warm, I sift in the cocoa powder, and add the palm sugar.  I then whisk it until dissolved, not letting it reach boil.  I turn off the stove, strain out whatever ho shou wu & cocoa doesn't dissolve. Strain it again back into the pan on high heat and sift in the maca and cordycepts.  My cordycepts is a higher quality that all dissolves so I don't need to strain it.  Whisk it all until mixed, not letting it come to a boil again, and once it's all mixed in, pour into mug, and add 3 drops of Loving Energy...which is an amazing tonic blend of herbs. 

 All ingredients

 Heat up the almond milk

 sift in the cocoa, add in the coconut palm sugar and ho shou wu

 after blended add in the maca powder and cordyceps

I add the Living energy right into the mug before pouring in the ready cocoa...stir until all blended...I then strain out the mix because my ho shou wu leaves sediment at the bottom, the i strain it back into the pan after and heat it to my desired heat. And enjoy hot!

Health Benefits

Cocoa

 Cocoa derives its health benefits from flavonoids which are plant pigments capable of acting as antioxidants to counteract some of the cellular damage that can lead to chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Cocoa powder has also been shown to lower blood pressure and improve blood flow in humans. A cup of cocoa has almost three times the antioxidants of a cup of green tea, another drink renowned for its health benefits.

Ho Shou Wu

 Studies show that ho-shou-wu extract improves the cardiovascular system, enhances immune functions, slows the degeneration of glands, increases antioxidant activity, and reduces the accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Such findings suggest that ho-shou-wu is helpful in combating some of the processes that lead to conditions characteristic of old age, thereby also reducing the risk of fatal diseases (e.g., cancer) and incidents (e.g., heart attack, stroke).

Palm Sugar 

The wonderful sweetness and planet-friendly attributes aside, this natural product is beneficial to the body as well. Palm sugar is naturally very low on the Glycemic Index, half the GI of cane sugar. Excitingly, palm sugar serves as an ideal sugar substitute for those watching glucose levels (such as diabetics), or those monitoring lipid levels and looking for weight control. Organic, evaporated palm sugar has a nutritional content far greater than all other commercially available sweeteners -- with high amounts of potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron, as well as vitamin C and many of the B vitamins. As a natural as it gets, palm sugar is a pure and simple sugar alternative that provides the energy and nutrition needed for a healthy (and delicious) lifestyle.

Loving Energy™ (Organic)

Loving Energy™ is a restorative and calming Traditional Chinese Kidney Yin Tonic. Its ingredients are often used for relieving stress and exhaustion, for support of the lungs and the adrenal system, which in turn lowers the body's histamine response. This tonic is especially effective for parents and teachers, artists and healers, and those who meditate regularly or care for another, as it restores vital creative energy when one is giving rather than receiving. Adrenal fatigue is considered a "Kidney Deficient" pattern in Chinese herbology, and you could be both Kidney Yin Deficient, as well as Kidney Yang Deficient. Loving Energy™ is perfect for individuals who are anxious, tired, overwhelmed with a touch of brain fog or for individuals who experience the seasonal sniffles.

• Replenishes adrenals
• Supports the lungs and kidneys
• Restores creative energy
• Relieves stress and exhaustion
• Balances histamine response
• Improves focus and feeling of well-being
• Recommended for children and adults

Unsweetened Silk Almond milk

• They've fortified our almondmilk so that it contains 450 mg of calcium per 8-ounce serving, which provides 50% more calcium than a glass of dairy milk.
• Silk Pure Almond almondmilk is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin E, supplying 50% of the recommended daily value in an 8-ounce serving.
• Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened contains no added sugars or sweeteners and has only 35 calories per 8-ounce serving.
• Their almondmilk provides as much vitamin D as dairy milk: 25% of the recommended daily value.
• Silk Pure Almond almondmilk is a great source of vitamin B12, providing 50% of the recommended daily value in an 8-ounce serving.
• There is no saturated fat in Silk Pure Almond almondmilk.
• Their almondmilk is cholesterol-free, soy-free, dairy-free, lactose-free and completely vegan.

Low Oxalate Diet

What is oxalate? Oxalate (charged form of oxalic acid)is a chemical commonly found in many types of plants. Oxalate can often bind with calcium and then crystallize, which can cause irritation and pain to in your tissues, which leads to increased inflammation. Oxalates composed of any mineral other than calcium are water soluble and therefore excreted by the body without problem. Where do oxalates come from? Our bodies always contain oxalates, and our cells routinely convert other substances into oxalates. For example, vitamin C is one of the substances that our cells routinely convert into oxalates. In addition to the oxalates that are made inside of our body, oxalates can arrive at our body from the outside, from certain foods that contain them. Oxalate and its acid form oxalic acid are organic acids that are primarily from three sources: the diet, from fungus such as Aspergillus and Penicillium and possibly Candida , and also from human metabolism. Oxalates are present in a lot of plants and fruit that we eat and in virtually all seeds and nuts.  These oxalates are metabolized by the flora or just leave the body with the stool when the gut is an healthy state. So they are not absorbed by the body. The problem starts when these oxalates are getting absorbed and this happens usually when the gut is leaky (when the tight junctions between the cells which line the gut open up and let molecules pass through between the cells). High levels are absorbed and then enter in urine, bloodstream and tissues(especially damaged tissues). In cells oxalates can lead to oxidative damage,depletion of glutathione, immune system’s inflammatory cycle and pain. Leaves of plant almost always contain higher oxalate levels than the roots, stems and stalks. Aim for 25-45g Oxalate daily intake
	The Autism Oxalate Project was begun in early 2005 by Susan Owens. A brand new diet is being extensively used to treat children with autism and other disorders. Oxalate and its chemically similar form oxalic acid are widely used in industry. A researcher named Susan Owens discovered that the use of a diet low in oxalates markedly reduced symptoms in children with autism and PDD. For example, a mother with a son with autism reported that he became more focused and calm, that he played better, that he walked better, and had a reduction in leg and feet pain after being on a low oxalate diet. Prior to the low oxalate diet, her child could hardly walk up the stairs. After the diet, he walked up the stairs very easily. Many hundreds of children with autism throughout the world are now being placed on this diet with good results.
Ref: Greatplains lab
Oxalates and Autism
	Oxalates in the urine are much higher in individuals with autism than in normal children (Figure 1). As a matter of fact, 36% of the children on the autistic spectrum had values higher than 90 mmol/mol creatinine, the value consistent with a diagnosis of genetic hyperoxalurias while none of the normal children had values this high. 84% of the children on the autistic spectrum had oxalate values outside the normal range (mean ± 2 sd). None of the ± 2 sd).
None of the children on the autistic spectrum had elevations of the other organic acids associated with genetic diseases of oxalate metabolism, indicating that oxalates are high due to external sources.
	As shown in the table, both mean and median values for urine oxalates are substantially higher in autism compared to the normal population. As a matter of fact the mean oxalate value of 90.1 mmol/mol creatinine is equal to the lower cutoff value for the genetic hyperoxalurias. The median value in autism is six times the normal median value and the mean value in autism is five times the normal mean value.
Benefits reported by Susan Owens Improvements in gross and fine motor skills Improvements in expressive speech Better counting ability Better receptive and expressive language Increased imitation skills Increased sociability Speaking in longer sentences Decreased rigidity Better sleep Reduced self-abusive behavior Increased imaginary play Improved cognition Loss of bed wetting Loss of frequent urination Improved handwriting Improved fine motor skills Improvement in anemia and many more...
Oxalates Metabolism by Susan Owens Eating food high in oxalates is not the only way to get high oxalates systemically. Our bodies make oxalates on their own, especially when certain enzymes aren't balanced in their activity. Normally, once oxalates are in the gut, they may encounter particular species of bacteria which will digest them and turn them into something else that isn't so irritating. This system of microbial digestion may be why the body seems to purposefully route excess oxalate from the rest of the body to the gut. Unfortunately, the very microbes we need to do this digesting of oxalates for us are subject to being killed by antibiotics in common use. Even if there was no exposure to antibiotics, these microbes might not have colonized yet in very young children, for it does not tend to be in breastmilk, but must be picked up from the environment. Lactobacillus acidophilus is an oxalate-eating species, but when oxalates are in excess, lactobacillus can be killed off. It will be interesting to learn whether this may explain why certain people have great difficulty colonizing lactobacillus acidophilus. Fortunately, a probiotic formulation of a bacteria called oxalobacter formigenes that helps digest oxalates even better than lactobacillus is under development for patients with hyperoxaluria and related conditions. There is a positive side to oxalates because they help us manage calcium, but the management of oxalates themselves will fall down when cells are low in glutathione and also in oxidative stress. Oxalates add to that oxidative stress. Plants use oxalates to protect themselves from infection or from being eaten, as these crystals can tear up the mouths of the bugs that eat them, but we haven't learned nearly enough about the positive side of oxalates in humans. We know a lot of negatives about oxalates, but we are just starting to learn what chemistry will change when both the sulfur and oxalate chemistry are disrupted at the same time. Symptoms of high oxalates: Pain: urinary pain, joint pain, achiness Inflammation Ongoing dysbiosis Sandy Stools Low minerals Status Laboratory confirmation on UMA or MAP High Oxalates(greater than 10 mg per serving) Moderate((2 to 10 mg per serving) Low Oxalates((0 to 2 mg per serving) Beer Beets Blackberries Black and red raspberries Blueberries Celery Chard Chocolate Cocoa Coffee powder (Nescafe) Collards Concord grapes Crackers made from soy flour Currants Dandelion greens Eggplant Escarole Fruit cake Fruit salad (canned) Green bell pepper Grits (white corn) Juices containing berries Kale Leeks Lemon and lime peel Nuts (especially peanuts and pecans) Okra Ovaltine Parsley Pokeweed Rhubarb Rutabagas Spinach Strawberries Summer squash Sweet potatoes Tea Tofu Tomato soup Wheat germ  Apple Apricots Asparagus Bottled beer (12 oz [360 ml] limit/day) Broccoli Carrots Chicken noodle soup (dried) Coffee (8 oz [240 ml]) Cola beverage (12 oz [360 ml] limit per day) Corn Cornbread Cucumber Lettuce Lima beans Marmalade Oranges Orange juice (4 oz 120 ml]) Parsnips Peaches Pears Peas (canned) Pepper (greater than 1 tsp [2 grams] per day) Pineapple Plums Prunes Sardines Soy products (most) Sponge cake Tomatoes Tomato juice (4 oz [120 ml]) Turnip Watercress Apple juice Avocado Bacon Bananas Beef (lean) Bing cherries Brussels sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Cheese Eggs Grapefruit Green grapes Jellies Lamb (lean) Lemonade or limeaid without peel) Melons Milk Mushrooms Pork (lean) Poultry Preserves Nectarines Noodles Oatmeal Oils Onions Peas (fresh) Plums Radishes Rice Salad dressing Seafood Spaghetti White bread Wine Yogurt

May Conscious Box 2013 - Vegan

May Conscious Box 2013 - Vegan

How Does Conscious Box work?

Conscious Box is the best way to discover the most ethical and sustainable products on the planet! Focusing on strict tenets of organic, fair trade, and pure and natural products, each month Conscious Box will introduce you to healthy and honest alternatives for every aspect of your life and for every member of your family. Discover the best natural products, earn points for leaving feedback and reviews, and buy your favorites at incredible discounts!

• Get a variety of unique pure & natural products every month!
• From organic food to vegan beauty products, you’re sure to find new favorites!
• Discover ethical and purpose-driven businesses of all sizes!
• Get content on daily living tips, exciting monthly themes, and creative ways to use your box!
• Easily earn points you can apply to full size products for unbeatable discounts!

  https://www.consciousbox.com

 

May Conscious Box 2013 - Gluten Free

May Conscious Box 2013 - Gluten Free

How Does Conscious Box work?

Conscious Box is the best way to discover the most ethical and sustainable products on the planet! Focusing on strict tenets of organic, fair trade, and pure and natural products, each month Conscious Box will introduce you to healthy and honest alternatives for every aspect of your life and for every member of your family. Discover the best natural products, earn points for leaving feedback and reviews, and buy your favorites at incredible discounts!

• Get a variety of unique pure & natural products every month!
• From organic food to vegan beauty products, you’re sure to find new favorites!
• Discover ethical and purpose-driven businesses of all sizes!
• Get content on daily living tips, exciting monthly themes, and creative ways to use your box!
• Easily earn points you can apply to full size products for unbeatable discounts!

  https://www.consciousbox.com

 

More Green Juice

Day 3 of Green Juicing fast (along with the Apple juice & detox powder) 5/11/2013

 Spinach, Grapes, 1 Zucchini, carrots and kale

This juice was absolutely delicious...I give the credit to the grapes, it really sweetened it up, and I learned from yesterday's juice to alternate the grapes so not only the end bit (which I needed to pour into another cup due to the amount) was sweet.  For green juices I add only one fruit and have everything else be veggies. Especially on the cleanse I'm on I drink 10 apples worth of juice a day! I don't need any more sugar pumping through my blood:p

5/14/13 - Had the same green juice...only this time add some Betaine (sugar beet extract...without the sugar...more info below) And believe it or not this juice was actually too sweet for me! I should have added less grapes...but oh so delicious!

Betaine Benefits

What is Betaine?

Betaine is a naturally occurring chemical found in the stomach that helps in breaking up fats and proteins. It is a metabolite of choline, and is also known as trimethylglycine. Foods that are high in betaine content include sugar beets, spinach, shellfish and wheat. Betaine is important for the proper function of the heart and blood vessels.

Benefits of Betaine

Betaine is beneficial for a number of conditions and diseases, including heart disease and liver disease. This chemical also helps prevent build up of the amino acid homocysteine, which can harm blood vessels and contribute to stroke.

Betaine also benefits weight loss, because of its effect on metabolism. It helps to preserve muscle tissue during weight loss, because it is an osmolyte and methyl donor. What this means is that it is beneficial for maintaining cell hydration and volume, as well as fluid balance.

Betaine Weight Loss

Betaine's role in weight loss is more of a preservation of muscle tissue. Many people lose muscle tone and develop flab when on a weight loss diet.

Betaine is involved in biochemical reactions in the body, and it helps in detoxifying. It also helps generate creatine and other important muscle building compounds.

Betaine Supplement

The daily addition of a betaine supplement is beneficial for people who are prone to heart or liver disease. Because of the role it plays in preventing the build up of homocysteine, betaine is recommended for anyone with cardiovascular problems such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

The use of a betaine supplement is particularly important for weight loss. This compound helps in retaining muscle tone while detoxifying the body by flushing out the fat cells.

Fat Absorber

Natural product absorbs fat in the digestive system allowing it to pass with little or no side effects.