Although it may be upsetting, I am not ashamed to say I take a swig of cod liver oil after each meal. Of course it isn't your average cod liver oil, it is Carlson's Cod Liver Oil with lemon. The lemon may not make the thought or palatability easier to handle, but it does hint at a level of quality one wishes to have when one kicks back a dense oil that causes intermittent belching, reminding you of your fishy deed several hours after the fact.
Recalling the very moment I fell in love with the stuff, it almost seems too simple. One day back home in my local health food store I was going down the shelves reading all the labels. Why? Why not. Just as I picked up a green glass bottle of Carlson's a man walked by me and said, "That is the best stuff, right there." After that I bought a bottle and was sound in my trust of his advice. I don't know if it was the direct bluntness of his statement or the fact that he looked uncannily similar to Matthew McConaughey. Whatever the case, I am glad events unfolded as they have.
This isn't to say the green glass bottle that smelled strange when opened could have been poison. No, I was browsing the shelves with knowledge that all the products were omega 3 supplements, and the man's sincerity caused my curiosity. Looking into the subject I learned about a problem with most diets: a lack of omega 3 essential fatty acids (essential because our bodies do not produce them). It is truly amazing what health benefits can be attributed to omega 3 EFAs. A very quick google search finds a deficiency can mean depression, weight gain, heart disease, allergies, arthritis, cancer, and diabetes to name a few. The FDA even confides in its ability to substantially help heart health.
I realized my diet did not include enough omega 3 fats. The only source was the occasional salmon steak and perhaps flax seeds. Even these combined did not give me enough omega 3's because they were not consumed regularly. But regardless, most fish is now contaminated with mercury and other toxins, and flax oil does not provide any DHA--which is needed for the brain to function properly. Only 1% of the omega 3 in flax oil converts into DHA so it isn't really a viable source for proper amounts of DHA. The same is true with green leafy vegetables and certain nuts and seeds; plentiful in omega 3 but still lacking in DHA.
Enter Carlson's Cod Liver Oil. This product is great for every day consumption to maintain healthy levels of omega 3's and DHA. It is a good source of vitamin A and D, and D is especially needed when one doesn't get enough direct sun exposure which causes it's production in the skin. It also contains a touch of vitamin E, protecting it from becoming rancid before it can be digested.
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