Homemade Baby Wipes

I don't think I have blogged about this before so I thought I would let you in on a secret.  Store bought baby wipes are for the birds!  :)  There is a cheaper and HEALTHIER way.

Here goes:
Use a quality paper towel like Brawny (I have also found that Walmart's Great Value brand is fantastic).  Cut the roll in half so you have 2 short rolls.
You will need a container with a lid that one of the rolls will fit into.
Simply put 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol in the bottom of the container.  Now, place one of the cut rolls in the container.  Let it soak for 30 mins then pull the cardboard out of the center.  Remove the wipes starting from the center of the roll. 

Why so much trouble?  Why not just buy baby wipes?

Here are the ingredients of a certain name brand wipes:
water
Paraffinum Liquidum
Propylene Glycol
Oleyl Erucata
Phenoxyethanol
Glyceryl Oleate
PEG-40
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Cetearth-20
Methylparaben
PEG-75 Lanolin
Cetylpyridinium Chloride
Butylparaben
Perfume

Do you know what all that is?  I didn't think so.  I'll break it down for you according to my research.
Paraffinum Liquidum- mineral oil
Propylene Glycol- Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=705315#
Oleyl Erucata
Phenoxyethanol- According to a warning by the FDA of 2008 "Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants". 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenoxyethanol
Glyceryl Oleate
PEG-40- http://www.thesmartmama.com/understanding-labels-peg-40-hydrogenated-castor-oil-greenwashing/
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Cetearth-20- Ceteareth-20 is the polyethylene glycol ether of cetearyl alcohol; may contain potentially toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane. Violation of industry recommendations - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Not safe for use on injured or damaged skin
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=701225
Methylparaben- Methylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=703937#
PEG-75 Lanolin- This ingredient is a chemically-modified form of lanolin, a fat-like sebaceous secretion of sheep. (Limited information available)
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/721898/PEG-75_LANOLIN/
Cetylpyridinium Chloride- It is an antiseptic that kills bacteria and other microorganisms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetylpyridinium_chloride
Butylparaben- Butylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors.

Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence

Human skin toxicant - strong evidence

One or more animal studies show effects at very low doses

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=700868#
Perfume


Long story short....homemade baby wipes are cheaper AND healthier!  It's not hard.  So, get a roll of paper towels and a knife and get started!

Health Magazine

When we ordered our latest bulk food order, we were given a copy of a magazine the company puts out.  I have read quite a bit of it and it’s very interesting.  Did you know the top two killers in the U.S. are heart disease and cancer?  Could this be due to the American diet?  I don’t see why not.  Most Americans eat a diet high in fat, preservatives, additives, hydrogenated oils, etc.  How much processed food is in your cabinet?  Heart disease and cancer are not diseases you get just because of age.  I believe, for the most part, they are diseases you get because of poor lifestyle choices.  You cannot expect your body to remain healthy when it is fed junk and never exercised. 

According to Dr. Esselstyn (a doctor and researcher featured in the film Forks Over Knives), 

“Cardiovasuclar disease is a benign, food-related illness that can be halted.  Cardiovascular disease is almost non-existent in China, Papua New Guinea, central Africa, and the Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico.  These are largely plant-based cultures.”   

Now, I don’t believe your diet has to be completely plant based, however, most Americans don’t eat very many plants at all.  The sauce on your pizza should not be your only vegetable! 

“Eighty-five percent of common, chronic, killing diseases in Western civilization are diet-related,” Dr. Esselstyn says.  “The single most important thing is what goes through your lips.  That determines whether your disease progresses or regresses.  If everyone started eating to save their heart, we’d really empty out the hospitals.  This same approach doesn’t apply only to the heart.  It applies to other organs as well.”

This is my kind of magazine!  I am amazed at what people eat and consider it to be healthy.  Most of the time, they just don’t consider it at all.  They don’t think it’s a big deal to eat all that junk.  Changing your diet and lifestyle happens one step at the time.  You can’t do it all over night but you should try as hard as you can.  Make significant changes.  Follow the baby steps I have outlined to get you started. 

I’ll be honest.  The hardest part about it is the outside world.  People will look at you funny or even give you a hard time because you won’t eat everything at the potluck.  They may criticize you or call you weird.  We have been through it all…sadly.  Most of it came from people we are closest to.  Why is it that when you make a better choice for your life, like eating right, people get so worked up about it?  They are actually the “weird” ones because they choose to fuel their bodies with chemicals and nothingness then expect a doctor to fix it all later. 

No matter what, take the leap.  Do what is right and you will feel much better.  Your body will feel great and you will get tougher over time as your loved ones question you.  Stand strong and do it.

By the way, just because a food is healthy doesn’t mean it’s nasty.  We don’t eat lettuce and tree bark for supper.  (Just check out some of the recipes on this blog.)  In fact, we think our food is much tastier than traditional American food!  Maybe that’s because our taste buds are awake and not coated with additives and chemicals?!

Clean food is fulfilling

Dirty Dozen

Have you ever heard of the Dirty Dozen?  These are a dozen fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticides.  These are items you should grow yourself, buy organic or don't by at all. 

The fruits and vegetables to beware of are:
apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported nectarines, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, white potatoes, domestic blueberries, lettuce and kale/collard greens.

We once thought you could just wash these items thoroughly and that would take care of the problem.  However, we learned that is not true. 

So, all those apples we bought several months back.....

weren't organic. 

Live and learn.  Now I have told you so you can't say you didn't know!

Why We Use Coconut Oil

We gave up vegetable oil years ago then started using olive oil.  I learned that olive oil isn't good for frying (a person has to have some fried potatoes every now and then!), the oils we were using came from GM sources, most oils are not natural and also contain trans-fat (unlike naturally occurring coconut oil).  So, we switched.

There are many benefits to using coconut oil.  For example, coconut oil is naturally occurring unlike some of the oils sold that have been factory created into a nasty, oily, rancid substance.  Not to mention, most of them are manufactured from genetically modified plants (corn, soy, canola) which gives them a terrible start anyway.  You should know now that anything naturally created is better for you than a manufactured food product.

 Not all fat is bad.  Actually, natural saturated fat is good for you!  I've read before about all the "low fat" fad diets that went around in the 90s and how obesity actually rose during this time.  Aside from the fact that natural fat is good for you, "low fat" frozen dinners contain all kinds of unnatural nastiness.  But that's a rant for another day.

Back in the 1930s, Dr. Weston Price found South Pacific Islanders whose diets were high in coconut to be healthy and trim, despite high dietary fat, and heart disease was virtually non-existent. Similarly, in 1981, researchers studying two Polynesian communities for whom coconut was the primary caloric energy source found them to have excellent cardiovascular health and fitness.  (emphasis mine)

 *If you have never researched Dr. Weston Price's studies, you should.  He did a mass amount of research in people groups and basically discovered that Americans have it all wrong.  Here is his Wise Traditions website.

There are many health benefits to coconut oil.  For example:

• Improving your heart health.(3)
• Boosting your thyroid. (4)
• Increasing your metabolism.
• Promoting a lean body and weight loss if needed.
• Supporting your immune system. (5)

...Coconut oil is incredibly good for your heart. The truth is this: it is unsaturated fats that are primarily involved in heart disease and too much sugar and processed foods, not the naturally occurring saturated fats, as you have been led to believe. 

Coconut oil also has a high smoke point which means you can use it to fry those potatoes without smoking up the house and saturating your food in an oil that has been heated to an unhealthy, unnatural degree.

We have also found another use for coconut oil....lotion!  We don't use any store bought lotions because of the ingredients and coconut oil is sooo much better anyway.  In fact, I have read that some studies show coconut oil to have some anti-aging qualities and that's never a bad thing...

We pay roughly $82 for 50 pounds of pure coconut oil.  We buy it in a big, metal bucket.  It lasts us a full year and takes care of all our cooking and lotion needs.  It is solid at room temperature so it's easy to scoop some out of the bucket and melt it in your skillet for cooking.  I've also found that it substitutes nicely for Crisco in pie crusts!

You don't have to buy 50 pounds but we have found it to be most economical this way.  It also comes in varying qualities.  We don't buy the super expensive stuff because ours is still pure coconut oil.  As a result, it does not have a coconut flavor so you don't have to worry about everything tasting like coconut.

When you consider everything discussed here, coconut oil is the best option.  No other oil is ever worth considering.  Most other oils are unnatural and unhealthy.  They also contribute to bad health and weight gain.


All quotes referenced from here. (great article)

GMO Corn and Other Crops

"Genetically modified foods (GM foods or GMO foods) are foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques.  GM foods were first put on the market in the mid 1990s (1996). Typically, genetically modified foods are transgenic plant products: soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil.  Critics have objected to GM foods on several grounds, including safety issues,^[7] ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact that these organisms are subject to intellectual property law."

Huffington Post

It's very dangerous and tricky when companies start changing the DNA make-up of crops for profit.  Corn (like other crops) was changed to be stronger and withstand pesticides.  With GMO corn, Round-up can be sprayed on the entire field, killing pests but not the corn.  So, now, not only do you have a vegetable that has a new, engineered genetic make-up, it is also covered in Round-up.

"In a study released by the International Journal of Biological Sciences, analyzing the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers found that agricultural giant Monsanto's GM corn is linked to organ damage in rats.
According to the study, which was summarized by Rady Ananda at Food Freedom, "Three varieties of Monsanto's GM corn - Mon 863, insecticide-producing Mon 810, and Roundup® herbicide-absorbing NK 603 - were approved for consumption by US, European and several other national food safety authorities."
Monsanto gathered its own crude statistical data after conducting a 90-day study, even though chronic problems can rarely be found after 90 days, and concluded that the corn was safe for consumption. The stamp of approval may have been premature, however."  From here, bold mine

 The Wikipedia definition at the beginning of this post stated concerns, one being "the fact that these organisms are subject to intellectual property law."  What is the intellectual property law?  I knew you would ask...
Intellectual property is any innovation, commercial or artistic, or any unique name, symbol, logo or design used commercially.
Intellectual property is protected by
•  patents on inventions;
•  trademarks on branding devices;
•  copyrights on music, videos, patterns and other forms of expression;
•  trade secrets for methods or formulas having economic value and used commercially
Definition found here.

So, why is there concern "that these organisms are subject to intellectual property law?"  Because of the issue of putting a patent on life.  Is it right to patent a seed?  That depends on who you ask.  Now that corn is genetically modified, one company can own it.  They can govern who grows their corn.  This also means that if you are farming your own corn next to their GMO corn and their seeds blow over into your field...your operation can be shut down, sued, etc for "stealing" their product.  You didn't want their GMO corn in the first place.  That is a huge economic concern.  A large company can shut down a small farmer because of seeds that blew onto his property and took root.  Now the farmer has a choice, either work for that company and grow their GMO corn or stop farming crops. 
This Supreme Court ruling is responsible for allowing companies to patent life.

"With the biomedical revolution in full swing, academic scientists who lack industry ties have become as rare as giant pandas in the wild. But as Congress begins to investigate lapses in federal oversight of gene therapy experiments, lawmakers, bioethics experts and federal regulators say they are troubled that so many researchers have a financial stake in companies testing their discoveries -- companies whose fortunes, with those of the scientist, can rise and fall on a single product.
The fear is that the lure of profit could color scientific integrity, prompting researchers to withhold information about potentially dangerous side effects or push for experiments that might not be quite safe."  New York Times

If this is a concern in the medical field, it can also be true in the food industry.  Scientists creating these GMO products could also have their integrity "colored" by the "lure of profit." 

"The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) urges doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients. They cite animal studies showing organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system disorders, accelerated aging, and infertility. Human studies show how genetically modified (GM) food can leave material behind inside us, possibly causing long-term problems. Genes inserted into GM soy, for example, can transfer into the DNA of bacteria living inside us, and that the toxic insecticide produced by GM corn was found in the blood of pregnant women and their unborn fetuses.  Numerous health problems increased after GMOs were introduced in 1996. The percentage of Americans with three or more chronic illnesses jumped from 7% to 13% in just 9 years; food allergies skyrocketed, and disorders such as autism, reproductive disorders, digestive problems, and others are on the rise. Although there is not sufficient research to confirm that GMOs are a contributing factor, doctors groups such as the AAEM tell us not to wait before we start protecting ourselves, and especially our children who are most at risk.

The American Public Health Association and American Nurses Association are among many medical groups that condemn the use of GM bovine growth hormone, because the milk from treated cows has more of the hormone IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1)―which is linked to cancer."  Institute for Responsible Technology

The article cited above is a great read.  Click on the link for more information.

In conclusion, if you consume most cereal, candy bars, condiments, fruit juice, popcorn, sodas, chips, tomato based sauce, jelly, etc. (the list is endless) you are consuming GMO corn (along with several other GMO crops). 

Don't be a test pilot.  Be informed.

Our Porous Skin

po·rous

adjective

1.  full of pores.

2.  permeable by water, air, etc.

 Our skin is extremely porous.  Meaning, it soaks up everything we put on it (and that's more than just water!).  So, lets consider that for a moment....  On a daily basis, you might use perfume/cologne, hairspray, makeup, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, chapstick, soap, hand sanitizer, etc.  All of that soaks into your skin.  Not to mention the water you use to wash (and drink) most likely contains chlorine and fluoride.

If you have a baby in your home, think of how they are being saturated from birth with baby lotion, body wash, chemicals on wipes, ointments, powders and who knows what else.  What effect does that have on them as they grow?

We do not use lotion in our house.  We use coconut oil.  We buy it to cook with and also use it for moisturizer.  It's fantastic!  AND it's natural.

Soon, we'll explore what is in everyday products and the harm they can cause your body.  For now, just think about it and consider all the products you have in your house that are for your skin.

Natural living includes more than just food.  It also includes how you treat your body from the outside!

Nitrites and Nitrates in Processed Meat

Don't those look natural?

 "Sodium Nitrite helps prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism in humans and is also used alone or in conjunction with sodium nitrate as a color fixative in cured meat and poultry products (bologna, hot dogs, bacon, lunch meat). During the cooking process, nitrites combine with amines naturally present in meat to form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. It is also suspected that nitrites can combine with amines in the human stomach to form N-nitroso compounds. These compounds are known carcinogens and have been associated with cancer of the oral cavity, urinary bladder, esophagus, stomach and brain.

Research in Sweden found that Swedes who ate on average 3 ounces of processed meat each day had a 15 percent greater chance of developing stomach cancer than those who consumed 2 ounces or less. The Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and the University of Southern California reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2005;97:1458-65) that they studied 190,000 people, ages 45 to 75, for seven years. Those who ate the most processed meat (bacon, ham, cold cuts) had a 68% higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate the least. "Most" was defined as at least 0.6 ounce processed meat, 1 ounce beef or 0.3 ounce pork per 1,000 calories consumed. "  SupermarketGuru

That same article states that dietitians suggest to consume some sort of antioxidant such as vitamin C or vitamin E before a meal that contains a processed meat to help reduce the "possible cancer-causing effects of sodium nitrite."  It's not smart to eat something that requires you to consume an antioxidant beforehand just so your risk of cancer can be reduced.  The best thing to do it to not consume processed meats at all.  

Here is an interesting website that broke down information about hotdogs well...if you are interested in more information.

Nitrates and Nitrites in and of themselves are not dangerous.  In fact, they are found in vegetables and some drinking water.  The problem is when they are used in processed meats as a preservative.  When protein is present, they form compounds that are carcinogens.

Be aware of this hazard and cut back on processed meat.  These preservatives are dangerous for everyone especially children and pregnant women.  Interesting....kids eat the most hotdogs....

"...just this year, there was a study finding that kids who eat three or more hot dogs a week have a higher than normal rate of leukemia. Other studies found that eating hot dogs during pregnancy can increase the risk of brain tumors in the babies."  resource

Be informed.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

"High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness.  Critics of the extensive use of HFCS in food sweetening argue that the highly processed substance is more harmful to humans than regular sugar, contributing to weight gain by affecting normal appetite functions, and that in some foods HFCS may be a source of mercury, a known neurotoxin."  Wikipedia

Photo from Princeton University

In case you haven't noticed, HFCS is in LOTS of things you buy in the store.  Check the ingredients on your cereal, salad dressing, tomato products, soda, yogurt, soup, cookies, etc.  It is important to limit your intake of any kind of sugar but HFCS is something that really raises some eyebrows.  Anything that is created in a lab and approved by the FDA as "safe to consume" raises my eyebrows.

Why was High Fructose Corn Syrup created?  Well, it was created in the 1960s.  Then, in the 1970s, sugar prices rose so the food industry started replacing table sugar with HFCS in processed food.  Humans have been consuming regular table sugar for many, many years and have only been consuming HFCS for about 40 years so the effects of it aren't clear.  Are we the test pilots for this sweetener?  I think so.

One website noted, "In 1983, a beverage analyst estimated that by switching to high-fructose corn syrup, Coca-Cola gained a cost advantage of USD 70 million a year over Pepsi and its bottlers. A year later, Pepsi followed in Coke’s footsteps and also began using the artificial sweetener. "  So, we see that just like the arsenic chicken, it was created for profit....and it doesn't profit your health.  That same website also stated, "Because there are no enzymes to digest high fructose corn syrup, it is metabolized by the liver. ... An overworked liver produces significantly more uric acid, multiplying the risk for heart disease."

High Fructose Corn Syrup was once marketed as "natural."  According to MSNBC, "Natural is relative, so think of it this way: HFCS would not exist without the aid of humans. (Of course, neither would table sugar.) "You don't just squeeze it out of a kernel of corn," explains Jacobson. The sweetener is made from cornstarch via a process that alters corn's naturally occurring starch molecules. For that reason, Jacobson and CSPI protested an early version of the Corn Refiners Association ads that used the term natural in reference to HFCS. Eventually, he says, they took out the word "because it's not natural — it's highly processed."

Aside from the chemical concerns I have with HFCS, I found an interesting article from Princeton University.  According to them, HFCS leds to obesity faster than regular table sugar.  The scientists conducted several studies giving rats sugar water or HFCS mixed with water along with their regular rat chow.  The rats given High Fructose Corn Syrup in their water gained a considerable amount of weight. 

""These rats aren't just getting fat; they're demonstrating characteristics of obesity, including substantial increases in abdominal fat and circulating triglycerides," said Princeton graduate student Miriam Bocarsly. "In humans, these same characteristics are known risk factors for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cancer and diabetes." ...The Princeton researchers note that they do not know yet why high-fructose corn syrup fed to rats in their study generated more triglycerides, and more body fat that resulted in obesity."  Princeton

Keep in mind...

"It's prudent to consume any added sugar only in moderation. Consider these tips to cut back:

• Avoid sugary ... sodas. Drink water or other unsweetened beverages instead.
• Choose breakfast cereals carefully. Although healthy breakfast cereals can contain added sugar to make them more appealing to children, skip the non-nutritious, sugary and frosted cereals.
• Eat fewer processed and packaged foods, such as sweetened grains like cookies and cakes and ... microwaveable meals.
• Snack on vegetables, fruit, low-fat cheese, whole-grain crackers, and [plain] yogurt instead of candy, pastries and cookies." edited by me   Mayo Clinic

 There is sooo much information to read about High Fructose Corn Syrup that it can be overwhelming.  The one thing I learned from all my research is cut it out.   Your body does not need to try to digest HFCS.  Don't be a test pilot.  Be informed.

The Truth about Chicken

Did you know that until recently, the chicken we were eating from the supermarket contained traces of arsenic?  The FDA admitted here that small traces of the poison may have made it's way to the chicken we eat.

photo borrowed from mccormick.com

 Here is my favorite quote from the article:

"Pfizer Inc., which makes the feed ingredient, said Wednesday that it will pull it off the market in the United States. Had the company not stopped sales, the FDA could have eventually banned the product since it contains a known carcinogen."

"could have eventually banned"  Sounds like the FDA was reeaallly concerned.  The question is would they have eventually banned it?  If it's a "known carcinogen" then why was it ever given to chickens the public consumes?  I'll tell you why.  Arsenic is given to poultry to "kill parasites and promote growth" (according to the article).  So, at the risk of your health, they will give these birds a known carcinogen as to not risk their pocketbooks.  

Does is make you wonder what else the FDA overlooks?  It does me.

Mass-produced chickens are typically raised under terrible conditions.  Most of them get no sunlight or room to roam.  I have read that they actually only have about 1/2 a square foot of floor space per bird.  These cramped conditions can cause illness in the birds.  It would make sense to me to change their living conditions.  However, it makes more sense to Big Ag farmers to just make the birds survive in those conditions by giving them antibiotics. 

"The stress that poultry endure in crowded hen farms can cause disease, which is why they are given antibiotics. Scientists warn that the routine use of antibiotics in animal agriculture promotes the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can lead to serious consequences to human health."  drmercola.com

 If we don't take action and use our purchases as votes, the FDA will continue to allow chemicals, poisons, practices, etc to advance Big Agriculture.

Ok, some people don't care about the living conditions of their food before it reaches their table but do you think it's quality meat?  Do you want to feed meat to yourself and your family that contains traces of antibiotics, arsenic and who knows what else?  Choose good food.

Check out this brand: Harvest Land

Natural Cleaners

One thing I can't stand as a minimalist and a "naturalist" is a cabinet full of various cleaners. I spent a while getting rid of cleaners and experimenting with natural alternatives.  Here are some recipes I found helpful:
 

Furniture Polish:
¼ cup vinegar
Few drops of olive oil
Place in a spray bottle, shake.

(If it's not real wood, I just use a damp cloth.)

Window Cleaner:
¼ cup vinegar

2 c. water

Automatic Dishwasher Detergent:
1 cup Borax
1 cup WASHING soda (not baking soda)
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup citric acid (for hard water)

Mix together in a jar.  Use a tablespoon or two for each load.  Fill your rinse compartment with vinegar.


Soft scrub/toilet cleaner:
1/2 cup BAKING soda
Enough liquid castille soap to make it thick
Mix this all together to form a paste and it works well to scrub your toilets or tubs.

All Purpose Cleaner:
½ tsp.  WASHING soda
2 tsp. Borax
½ tsp. liquid castille soap
2 cups HOT (distilled or filtered) water
Combine minerals and soap.  Add water.  Shake well each time you use it.

So, get rid of all those nasty chemicals!  You don't need to smell them and your kids don't need to be around them.

Don't get these two confused!

Cod Liver Oil...YUM

Cod liver oil...doesn't that sound yummy?  Well, in fact, there are many health benefits to taking cod liver oil AND you can buy it in a tasteless capsule.  If you like liver, then there are places where you can order fresh, pure cod liver but, if you're like me and the sight of liver makes you gag, then order a quality supplement.  It can be that easy.  So, don't run away just yet.

It is said that fishermen used to fill a barrel with cod livers and salt water, let it ferment for up to a year then consume the oil or apply it to their skin.  This doesn't sound appealing but research indicates these were very smart fishermen.

Cod liver oil contains certain fatty acids that prevent your blood from clotting easily. These same fatty acids have also been proven to reduce pain and swelling. 

Cod liver oil contains vitamins A & D in addition to  omega 3 fatty acids which can help with:
wounded skin (when applied to the skin)
heart health
reduced mortality for all cancers
damaged hair and nails
healthy vision
boosting your immune system
regulating blood sugar
lowering blood pressure
proper embryonic development
boosting brain power
lowering high triglycerides (by 20% to 50%)
and much more!

Some research even indicates that cod liver oil aids in weight loss....although I'm not sure this has been proven.

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For lowering triglycerides: 20 mL of cod liver oil per day.
• For high cholesterol: 30 mL of cod liver oil per day.
• For lowering blood pressure: 20 mL of cod liver oil per day.  WebMD

Of course, you should do your own research and consult your doctor before you begin taking any supplement including cod liver oil especially if you're pregnant.  However, based on my research, the benefits of taking it are astounding.  Now, this doesn't mean you should continue to eat junk food and count on a supplement to fix your problems.  I'm a firm believer in a healthy diet.  If you maintain a healthy diet/lifestyle and take a supplement like cod liver oil, my opinion is, you're giving your body a fighting chance.  Don't wait until you're older and wish you had.  If you're already older, don't say it's too late.  It's never too late to fuel you're body correctly.