Page 70 - Spring2010

used a toothbrush. The good doctor concluded and nuts; along with seasonal vegetables and fruits.
that the state of one’s teeth was an excellent Also on the menu were some foods less commonly eaten today, such
reflection of the state of one’s overall physical as liver and other internal organs, fish roe, and bone marrow, which are
and mental health. Moreover, those consuming indeed super foods with a nutrient profile unparalleled by most others.
nutrient-dense foods produced offspring with The methods our forebears used to preserve and prepare these foods
beautifully round faces, and jaws wide enough to enhanced the nutritional package—methods such as fermenting, as in
accommodate all their teeth with proper spacing, sauerkraut; culturing, as in kefir or yogurt; and soaking grains, nuts, and
few or no cavities, and broad heads to allow for legumes to jump-start their digestibility. (If at this point you are feeling
proper brain development. No one needed braces overwhelmed, relax—these things will be added into your life gradually,
in societies consuming traditional foods! as your energy and desire grow.)
Women of childbearing age had hips wide
enough to give birth to a baby with relative ease. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR FAMILY TABLE?
In contrast to these robustly healthy people, When it comes to assessing your own kitchen prowess, you may marvel
those who had switched to a more “civilized” diet at the depth of a friend’s talents to prepare gourmet meals or envy another’s
of processed foods, sodas, and other westernized commitment to serving everything homemade—but you just aren’t ready
products soon began to manifest modern diseases to make the leap. Everyone has her own timing. The more you dig, the
and produce offspring with narrow jaws and more questions you ask, the further you will go into your traditional food
crowded teeth, and more narrow faces. Diseases journey. The further you go, the less daunting these seemingly overwhelm-
virtually unknown prior to exposure to processed ing traditional food practices will become. So where do you begin? What
foods, including cavities, set in at early ages, and if your current lifestyle doesn’t allow for food extremes? Let’s examine
mental unrest was common. four action steps that will get you started nourishing yourself and the ones
2,3
Current research confirms Dr. Price’s ex- you love to the best of your abilities, right now. Do what you can, make the
traordinary findings regarding the relationship improvements that are possible with your current circumstances. Remove
between nutrition, health and physical develop- any guilt for not being able to incorporate everything; growth in any area
ment. As you can guess, the foods these cultures is a process. We will begin with the easiest first (and ironically the most
consumed were real, whole, natural and fresh, important) and progress to the more energy-intensive steps.
untouched by industrial processing or other tech-
nology. For us today, this means to eat like our 1. COD LIVER OIL
grandparents, or perhaps great grandparents, ate. That’s right, add cod liver oil to the family’s daily routine. Cod liver oil
Lucky for us, their diet wasn’t bland and fat-free. is the elixir that has stood the test of time. In Johanna Spyri’s beloved novel
They enjoyed rich and delicious butter, cheese, Heidi, first published in 1880, Clara, Heidi’s sickly companion, regains
cream, eggs, and meats; whole grains, legumes her health on cod liver oil, raw goat’s milk and fresh mountain air! Oh, if

COD LIVER OIL FOR KIDS

Here are guidelines for cod liver oil dosages for children. For more on cod liver oil and recommended brands, visit
http://www.westonaprice.org/Cod-Liver-Oil-Basics-and-Recommendations.html. The best way to give cod liver oil is with
an eye dropper (for infants) or mixed with a small amount of water or fresh juice.

• Children age 3 months to 12 years: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 5000 IU vitamin A and about 500 IU
vitamin D daily, obtained from about 1 teaspoon of regular cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver
oil.
• Children over 12 years and adults: A maintenance dose of cod liver oil that provides about 10,000 IU vitamin A and
about 1000 IU vitamin D daily, obtained from 2 teaspoons of regular cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin cod
liver oil.
• Pregnant and nursing women: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 20,000 IU vitamin A and about 2000 IU
vitamin D daily, obtained from 4 teaspoons regular cod liver oil or 2 teaspoons high-vitamin cod liver oil.
9
To defray the cost of your monthly bottle of cod liver oil (good things don’t come cheap), find little ways to save during the
week. How about cutting back on dining out for lunch? Or drinking sparkling water instead of expensive lattés or sodas?

70 Wise Traditions SPRING 2010