Message from Dr. Cosmas Ho M.D., C.C.F.P
In today's society, our human diet is vastly different from that of our ancestors. In early times hunting, fishing and gathering of foods was an important part of the lifestyle of the day and natural foods were at their best. Consequently, a biological preferable ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids was consumed.
Gradually, over the centuries, for various reasons including convenience, we began preparing and eating less and less fish and other marine mammals. As a result, our diet today is deficient in Omega 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), a most important "essential" fatty acid for human development and health. An "essential" fatty acid is one that cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from a food source.
Today, the medical profession is treating more and more incidences of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, in addition to cancers and depression. A major contributing factor to such diseases is deficiency in essential fatty acids.
Scientific studies have shown the importance of Omega 3 PUFA in infant and childhood development and are indicating the crucial need for Omega 3 PUFA in the diet of pregnant women. Therefore, the inclusion of Omega 3 PUFA in our daily diet is important for all ages.
There are a variety of Omega 3 PUFAs available in the market place today. Almost all of them are derived from fish oils. The properties of and molecular structure of fin fish oils are different from seal oil. Harp seal oil is very rich in DPA, DHA and EPA whereas the presence of DPA can vary from being very little to non-existent in fin fish oils. Humans due to its Molecular structure also more efficiently absorbs seal oil. After all, seals are mammals just as humans are mammals. I believe that Harp Seal Oil is the best source of Omega 3 PUFA in the world today.
I graduated from medical school in 1962 and have been in the practice of Family Medicine in Newfoundland, Canada since that time. I have always maintained that diet is one of the primary factors to staying healthy and consequently have devoted a considerable amount of time researching the health benefits of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their significance in the human diet.
There has been a multitude of research worldwide concerning the health benefits of fish oil and flax seed oil in the daily diet and a wide variety of information available on these oils. However there was very limited information available on marine mammal oil. As this was of keen interest to me, I initiated and was associated with several research projects at Memorial University of Newfoundland on the subject of seal oil. While research at Memorial University is ongoing, I concurrently undertook the development of seal oil for use as a primary source of Omega 3 for human consumption.
In 1994 Terra Nova Fishery Company Limited, a company which I founded, undertook the first commercial production of edible seal oil in the world at its facility in Clarenville, Newfoundland, Canada.
In 1995 the product was shipped to China for the first time and this continues today.
In 1997 the product was introduced to consumers in the Canadian market.
The information and knowledge I have gained as a result of intensive review and research into Omega 3 fatty acid, the various forms in which it is available and also my clinical observations and patient feedback over the years have lead me to believe that the effects of regular daily consumption of Omega 3 in the form of seal oil is superior to that of Omega 3 derived from fin fish. This belief also led to the development of this web site. It is my hope that visitors to this site will find the information contained herein helpful and that it will also promote further research and development by my medical and scientific colleagues into the health benefits of seal oil as an Omega 3 supplement.
The following is a selection of my clinical observations and also feedback I’ve received from patients and others who have been taking seal oil capsules on a regular daily basis over a period of time.
- Symptomatic improvements in Type 11 diabetes including diabetic neuritis.
- Symptomatic improvement in mobility, joint pain and swelling as a result of osteoarthritis. One osteoarthritic patient who had been taking seal oil capsules for a period of 6 months was also observed to have had a major improvement in her complexion and decreased evidence of age related wrinkles over her face. Family members also noted this.
- Improvements in elevated blood pressure.
- Decrease in serum tryglycerides in the blood.
- Reports of a decrease in the volume of gray hair.
- Improvements in ‘fatty liver’ conditions. This was particularly noted in China where fatty liver conditions are more prevalent than in North America.
- Improvement in symptoms associated with enlarged prostate.
- Very satisfactory results in acne patients, although it is noted that such good results are not occurring as frequently in China, likely due to other dietary factors.
- A case of a male patient with a 25 year history of severe and chronic acne rosacea whose symptoms have improved significantly with a daily regimen of seal oil.
- Significant clinical improvement in psoriasis.
- Improvement in cases of depression. One patient with a profound depression for 10+ years showed significant improvement.
- A case of terminal liver cancer with ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity) showed significant reduction of fluid with large doses of seal oil.
- Improvement in symptoms of migraine headache in all age groups. A case of a 5-year-old child showed drastic improvement in headache, which he suffered from daily.
- Patients have occasionally reported a fishy after-taste from taking the capsules. This seems to be the only side effect I have encountered.
In conclusion, having spent many years in the research and study of essential fatty acids and their benefits to human health, It is my opinion that a well balanced diet, rich in Omega 3 is much more conductive to good health than one incorporating only Omega 6. Further, Omega 3 in the form of seal oil is a superior form of Omega 3 and is an ideal dietary supplement.
