The Seal Story
Since 2008, it has been a journey and a half learning more about mammalian omega 3 from seal blubber and a culture that was on Canadian soil a lot longer than my ancestors. I was on my way to being a raw food vegan due to my holistic nutrition education. However, I remained open. I asked myself many questions.
After being introduced to the mammalian omega source in 2008 by RJ Millar, I was very curious to hear about this information – how it related to the health of the Inuit, how it was responsible for non-verbal autistic children to speak, and how it differed from fish which I had never been compelled to take regularly (call it intuition). In hindsight, this was meant to be, a synchronicity.
The next step was that I felt a result in the first day.
In the 1990s, seal blubber was discovered to be a rich and balanced source of omegas by Dr. Ho at Memorial University – another omega source alongside fish and plant. A possible more effective solution to the role omegas play in our body to manage inflammation which is part of every disease, conditions, injury and infection. In these times with an increase in stress levels, toxins and chemicals and foods that aren’t as nutrient dense, omegas may be a valued piece in the puzzle, an essential nutrient required for our nervous and immune systems.
Seal Harvest
The headlines portrayed one bloody picture. Others were telling me another story. Health Canada supports the seal hunt. Even certain political leaders, news reporters and chefs supported the seal hunt. Why the cry to stop the seal hunt? Is it driven by greed by the Humane Society? Other countries and companies hunt and produce seal oil? Are they wanted to take over the market share? After all, Canada gave a certain country the seal oil for free. Why?
Health Canada supports the seal harvest and shares that the number of seals are over 7 million and for their own survival they need to be hunted. Read more…
The people of Newfoundland have shared with me their feelings over the seal hunt and the propaganda. It seems to me the sealers are fishermen (people) too. Seal meat and blubber along with the seal fur industry is a part of their economics. Using the whole seal has been and is an important piece to learn. It isn’t just about the fur.
A good friend of mine from Newfoundland has a seal fur coat. She is part Inuit so she discovered later in life. Another neighbour has seal fur mittens from Nunavut and she says “the warmest mitts she has ever had.”
“I was surprised to learn that Omega 3, which the body cannot produce, is necessary for both replenishing the cells with nutrients
and also for the crucial job, all the more necessary in a toxic environment where our foods are becoming increasingly contaminated,
of helping the cells remove toxins. A lack of Omega 3 reduces the ability of the cells to efficiently perform their function,
leading to nutrient starvation and chronic illness.” Writer and Editor Lily Lanczi Read complete article
10 reasons to support the seal hunt? Read more…
Other insights to eating seal to survive was The Medicine Wheel, and Esther and Jerry Hicks’ description of eating choices.
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Today we eat far less fish and marine mammals than our ancestors did. Their naturally balanced diet contained a healthy ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 essential fatty acids (important elements for development and health.) Doctors are treating more and more incidences of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, inflammatory diseases, cancers and depression each year. A major contributing factor to such diseases is the decreasing level of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids in our diets, while the levels of Omega 6 “Bad Fats” continues to rise. Harp seal oil is rich in these vital Omega 3 nutrients, and due to its unique molecular structure, is absorbed more efficiently into our bloodstreams than fish and flaxseed oils.— Dr. Cosmas Ho/June 20, 2003
Inuit share “seal is critical to our survival” “seal skin mitts are the best to use in this climate”
The Inuit (not Eskimos as was originally thought which means meat eating dog) hunted seal for food and clothing. They ate seal and dipped raw fish in the seal blubber for nutrition and vitamins.
A Story of Survival For the hardiest stomach and viewer Chef Anthony Bourdain visits an Eskimo family that still uses some of its traditional foods. When it comes to surviving in the most extreme conditions, high cholesterol and high fat foods are proven to be essential.