While research is still ongoing into effects of these fatty acids on heart, research to date has shown that they:

•decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death •decrease triglyceride levels •decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque •lower blood pressure (slightly) Additionally, Omega 3 has been reported effective as an anti-inflammatory. And according to an article by Judith Horstman for Arthritis Today, “There’s strong evidence that fish oil supplements with omega-3 fatty acids can ease rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms, help prevent Raynaud’s syndrome spasms and possibly relieve some lupus symptoms.

There is some limited evidence that reduction in Omega 3 in average western diet can be a contributing factor to rise in:

•asthma •chronic fatigue syndrome •cystic fibrosis •osteoporosis •prostate cancer

Omega 3 Supplements

Any good doctor or nutritionist will tell you that best way to get any nutrient is to go right to source and eat it through foods they originate. In case of Omega 3 this would most likely be in form of fatty fish, flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil and soybean oil. That said, this is not always possible given average westerner’s diet and lifestyle. Additionally, for those suffering from sever depression or using Omega 3 to combat an existing condition, amount contained in foods we eat may not provide enough of this fatty acid. If this is case then it is important to know what you are looking for.

The supplement should be high in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). EPA, along with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are two active ingredients in Omega 3. EPA is considered to be therapeutic element. It is thus important to purchase a supplement higher in EPA than DHA.

Additional Notes

Due to recent developments and study of Omega 3 and all of its potential health benefits, majority of studies and information on it are preliminary and based on smaller test groups. Additional research is underway and should provide additional insight into how it works and exactly what its role is in brain’s functioning and development.

Currently additional studies are ongoing into roll of Omega 3 in brain and nerve regeneration, depression, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, neck and back pain, stress and an assortment of other mental and physical conditions.

About The Author

Bell's palsy is considered a "diagnosis of exclusion," meaning that other diseases producing similar symptoms should be considered first. For example, especially in childhood, Lyme disease—a bacterial infection transmitted by tick bite anywhere on body—can produce a very similar picture, and needs to be treated with an antibiotic drug.

In adulthood a different kind of infection, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, needs to be considered, because it should be treated with an antiviral drug. Like Bell's palsy, Ramsay Hunt syndrome damages a facial nerve, but involves varicella zoster virus, same virus that produces chicken pox and shingles. Apart from causing facial weakness, this virus typically produces blisters within ear—or sometimes in mouth or throat—that are not seen in cases of Bell's palsy.

Strokes can also produce weakness on one side of face, but almost always produce weakness in other parts of body as well. Another point of distinction is that strokes seldom interfere significantly with ability to blink or raise an eyebrow.

Fortunately, even without treatment most cases of Bell's palsy do well. About 50% obtain a full recovery within first six months, with first hint of improvement occurring after 10 days to two months. Another 35% obtain good, though sometimes incomplete, recovery within first year.

How about treatment? Prescription drugs often receive most attention because they seem more important or definitive than measures that don't require a doctor's prescription. The two most prescribed medications are anti-inflammatory steroids, like prednisone, and anti-viral drugs, like acyclovir. Based on what is known or suspected about Bell's palsy, their use makes sense. But what seems logical is not always true. Thus far, randomized, controlled trials—the gold standard for judging effectiveness of treatments—have shown minimal if any effect of these drugs on course of symptoms.

A little-heralded treatment is probably most important. And that is to protect eye. With loss of blinking, eye needs to be moistened and cleaned in order to prevent irritation and worst complication—secondary infection of eyeball's surface.

During waking hours this can be accomplished with liberal use of unmedicated eye-drops. At bedtime, a soothing, unmedicated ointment—like Lacrilube—can be squeezed from its tube into lower eyelid sac. Then patient can pad and tape upper and lower eyelids into a shut position overnight. Upon awakening next morning, he or she can uncover eye and resume eye-drop treatments. Any loss of vision should be reported promptly to a physician.

Can Bell's palsy recur? It does in about 5-9% of cases after an average interval of 10 years. The world's record for recurrences probably belongs to one poor soul described in a Slovakian medical journal as experiencing 11 relapses!

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley