The notion that Omega 3 was linked to depression and other mental illnesses came about based on studies conducted at Harvard University in 1999 on people with bipolar and a 1996 study by Journal of American Medical Association studying prevalence of depression across ten countries. The Harvard study found that fish oil was an effective treatment for bipolar. The study conducted by Journal of American Medical Association was expanded upon in 1998 when it was discovered that depression was lower in countries that consumed higher levels of fish.

Omega 3 As Part Of A Healthy Diet

Omega 3 is a substance found most commonly in fatty fish such as fresh salmon, tuna, mackerel, pilchards and sardines. Over last 100 years western diet has shifted radically to include far less fish and thus Omega 3 fatty acid. During same time depression is estimated to have increased up to 100 fold.

To maintain ideal health, average person should consume five grams daily of essential fatty acids (divided between Omega 3 and Omega 6). As this is not likely to change at any point in near future some recommendations have been laid out for those who choose to take Omega 3 supplements. These recommendations will be listed further below in section titled, “Omega 3 Supplements”.

Omega 3 And The Brain

While benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids can be noticed on many levels, biggest breakthroughs documented have occurred in improved mental functions and health. Omega 3 has been reported to be effective in treatment of depression. Numerous studies have indicated that during double-blind tests, patients suffering from depression who take Omega 3 over a placebo report significant benefits.

Similar results have been reported in treatment of bipolar and schizophrenia. There are theories that Omega 3 could be used to treat other mental conditions such as attention deficit disorder, borderline personality disorder, dyslexia and cognitive impairment however at time of this writing these beliefs are unsubstantiated by anything more than preliminary data.

Omega 3 And The Body

Bell's palsy is a condition causing weakness or even total paralysis of muscles on one side of face, typically developing over 3-72 hours. It can occur at any age and affects genders about equally. People with diabetes and depressed immune systems are at increased risk of having this condition, as are women in third trimester of pregnancy. Bell's palsy affects about 11 out of 1000 people sometime during their lives.

The problem lies within facial nerve, also known as seventh cranial nerve. The nerve is like a telephone-cable and contains thousands of individual nerve-fibers. There are two facial nerves, one for each side of face, and by far most common pattern is that one side of face is affected and not other.

The facial nerve ultimately connects brainstem (junction between upper brain and spinal cord located at base of skull) to muscles of face. Along way it travels through a narrow canal in skull bone. After exiting this canal near bottom of ear it divides into thousands of tiny branches before reaching facial muscles.

In Bell's palsy portion of nerve within skull's bony canal becomes inflamed for unclear reasons, though an infection with herpes simplex virus (the same virus that causes cold sores) is suspected in most cases. The condition is not contagious.

Because bony canal is rigid and narrow, swollen nerve-bundle has little room to expand, and compression of nerve-fibers can further injure them and cause more loss of muscle function. MRI scans of head can detect inflammation, but only if gadolinium (the MRI-equivalent of x-ray dye) is infused into a vein prior to scanning.

The weakness in lower facial muscles produces a lop-sided smile. Patients sometimes mis-identify side of their face that is affected: they focus on side of face that is "drawn" rather than on side that lacks ability to draw. Weakness in lower face also interferes with talking, eating and drinking, and beverages can dribble from corner of mouth. Weakness of upper face causes flattening of forehead-wrinkles and inability to raise an eyebrow.

But most significant problem is weakness in muscles that close eye, including those involved in blinking. Blinking—like other things we take for granted until they're gone—is an underappreciated but important activity that cleanses and moistens front of eyeball. So people with Bell's palsy experience dryness and irritation of eye on side of weakness. As a result, they try to blink even more frequently, but end up blinking unaffected eye more than eye that really needs it.