Haitian cholera underestimated the United Nations might be underestimating the human toll posed by Haiti’s ongoing cholera epidemic, according to researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Francisco. Using a mathematical model, the team calculates that nearly 800,000 more cases of cholera could occur before the epidemic ends, killing an additional 11,000 people. Current U.N. estimates predict 400,000 cases and 4,000 deaths occurring between December 2010 and December 2011. Vaccinating 10 percent of the population could avert 63,000 cases, the researchers predict in a study posted online March 16 in the Lancet. —Nathan Seppa

Omega-3s vs. vision loss Consuming omega-3 fatty acids found in fish might lessen the risk of vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration, Harvard University researchers report online March 14 in the Archives of Ophthalmology. Starting in 1993, more than 38,000 women filled out questionnaires regarding their health status and lifestyle. After 10 years, 235 had developed age-related macular degeneration. Those eating fish at least once a week were 13 to 62 percent less likely to develop the disorder than those who ate fish less than once a month, the researchers calculate. Researchers took into account confounding factors such as smoking, blood pressure and diabetes. —Nathan Seppa

Heavy smoking declines Since the first Surgeon General report warning against smoking came out in 1964, the percentage of smokers in the United States has fallen, as has the number of actual cigarettes lit up by those smokers per day, an international team of researchers reports in the March 16 Journal of the American Medical Association. Roughly 23 percent of U.S. adults smoked a pack a day or more in 1965, a rate that fell to 2.6 percent in California by 2007 and to 7.2 percent in the rest of the country. California has led the nation in antismoking programs. only 4.6 percent of Californians born during the 1970s who had reached age 35 were moderate-to-high-intensity smokers, compared with 13.5 percent nationwide. —Nathan Seppa

New test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Doctors may soon be able to diagnose a human brain-wasting condition similar to mad cow disease without taking a sample of brain tissue. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is caused by an infectious protein called a prion. the disease produces symptoms similar to other forms of dementia, so definitive diagnosis usually requires a brain biopsy or an autopsy after death. Now, researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland have developed a test that measures levels of an iron-carrying protein in the spinal fluid. low levels of transferrin protein in the spinal fluid can diagnose the disease with 80 percent accuracy, the researchers report online March 9 in PLoS one. —Tina Hesman Saey

Apple bodies no worse than pears A new study of more than 220,000 people in 17 countries finds no exaggerated heart risk for apple-shaped people — those who wear their excess fat around the belly. A major international research consortium confirmed what other studies have found: Excess weight increases an individual’s risk of heart attack and stroke. but contrary to a host of research, having that fat aggregated around the waist was no worse than having it amass at the hips or elsewhere, the authors report online March 11 in the Lancet. the findings linked heart risk primarily to factors associated with excess weight: blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. —Janet Raloff

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Post a commentBy Stephen Daniells, 18-Feb-2011

Related topics: Omega-3, Research, Nutritional lipids and oils, Cognitive and mental function

Daily supplements of omega-3 fatty acids may improve measures of depression in seniors with mild to moderate depression, according to new findings from Iran.

The role of omega-3 in depression is controversial, but there is biological plausibility.

Aug 20, 2010Aimee Larsen Stoddard

Flax Capsules May Reduce Psoriasis Symptoms – Aimee Larsen StoddardFlaxseed oil supplements, which are high in omega 3 fatty acids and have anti-inflammatory properties, have shown some benefits for treatment of psoriasis.

Psoriasis sufferers may benefit from the use of flaxseed, which contains omega 3 fatty acids, as a supplement. Psoriasis, an autoimmune skin disease marked by red and inflamed skin covered with scaly patches, is difficult to treat. Currently, no cure for the skin condition exists. Many people who have the disease find some relief from using alternative home remedies.

Flaxseed Properties and Medicinal Uses

Flaxseed comes from the flax plant, which is an annual herb. according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the flax plant probably originated in Egypt, and Egyptians used the seeds of the plant as medicine.

Flaxseed is made up of four basic components – fiber, oil, protein, and lignans. Flaxseed is high in soluble fiber and a gummy substance called mucilage. It is also rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid, and lignans, which are antioxidants.

Flaxseed is thought to be good for a variety of ailments and diseases. the University of Maryland Medical Center says that the oil in flaxseed “appears to be beneficial for heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, and a variety of other health problems.”

The National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine notes that flaxseed might be effective as a laxative, may lower cholesterol, may reduce cancer risk, and might reduce hot flashes in post-menopausal women. However, there has not been enough research to conclusively confirm or deny these benefits.

The essential fatty acids in flaxseed has also shown promise in improving skin health and helping with skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Flaxseed for Psoriasis

Psoriasis can be treated with prescription medications and home remedies. Many of the prescription drugs, including steroids and other topical medications, used to treat psoriasis have negative side effects, so some psoriasis sufferers look for alternative natural remedies.

To read about the use of natural aloe vera for psoriasis, see article Psoriasis and Aloe.

The omega 3 fatty acids in flaxseed appear to reduce inflammation associated with psoriasis. Flaxseed also “can act as an emollient, helping to seal moisture into the skin,” according to OrganizedWisdom.com. Psoriasis plaques are frequently dry and itchy, especially in the cold and dry winter months, so extra moisture is helpful.

Flaxseed’s use as a treatment of psoriasis has not been extensively studied, though it does show promise. Currently the most compelling evidence for its effectiveness at lessening the symptoms of the disease comes from people who have psoriasis.

There is a section on the National Psoriasis Foundation’s website that is devoted to tips from psoriasis sufferers themselves. several members of the website describe how flaxseed has helped them manage their condition.

One member of the site writes, “I tried everything from creams and lotions, to salt baths and everything in between. I read about a mother who gave her 11-year-old daughter flaxseed oil – within two months the girl was completely clear. I have been taking the flax oil for a month and approximately half of my body is clear now with the other half not producing plaques. I wish I had been told of this years ago.”

To read about the section of the National Psoriasis Foundation’s site called “It Works for me,” see article Personal Psoriasis Treatment Tips.

Flaxseed Oil and Psoriasis

Unfortunately, there is still no cure for psoriasis, so people who suffer from the skin condition must do what they can to manage their dry, scaly, itchy, and inflamed patches of skin.

Flaxseed has shown some benefits for psoriasis sufferers. the omega 3 fatty acids in flax seem to help reduce inflammation and dryness associated with the skin disease. more research is needed to confirm the benefits of flaxseed for psoriasis.

People who choose to use a flaxseed oil supplement should let their doctor know because the supplement can interfere with the absorption of some medications.

Readers might also be interested in reading about model CariDee English’s struggle with psoriasis.

Sources:

BodyBuildingForYou.com, “Flax Seed Oil – Benefit of Flax Seed Oil Supplements” (August 20, 2010).

HealthCentral.com, “Banish Psoriasis with Flaxseed Oil” (August 20, 2010).

nccam.nih.gov, “Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil” (August 20, 2010).

OrganizedWisdom.com, “Psoriasis and Flax Seed Oil” (August 20, 2010).

UMM.edu, "Flaxseed" (August 20, 2010).

• Flax Capsules May Reduce Psoriasis Symptoms – Aimee Larsen Stoddard