Q: My doctor told me I have excessive earwax buildup. My ears do get clogged up occasionally, but I never really thought of it as a big problem. After all, too much earwax isn’t a disease, right?

JVW: You’re right to think that excess earwax is not in itself a disease. But it’s a nuisance that signals a much more important problem, one that if left untreated could cause disease: Essential fatty acid insufficiency.

Essential fatty acids have many, many important functions, including (but certainly not limited to) preventing cardiovascular disease, preventing an enlarged prostate, maintaining normal brain cell membranes, regulating inflammation, and maintaining soft skin.

First, you should have any earwax (or clogs caused by dried ear wax) removed for what’s likely to be the very last time. Then start taking 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil and 1 tablespoon of flax oil at different times of the day. (This combination contains much more omega-3 fatty acid than omega-6, but since most people have much more omega-6 before supplementation, it should balance out.) Do this for two to four months, and it’s extremely likely that your earwax problems will be gone for good…as long as you continue to optimize your acid intake of essential fatty acids.

After two to four months, it’s usually possible to cut back the essential fatty acid supplement to 1 tablespoon of flax oil daily. (Flax oil is approximately 50 percent omega-3, 30 percent omega-6, and 20 percent omega-9 fatty acids, which is a good balance for the long run.)

Remember, whenever you supplement with fatty acids, you also need to take extra quantities of vitamin E, preferably as “mixed tocopherols.” For the first two to four months, it’s best to take 800 IU daily. After that you can lower your dose to 400 IU daily.