Health Benefits of Flax Seed

Flaxhealth.com ^ | n/a | Flaxhealth.com

[Salvation]

Health Benefits of Flax Seed

Flax Fights Cholesterol

The consumption of flaxseed is associated with a reduction in total cholesterol, including the LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. Study after study has shown a positive response to eating ground flax seed daily. Eating low fat foods, increasing your exercise, limiting the salt, sugar and eating flax seed daily are a few ways that you can win the battle against high cholesterol.

Flax Fights Diabetes

Nutritionists are instructing their diabetic patients to eat flax daily. It has been discovered that the omega-3 fat and high fiber in flax may play a role in the fight against diabetes. In a study conducted by the University of Toronto, participants who ate flaxseed bread had blood sugar levels 28% lower an hour after eating than their counterparts who ate bread made with wheat flour!

Flax Fights Cancer

Flaxseed is high in lignans, up to 800 times the amount as in any tested plant food. Lignans (a phytoestrogen) have been called by H. Adlercreutz (in his article “Phytoestrogens: Epidemiology and a Possible Role in Cancer Protection”), natural cancer-protective compounds. Flax seed is also high in alpha linolenic acid (ALA) which has been found to be promising as a cancer fighting agent. The American National Cancer Institute has singled out flaxseed as one of six foods that deserve special study. Flax seed's high fiber aspect is also beneficial in the fight against colon cancer. Epidemiological studies note that diet plays a major role in the incidence of colon cancer. Research has shown that increasing the amount of fiber in your diet reduces your colon-cancer risk. Flax seed, high in fiber, lignans, alpha linolenic acid, is a key player in the fight against cancer, particularly breast and colon cancer.

Flax Fights Constipation

Flax is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. One ounce of flax provides 32% of the USDA’s reference daily intake of fiber. Flax promotes regular bowel movements because it is high in insoluble fiber. Flaxseed's all natural fiber helps to absorb water, thereby softening the stool and allowing it to pass through the colon quickly. When adding fiber to your diet, it is important to make sure that you are drinking at least eight glasses of water daily. Without enough liquids, fiber can actually cause constipation! In the fight against constipation exercise, eat fruits and vegetables, drink eight glasses of water daily and add two to four tablespoons of flax to your daily regime!

Flax Fights Inflammation

Flax is high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids. That’s good news for people who suffer from inflammatory disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis. Health experts, such as former Surgeon General C. Evertt Koop, recommend eating foods high in Omega 3’s for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It is the inflammation within the joints that cause so much of the pain associated with arthritis. The January 1996 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the participants in a study that took flax oil daily reduced inflammatory responses by as much as 30%.

Flax Fights Menopausal Symptoms

Hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, moodiness…ah, the joys of menopause. Can flax really help? Yes it can! Flax, like soy, is a phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like substances that are found in plants. Flax is the richest known plant source of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens act as a natural hormone therapy and help to stabilize hormonal levels. This stabilization of hormonal levels helps to lesson the symptoms of menopause.

Flax fights Heart Disease

Heart disease, the number one killer in America, has claimed the lives of too many of our family and friends. Years of a sedentary lifestyle, super size meals and processed foods has finally caught up with us. Can flax help? Yes it can. Numerous studies have been done on the effect of flax on heart disease, yielding many positive findings. Flax has been found to help reduce total cholesterol, LDL levels (the bad cholesterol), triglycerides. Flax helps to reduce clotting time and thereby reduces the chance for heart attacks and strokes. Regular intake of flax protects against arrhythmias and helps keep the arteries clear and pliable!

Flax and the Immune System

Across the table, your co-worker sneezes, no tissue in sight, you feel a light spray hit your face and shudder. Standing in a crowded elevator, in a busy mall, or in an airplane, you sometimes feel like you can’t escape getting at least one or two colds each year…or can you? Research has found that eating flax daily favorably affects immunity, the body’s ability to defend itself successfully against bacteria and viruses. Two components of flax, lignans and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), have been found to affect immune cells and compounds that control immune reaction.

Flax fights “The Blues”

It’s that tired feeling that a good night's rest won’t shake… that listless down in the dumps feeling that you just can’t get rid of. We call it “the blues”, otherwise known as atypical depression, the most common form of depression. Preliminary research suggests that eating a diet rich in flax could slash your risk of ever feeling “down in the dumps”. Follow up studies show that just 2-3 tablespoons of flax daily can help up to 2/3rds of severely depressed women bounce back within eight weeks. Flax, says Udo Erasmus, PhD, has a mood boosting ingredient: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that is essential for the proper function of brain cells, yet up to 85% of women aren’t getting enough of it. Early research conducted by Dr. Martha Clare Morris of Chicago’s Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center notes that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids is believed to be important for brain development. She stated that some participants in the study saw a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s from eating a diet high in Omege-3 fatty acids(Flax is the richest source of Omega 3’s in the plant kingdom). More research is needed in the area of flax and its relation to depression and brain function, however preliminary research is very promising.

[Salvation]

I started a diet and it has flaxseed in it. So I was wondering why. It appears it has many beneifits.

[Salvation]

For your ping list.

[Salvation]

Several of the recipes on this diet ask for 1 t. of ground flaxseed.

I got the flaxseed and use my coffee grinder to grind it up.

[Lancey Howard]

I take Udo’s. Good stuff.

[max americana]

The reason why I started taking flaxseed oil is NOT even related to ANY of the above...

Flaxseed oil is a tremendous help for people with dry eyes and the omega-3 associated with it is good for the eyes as well.

[kevkrom]

I use flaxseed meal in my low-carb cooking — I mix 4 parts of “carbalose” flour to 1 part flaxseed meal to 1 part cocnut flour. It’s a great lowcarb, high-fiber replacement for regular flour (use about 25% less and add 1 gg per 1/2 cup of mix) in things like muffins, pancakes, brownies, etc.

[csmusaret]

I lowered my cholesterol from 210 to 160 by taking lecithin and Lugol’s Solution.

[dangerdoc]

My only question is why does it taste like milkweed smells? My wife swears it tastes good to her but yuck!

[aculeus]

You can buy flax seed meal at WalMart. Look in the cereal section and in the flour section. If you look in the vitamin section you may find it but it’s packaged and priced as a health supplement and more expensive.

I mix it with other cold cereals.

[cripplecreek]

My dog had a cancer about 4 years back. The vet removed it but said the prognosis wasn’t good so I did some searching and ended up giving her a little cottage cheese and flaxseed oil.

Its been 4 years with no sign of the cancer returning. I don’t know if the flax had anything to do with it but it sure hasn’t hurt.

[Tax-chick]

You can get flaxseed oil in capsules or in bottles at a health food store. Refrigerate it!

It’s not a 1-to-1 substitute for fish oil: they have some different benefits.

[aculeus]

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10535803

[Taffini]

flax seed recipe bump

[LucyJo]

I didn’t know that about flaxseed helping with dry eyes. Do you happen to have a link to the info about it? I’d like to learn more.

[Mountain Mary]

Make sure the flax seeds are ground. Apparently they aren’t as beneficial in seed form.: coffee bean grinder works well.
And you can mix a T. or so in almost anything: oatmeal, choc. chip cookies, pancake batter. The kids don’t know the diff. I’m not a health nut but I’ve done this for a long time.

[max americana]

Your wish is my command...

Using Flaxseed Oil
To Relieve Dry Eye

By Michelle Stephenson; reviewed by Brian S. Boxer Wachler, MD

http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/flaxseed-oil.htm
****

I take 2 tablets per day.

[gimme1ibertee]

Flaxseed meal is also delicious mixed w/oatmeal,cinnamon and Splenda w/a little Smart Balance butter as a hot cereal..yum!I also add a single-serving cup of unsweetened applesauce for extra fiber and it keeps me going all morning long.

[csmusaret]

Cosco and Sams both sell capsules that contain fish, flax and a couple of other oils. Get all your Omegas in one bottle.

[tflabo]

Has anyone tried flaxseed in oatmeal? I never tried flaxseed/flaxmeal EVER!

[Tax-chick]

It looks like you’ve got mouse droppings, but doesn’t have any other obvious impact.

[Tax-chick]

That may be what I have in the maternity-health capsules I order.

[tflabo]

OK...you answered my oatmeal/flaxseed question!

[LucyJo]

Thank you, Max. I’m on my way to read it now.

[Onelifetogive]

for extra fiber and it keeps me going all morning long.

That does not sound convenient...

[TribalPrincess2U]

My doctor told me to take fish oil but I can’t tolerate fish oil so I use Barleans organic bottled flax oil from Wholefoods. Bottled is just more convenient for me.

1-2 TBSP a day and it is preferred you take it with plain non-fat yoghurt
which I do with a mixture of All Bran and shredded wheat cereal with blueberries/dark cherries/soy/honey mix. No flax oil taste there. LOL

Takes a few minutes to fix but it’s damn good and don’t forget to drink lots of water.

[Dysart]

Here's a very useful site with extensive lookup tools on supplements and herbs usage, depletions, interactions, warnings, same for drugs...and much more from The University Of Maryland Medical Ctr:

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Index

They aren't selling anything.

[LucyJo]

Thanks for the post. I was just wondering about that.

[TribalPrincess2U]

There is flax meal also. I put that in cookies, pancakes, etc.
Better then seeds.

[PrincessB]

I use the whole because they are dirt cheap at one of the local health food stores. I guess I need a grinder too.

I started using the seeds in my breakfast yogurt after reading a nutrition book. I think my body knows the difference.

[weef]

I mix this organic flaxseed with the lite Kroger brand yogurt:

Organic Ground Premium Flaxseed

It's actually cheaper at my local Kroger than this link. It's cold milled, organic, and already ground - who could ask for anything more...

[gimme1ibertee]

LOLOL!!!! That didn’t come out quite right,did it?
Er...wait....that didn’t either! LOL
(I better quit while i’m ahead...:p)

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[kevkrom]

Actual recipes can be found here

[ottbmare]

I am saving this article so I can tell my daughter to stop chiding me for tasting my horse’s dinner. I like horse food (oats, barley, corn, molasses, stuff to make one’s hair shiny—what’s not to like?) and keep sneaking handfuls of the flaxseed I buy for the mare as a supplement.

[maid of orleans]

Another good way to eat it is mixed with about a cup of plain low-fat Greek yogurt (much better for you then regular yogurt because it is not loaded with sugar). I stir in either honey or jam to sweeten it and then add fresh fruit such as mango and blueberries. Top it with Fiber One Cereal and a handful of walnuts. Yum! Try it!

You can also buy the ground flax seed at Costco.

[maid of orleans]

My eye doctor told me to take fish oil also due to dry eyes and a family history of macular degeneration. I could not tolerate the fishy burps though so he told me to freeze the capsules and that helps for the most part.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[conservativegranny]

I took flaxseed oil supplements for about a year after my doctor prescribed them to lower my triclycerides. I am a diabetic. It did nothing for my blood sugar levels. My immune system either since I continue to pick up every germ I come in contact with.

It did significantly lower my triclycerides but the laxative effects kept me almost housebound and I finally stopped taking it.

[Salvation]

A lot was mentioned about the omega 3 stuff down in a section on the site. I could not copy it.

Good point.

[Salvation]

Wow. Never heard of these alternative flours.

Maybe this is the reason I love coconut, though.

[Salvation]

A lot of people are getting more and more allergic to lecithin (a soy by-product and well as plain soy.)

I believe it’s beginning to show up because the doctors, etc. thought that soy was so wonderful.

[Salvation]

To me, I can’t detect a smell or a taste, but then I have allergies.

[Salvation]

I sprinkle it over my cold cereal too. Also oatmeal.

I also make a smoothie with 1 cup of non-fat milk, one and one-fourth cup of frozen berries and 1 teaspoon of flaxseed. Delicious breakfast shake.

[Salvation]

**Apparently they aren’t as beneficial in seed form.: **

I found that out — ughhh.

[Salvation]

I agree with you — even brownies or cake. Especially a carrot cake.

[Salvation]

I buy mixed fruits without sugar and do the same with applesauce, mandarin oranges, chunk pineapple — go light on the applesauce though. I also have frozen peaches that I thaw and cut up into this mixture.

[Salvation]

Another thing is make your own yogurt.

Use plain yogurt — 1/2 c for one serving
Add 1/4 cup fresh or frozen and thawed berries, a little light whipped topping to taste and voila! And much better for you than reg. yogurt.

[Salvation]

There’s a couple of posts about it here.

[Salvation]

** don’t forget to drink lots of water.**

The diet I am on has you mark off eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day.

[Salvation]

Glad to know you have the recipe ping list. I’ll include you next time too.