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A rich source of healing oil, flaxseed has been cultivated
for more than 7,000 years. Among the oils most important uses
are the prevention and treatment of cancer, heart disease,
and a variety of inflammatory disorders and hormone-related
problems.
What Is It
It began as a fiber for weaving-and it remains the basis of
natural linen fabric. However, the medicinal properties of
flaxseed quickly became legendary. A slender annual that grows
up to three feet high and bears blue flowers from February
through September, the flax plant was first grown in Europe,
then later brought to North America, where it continues to
thrive. Both the oil from the flaxseeds (also known as linseeds)
and the seeds themselves are used for therapeutic purposes.
What Does It Do
Flaxseeds are a potent source of essential fatty acids (EFA5)-fats
and oils critical for health, which the body cannot make on
its own. One EFA, alpha-linolenic acid, is known as an omega-3
fatty acid. Found in fish and flaxseeds, omega-3s have been
acclaimed in recent years for protecting against heart disease
and for treating many other ailments. Flaxseeds also contain
omega-6 fatty acids (in the form of linoleic acid (-the same
healthy fats present in many vegetable oils. In addition,
flaxseeds provide substances called lignans, which appear
to have beneficial effects on various hormones and may help
fight cancer, bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Ounce for ounce,
flaxseeds boast up to 800 times the lignans in most other
foods.
Common Uses
• Helps protect against cancer, heart disease, cataracts,
and gallstones.
• Reduces inflammation associated with gout and lupus.
• Promotes healthy skin, hair, and nails; benefits acne,
eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and sunburn.
• May be useful for infertility, impotence, menstrual
cramps, and endometriosis.
• Aids in treating nerve disorders.
• Relieves constipation, gallstones, and diverticular
disorders.
Major Benefits
EFAs work throughout the body to protect cell membranes-the
outer coverings that are gatekeepers for all cells, admitting
healthy nutrients and barring damaging substances. That function
explains why flaxseed oil has such far-reaching effects.
Flaxseed oil works to lower cholesterol, thereby protecting
against heart disease. It may provide benefits as well against
angina and high blood pressure. A recent five-year study at
Simmons College in Boston indicated that it may be useful
in preventing a second heart attack. As an anti-inflammatory,
it improves the treatment of such conditions as lupus and
gout. As a digestive aid, it can help prevent or even dissolve
gallstones. Flaxseed oil also boosts the health of hair and
nails and speeds healing of skin lesions, so it is effective
for everything from acne to sunburn. In addition, it may facilitate
the transmission of nerve impulses, making it potentially
useful for numbness and tingling, as well as for chronic brain
and nerve ailments such as Parkinsons or Alzheimers disease
or nerve damage from diabetes. It may even help fight fatigue.
Crushed flaxseeds are an excellent natural source of fiber.
They add bulk to stools, and their oil lubricates the stools,
making flaxseeds useful for the relief of constipation and
diverticular complaints.
Additional Benefits
Flaxseed oil seems to have cancer-fighting properties, though
further studies are needed, It may reduce the risk of breast,
colon, prostate, and possibly skin cancers, and studies at
the University of Toronto found it may help treat women with
both early and advanced breast cancer too.
Because flaxseeds contain plant-based estrogens (phytoestrogens)
that mimic the female sex hormone estrogen, the oil can have
beneficial effects on the menstrual cycle, balancing the ratio
of estrogen to progesterone. It helps improve uterine function
and can therefore treat fertility problems. As an anti-inflammatory,
flaxseed oil can reduce menstrual cramps or the pain of fibrocystic
breasts.
This oil can promote well-being in men as well. It has shown
some promise against male infertility and prostate problems.
In some studies, flaxseeds were also found to possess antibacterial,
antifungal, and anti-viral properties, which may partly explain
why flaxseed oil is effective against ailments such as cold
sores and shingles.
How To Take It
Dosage: Liquid flaxseed oil is the easiest
way to get a therapeutic amount, which ranges from I teaspoon
to 1 tablespoon once or twice a day. To get I tablespoon of
the oil in capsule form, youII need to swallow about 14 capsules,
each containing 1,000 mg of oil. For flaxseed fiber, mix I
or 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds with a glass of water
and drink it up to three times a day; the treatment may take
a day or so to act.
Guidelines For Use: Take flaxseed oil with
food, which enhances absorption by the body. You can also
mix it into juice, yogurt, cottage cheese, or other foods
and drinks.
Possible Side Effects
Flaxseed oil appears to be very safe. Those using the ground
seeds may experience some flatulence initially, but this should
soon disappear.
Facts and Tips
• Flaxseed oil has a nutty, buttery taste that many
people enjoy. You can add it to salad dressings or sprinkle
it over foods; a tablespoon contains just over 100 calories.
But do not cook with it, because heat breaks down its nutrients.
You can add it to foods after they're cooked, though.
• Capsules are a costly way to take the oil: More than
a dozen are needed to equal 1 tablespoon of oil. But capsules
may be convenient when traveling or when spooning out or refrigerating
the oil is difficult.
Shopping Hints
• Flaxseed oil spoils fast, so always check the expiration
date on the label. To insure freshness, keep it refrigerated.
Don't use oil that has a strong or pungent odor.
• Buy oil that is packaged in an opaque plastic bottle,
which filters out oil-spoiling light even better than amber
glass. And don't waste your money on "cold-pressed"
oil-it's no purer or more healthful than oil processed another
way, but it's usually much more costly.
• Flaxseed oil is also called linseed oil-but never
ingest the industrial varieties sold at hardware stores. They
are not intended for consumption and may contain toxic additives.
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