Kitchen Remedy: Flax for Long Life!

Taking flaxseed and flax oil on a regular basis could easily be the best investment in health you could ever make

By Ann Louise Gittleman, C.N.S.

Most of you have heard about good cholesterol. Well guess what? The same is true of fat. In fact, the good or right fats and oils help build the HDL “good” cholesterol while the bad or wrong fats contributes to the LDL “bad” cholesterol.

We must learn how to avoid the unhealthy fats such as excess saturated fats from animal food and the fats from hydrogenated sources like margarine, shortening, and fried foods. Plus, we need to include the vital essential fatty acids from unrefined vegetable oils in our everyday diet.

Unfortunately because of modern manufacturing methods and refinement of foods rich in the protective and healing essential fatty acids, these good fats are almost nonexistent in our daily foods. It is no coincidence that heart disease, cancer and stroke have become the country’s leading killers since the advent of modern technology for processing foods and oils.

For the first time in almost 100 years, the essential fatty acids are once again becoming available as found in nature’s richest source, unrefined flax oil. People across the country are flocking to their local health food stores for a bottle of this liquid gold.

Health Benefits of Flax Oil

Dramatic evidence suggest that flax oil, and a special plant fiber found in flaxseed called lignan, can protect us against heart disease and cancer as well as other degenerative diseases. For nearly 50 years, Dr. Johanna Budwig, a German biochemist and Nobel Prize nominee, has utilized unrefined flax oil in conjunction with an organic diet to fight cancer. Even in the U.S., the National Center Institute (NCI) has found the flaxseed indeed have an anticancer effect – even to match some chemotherapeutic drugs – but without the nasty side effects found with the drugs.

Flax and Breast Cancer

Women have become increasingly aware of the rising epidemic of breast cancer. Scientific research on women and breast cancer has established that women who have the highest amount in the omega-3 fatty acid most prevalent in flax oil have the lowest incidence of breast cancer. More important, if any of these women had an existing tumor, those with the highest amount of omega-3 in their breast tissue still had the lowest incidence of the tumor spreading to other tissues and organs.

Flax and PMS

The use of flax oil has also been found to ease the mood swings and uncomfortable carping associated with PMS. It also helps in the transition of menopause. In addition, the essential fatty acids found in flax oil are unsurpassed for building strong nails, lustrous hair and radiant skin.

Flax and your Heart

Flax oil has been found to significantly decrease the possibility of heart disease on many fronts. Flax oil lubricates and relaxes our blood vessels, helps to clear clogged arteries, and acts as a valuable energy source that keeps the heart beating healthy and strong. This is the reason why flax oil is considered so “heart smart.”

Flax and your Pets

If you own pet, remember to add a teaspoon or two of flax oil to your animal’s food. In Europe, flax oil was once widely used to promote beautiful and glistening fur, strong hooves and nails, vibrant eyes, and robust health.

Flax for Life

The good fats found in flax affect our health at nearly every level. They combat infection and allergy by boosting our immune system. The essential fats found in flax have been postulated to improve memory, behavior and mental ability. They act as cellular batteries, supercharging every one of our one hundred trillion cells. We have been deprived of our essential fatty acids for too long. It’s high time to put the fat back, the right fat that is, as found in unrefined flax oil.