The following article was sent to me by a friend in the USA. It gives some more scientific reasons fro eating flax seed. They are now mixing the lignan part of the flax seed shell with the oil. However, it is my advice to simply buy the whole flax seed and crush it in a coffee grinder as I have always advised. That way you are not taking things away from the original seed therefore unbalancing it! Why should we play around with something that is better than better! Just eat the flax seeds! The oil I have for when I do not have time to crush the seeds! However, you should also take about 4 tablespoons full of the whole seeds each morning as well. These can be disguised in your cereal.
There is an old saying in China. "Flax seed whole for the colon and crushed for the rest of the body".
Erle Montaigue.
Lignan Rich Flax Oil: A combination that packs a punch against cancer, heart disease and more!
by Jade Beutler, R.R.T., R.C.P.
Flax oil has become one of the most exciting and sought after products in health food stores today, both for its preventative and curative properties. Research on flax and the Omega-3 fatty acids it contains has resulted in a near panacea regarding the number of diseases and afflictions that it can relieve and outright cure. Flax oil fights heart disease by lowering dangerous LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as decreasing the viscosity of thick blood, and reducing the build up of atherosclorotic plaque on artery walls. The list goes on to include relief and amelioration of:
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Skin conditions including: dry skin, psoriasis, eczema, acne
Immuno suppression
Depression
Fatigue
Allergies
Behavioural disorders
Arthritis
Chronic viral, bacterial and fungal infections
Inflammatory bowel disease
Kidney disease
Equally, if not more important, is the role that essential fatty acids, found in flax oil, play in brain development. Studies on rats and rhesus monkeys revealed that dietary restriction of Omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation interferes with normal visual function and impairs learning ability in offspring, and may make the brain more susceptible to environmental toxins and alcohol. When school children in Manitowac, Wisconsin, were placed on a diet including flax, their teachers and parents reported improved behaviour, higher test scores and better attendance.
Perhaps the most exciting news on flax yet is in regard to cancer. A study of one hundred and twenty women revealed that those with the highest breast tissue levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, found most abundantly in flax oil, had the lowest incidence of breast cancer. Further, of those that did develop the disease, they still showed the lowest probability of the cancer spreading to other bodily organs, offering hope for women with an existing breast tumour. Emerging scientific evidence has begun to focus on another healing element found in the fibrous shell hull of the flaxseed. Special phytochemical constituents have been isolated in flax, that once ingested are converted to potent cancer fighting and preventative compounds called mammalian lignans. Extensive evidence from numerous research institutes has revealed the potent anti-cancer properties exhibited by these amazing natural plant chemicals. Lignans have been shown to prevent the cause of colon and breast cancers where they start, by normalizing hormone metabolism responsible for the disease. The American Cancer Society reports that one in eight women will contract breast cancer. Unfortunately, breast cancer may be present for as long as 4 years before it can be detected by mammography or self examination. Further, many women are under the misconception that if they do not have a family history of breast cancer, they need not be concerned. The truth is the majority of women today who are diagnosed with breast cancer show no family predisposition. The above facts call for every woman to implement a proactive approach to prevent the disease. Dr. Ross Pelton author of How to Prevent Breast Cancer suggests that every women take at least one tablespoon of High in Lignan flaxseed oil as a daily protocol to prevent breast cancer. Lignan Rich flaxseed oil is unique, as unlike regular flaxseed oil, flax particulate from flaxseeds is retained in the oil, delivering the powerful cancer fighting mammalian lignan precursors.
There may not be a single nutritional supplement or pharmacological drug today that can offer the same level of protection against cancer and other diseases as delivered with the combination of flaxseed oil and lignan precursors.
Lignan Rich flax oil can easily be incorporated into any diet by using it as an ingredient in salad oils, stirred into oat meal combined with a blender drink, mixed into yogurt, or simply taking it straight, chased by fresh fruit juice.
Look for Lignan Rich flax oil at your local health food store, located in the refrigerated section of the supplements department, or in the dairy case.