Reading Room
Only the Flax please
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
Out of the blue, flax seed was everywhere, bread, cereals, waffles, whole, ground, brown and gold. But is this the case of a market made for an industry, good advertising or forgotten health food? Every day millions of Americans are eating flax in their muffins or in their protein shakes, how did this all begin?
Flax is a plant native to southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe, this versatile grass has been used for everything from linen, medicinal poultices, protection against witch craft, linseed oil, ink, fabric, dye, paper, fishing nets, hair gels, soap and varnishes. In a prehistoric cave in the Republic of Georgia, dyed flax fibers have been found that date to 30,000B.C. Historians believe flax cultivation began about 3000B.C. in what is today Iraq. Linen made from flax fibers was used to wrap Egyptian mummies, St. Hildegard von Bingen, 1179d., a renowned healer used flax meal to make hot compresses for the treatment of both external and internal ailments.
Commercial production of flax began in the United States around 1753, with the advent of the cotton gin forty years later flax production fell into decline. Canada is the leading producer today of flax, followed by China.
Although brown flax can be consumed as readily as yellow, it is better known as an ingredient in paints, fiber and cattle feed. Flax seeds produce a vegetable oil known as flaxseed or linseed oil, which is one of the oldest commercial oils, and solvent-processed flax seed oil has been used for centuries as a drying oil in painting and varnishing.
One hundred grams of ground flax seed supplies about 450 calories, 41 grams of fat, 28 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of protein.
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids, for joint, muscle, brain and heart health. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s. Linoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and their long-chain derivatives are important components of animal and plant cell membranes. When you eat fish or fish oil, the EPA and DHA partially replace the omega-6 fats especially arachidonic acid in cell membranes. ALA, found in flax seed is the precursor of omega-3 fats, and can be converted to long-chain omega-3 fats; leading some to believe flax can be substituted for fish oils. However, ALA is not equivalent in its biological effects to the long-chain omega-3 fats found in marine oils. EPA and DHA are more rapidly incorporated into plasma and membrane lipids and produce more rapid effects than ALA.
Experimental studies suggest intake of 3-4 grams (3000-4000mg) of ALA per day is equivalent to 0.3 grams (300 mg) EPA per day.
- Lignans are a type of fiber, and also a type of phytoestrogen—a chemical similar to the human hormone estrogen. Bacteria in the digestive tract convert lignans into estrogen-like substances called enterodiol and enterolactone, which are thought to have anti-tumor effects. Lignans and other flaxseed components may also have antioxidant properties—that is, they may reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals. (Flaxseed oil lacks lignans, but some processors add them to their oil.) Flaxseed contains 75-800 times more lignans than other plant foods. Research done by Ingrid Edstrom, FNP-C from Proactive Breast Wellness, revealed even phyto-estrogens thought to be preventative for breast cancer, actually increased estrogenic inflammation to areas of concern. With that in mind the recommendations are for flax to NOT be included in the diet of those concerned about Breast Cancer.
- Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types. Excessive consumption of flax seeds with inadequate water can cause bowel obstruction. In regards to men and prostate health – the last thing you need is more estrogen. The average male 70 years old can have up to 40% more estrogen in his brain than his female companions of the same age. It is better to use psyllium or chia seed for added fiber than flax.
- Ground flaxseed goes rancid at room temperature in as little as one week. Keep your ground flax in the freezer to insure freshness. Rancid oils can lead to oxidative cell damage promoting cancer and heart disease.
Bottom Line on Health Claims
from the UC Berkeley Wellness News Letter
“Flaxseed claims are overstated. Flaxseed oil is heart-healthy because it contains alpha-linolenic acid. Flaxseed itself (ground or whole) also contains lignans, which may have antioxidant actions and may help protect against certain cancers, though this is far from certain. Don’t take flaxseed supplements. Plant estrogens, like human hormones, are not always benign. At high doses—and no one knows how much is too much—lignans might turn into cancer promoters.”
When it comes to healthy oil and fiber options my money is on fish or krill oil, walnuts and healthy eating.
To Your Good Health.
http://www.flax.com/Section/Flax_Facts/The_Benefits_of_Flaxseed.html
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed
http://www.wellnessletter.com/html/ds/dsFlaxseed.php
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/04/03/evolution.aspx
101 Foods that could save your life – by David Grotto, RD, LDN ISBN# 978-0-553-38432-1
Protect Yourself – Digestive health for Building the Immune System
Protect Yourself – Digestive health for Building the Immune System
As the weather changes to fall and children go back to school, all of us become more susceptible to the “bug’s” floating around. Door knobs, desk tops, counters, computer keyboards, steering wheels…..Potential disease carrying surfaces are everywhere.
| By Tammera J. Karr, MSHN, CNC, CNW, CNH 2009©
As the weather changes to fall and children go back to school, all of us become more susceptible to the “bug’s” floating around. Door knobs, desk tops, counters, computer keyboards, steering wheels…..Potential disease carrying surfaces are everywhere. We can hardly bath in Purel®, and not everyone has those handy wipes always on their person. The safety and efficacy of flu vaccines are in question; so just how do we keep ourselves healthy? It all boils down to your immune system and the health of your digestive tract. The Immune System comprises all structures and processes that are involved in defeating the attempts of environmental forces to overrun, destroy or gain control of any part of the body. Specifically it comprises anatomic barriers, such as the skin and mucous membranes, which physically block the entry of antigens into the body, physiologic barriers (body temperature and acidity) that inhibit the growth of or kill detrimental microorganisms and the various organs and cells of the immune system itself. The overall coordination of the immune system takes place in the Hypothalamus and Pineal Gland. When the digestive tract becomes compromised by poor eating habits, stress, chemicals, environmental toxins, and heavy metals; the health of the entire body is imperil. Our immune system protects us from not only viruses, bacteria, and yeasts but also from naturally occurring mutant cells that can form into cancers. Probiotics Also known as: Beneficial Digestive Tract Bacteria; and Beneficial Intestinal Bacteria: Beneficial microorganisms are small organisms that are beneficial to human health and are too small to be visible to the naked eye. An imbalance in the ratio between beneficial microorganisms and detrimental microorganisms in the body is known as dysbiosis. Probiotics comprise approximately 90% of digestive tract bacteria in healthy persons.
Probiotics in the colon can lower total serum cholesterol levels, causing remissions for ulcerative colitis, help to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), produce hydrogen peroxide (which is utilized by the body to “extinguish” neutralized antigen/antibody complexes). In the colon, probiotics ferment insoluble fiber, starch and undigested carbohydrates. The short-chain saturated fatty acids produced by this fermentation are the principal source of energy for the epithelial cells of the colon. In addition probiotics manufacture vitamins that not only help with energy and nerve function but are necessary for brain health: Biotin, Choline, Folic Acid, Inositol, PABA (Para Aminobenzoic Acid), Vitamin B2, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are considered a soluble fiber and a pre-biotic that support the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestinal tract while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. FOS provide nourishment to most types of Beneficial Bacteria (because beneficial bacteria are living organisms they require nutrition like any living organism) – note that FOS is NOT a source of nourishment for toxic bacteria. Pharmaceutical antibiotics destroy the body’s beneficial bacteria – as a side effect of their primary purpose of killing detrimental bacteria. Long-term usage (e.g. more than one month) of grapefruit seed extract, large amounts of raw garlic, goldenseal, and pasteurized foods have been found to destroy the body’s endogenous probiotics in the digestive tract. Ideally, retailers of beneficial bacteria products should store their product under refrigeration (beneficial bacteria die at a much faster rate when they are not refrigerated). A recent survey conducted by the National Nutritional Foods Association (USA) found that 50% of beneficial bacteria supplements in retail stores contained significantly fewer viable beneficial bacteria than claimed on the label. Freeze-dried (lypholized) beneficial bacteria supplements, usually in the form of powder have a longer shelf life than non-freeze-dried products. So wash your hands, eat your natural and organic foods and take your probiotics – safe for all ages! |
Protect Yourself – Digestive health for Building the Immune System
Protect Yourself – Digestive health for Building the Immune System
By Tammera J. Karr, MSHN, CNC, CNW, CNH 2009©
| As the weather changes to fall and children go back to school, all of us become more susceptible to the “bug’s” floating around. Door knobs, desk tops, counters, computer keyboards, steering wheels…..Potential disease carrying surfaces are everywhere. We can hardly bath in Purel®, and not everyone has those handy wipes always on their person. The safety and efficacy of flu vaccines are in question; so just how do we keep ourselves healthy? It all boils down to your immune system and the health of your digestive tract.
The Immune System comprises all structures and processes that are involved in defeating the attempts of environmental forces to overrun, destroy or gain control of any part of the body. Specifically it comprises anatomic barriers, such as the skin and mucous membranes, which physically block the entry of antigens into the body, physiologic barriers (body temperature and acidity) that inhibit the growth of or kill detrimental microorganisms and the various organs and cells of the immune system itself. The overall coordination of the immune system takes place in the Hypothalamus and Pineal Gland. When the digestive tract becomes compromised by poor eating habits, stress, chemicals, environmental toxins, and heavy metals; the health of the entire body is imperil. Our immune system protects us from not only viruses, bacteria, and yeasts but also from naturally occurring mutant cells that can form into cancers. Probiotics Also known as: Beneficial Digestive Tract Bacteria; and Beneficial Intestinal Bacteria: Beneficial microorganisms are small organisms that are beneficial to human health and are too small to be visible to the naked eye. An imbalance in the ratio between beneficial microorganisms and detrimental microorganisms in the body is known as dysbiosis. Probiotics comprise approximately 90% of digestive tract bacteria in healthy persons.
Probiotics in the colon can lower total serum cholesterol levels, causing remissions for ulcerative colitis, help to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), produce hydrogen peroxide (which is utilized by the body to “extinguish” neutralized antigen/antibody complexes). In the colon, probiotics ferment insoluble fiber, starch and undigested carbohydrates. The short-chain saturated fatty acids produced by this fermentation are the principal source of energy for the epithelial cells of the colon. In addition probiotics manufacture vitamins that not only help with energy and nerve function but are necessary for brain health: Biotin, Choline, Folic Acid, Inositol, PABA (Para Aminobenzoic Acid), Vitamin B2, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are considered a soluble fiber and a pre-biotic that support the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestinal tract while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. FOS provide nourishment to most types of Beneficial Bacteria (because beneficial bacteria are living organisms they require nutrition like any living organism) – note that FOS is NOT a source of nourishment for toxic bacteria. Pharmaceutical antibiotics destroy the body’s beneficial bacteria – as a side effect of their primary purpose of killing detrimental bacteria. Long-term usage (e.g. more than one month) of grapefruit seed extract, large amounts of raw garlic, goldenseal, and pasteurized foods have been found to destroy the body’s endogenous probiotics in the digestive tract. Ideally, retailers of beneficial bacteria products should store their product under refrigeration (beneficial bacteria die at a much faster rate when they are not refrigerated). A recent survey conducted by the National Nutritional Foods Association (USA) found that 50% of beneficial bacteria supplements in retail stores contained significantly fewer viable beneficial bacteria than claimed on the label. Freeze-dried (lypholized) beneficial bacteria supplements, usually in the form of powder have a longer shelf life than non-freeze-dried products. So wash your hands, eat your natural and organic foods and take your probiotics – safe for all ages! |
