Flax Oil: The Good Fat - The Super Omega Plan for Feeling Great by Victor Contreras, M.D. Fat phobia. Lipid prejudice. Fat hate groups. What are we coming to in America? America is suffering from fear, some might say pure, unadulterated hatred of fat. Sure, we know that the wrong fats will cause you to gain weight, clog your arteries, and promote cancer. We also know that none or too little fat is a killer. But most people have it all wrong and they hate all fat. To gain super health, take advantage of the Super Omega Plan and start eating the right fats, like flaxseed. Good Fat vs. Bad Fat You can eat fat. You can eat a lot of fat. But a key skill in maintaining your body and mind in a state of optimum health is to learn to discern between good and bad fats. In Greece, the typical diet consists of 40 percent fat (the same percentage as in the United States), but Greek men and women have significantly lower rates of prostate and breast cancer. It isn't fat per se that is the enemy but the type of fat consumed. The Greek diet is loaded with omega-3 and monounsaturated (omega-9) fatty acids. These are the good fats that we don't get enough of from out diet anymore. Indeed, as Michael Murray, N.D., comments, "Most people have decreased their consumption of natural, unadulterated essential fatty acids and drastically increased their consumption of refined and adulterated fats and oils." Fats that Kill Dramatic scientific research shows that excess amounts of saturated fats and trans-fatty acids (man-made molecules created from hydrogenating vegetable oils) are killers, increasing your risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other age-related maladies. You'll find these bad fats in beef, dairy, margarines, baked goods and other processed foods. On the other hand, if we can get you to put just a tablespoon of flax oil into your diet daily, then we can extend the healthy years of your life significantly. Flax oil could be one of the best whole foods you put into your diet. It is the right fat at the right time in history, a time when our diets are depleted of the omega-3 fatty acid fats.  On the other hand, if we can get you to put a tablespoon of
flax oil into your diet daily, then we can extend the healthy
years of your life significantly. Flax oil is one of the best
whole foods to add to your diet. It is the right food at
the right time in history, at a time when our diets are
depleted of the omega-3 fatty acid fats.
Tablespoon of Flax Oil Daily When Hippocrates said let food be your medicine, he could have had flax in mind. Flax is nature's most perfect fat to incorporate into your diet. Fresh Expressed lignan flax oil, in particular, is from organically grown, non-genetically engineered flax that is free from contaminants and rich in two key phytonutrients: omega-3 fatty acid and lignans. Accumulating evidence from molecular and cellular biology experiments, experimental studies and, to a limited extent, human clinical trials suggest both omega-3 fatty acids and lignans may potentially confer important health benefits related to cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and menopausal symptoms. These potential health benefits are consistent with epidemiological evidence that rates of heart disease, various cancers, osteoporotic fractures, and menopausal symptoms are more favorable among populations that consume plant-based diets rich in lignans and omega-3 fatty acids. The fact is, most of us will benefit from organic flax. Flax Packs Punch Against Cancer, Heart Disease! Flax oil has become one of the most exciting and sought after products in health food stores today, both for it's preventative and curative properties. Heart Disease 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 atherosclerotic plaque on artery walls. "Population studies demonstrate that people who consume a diet rich in omega-3 oils from either fish or vegetable sources have a significantly reduced risk of developing heart disease," says Murray. "Over 60 double-blind studies show that either fish oil supplements or flaxseed oil [both rich in omega-3 fatty acids] are very effective in lowering blood pressure." Indeed, I have found in my own experience that only one tablespoon of flax oil daily can reduce both the systolic and diastolic readings in my patients by up to eight or nine millimeters of mercury. I often prescribe flax oil over medical drugs to my patients with moderately elevated blood pressure. And it works! Cancer Perhaps the most exciting news on flax yet is in regard to cancer. A study of 120 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 (metastasis), offering hope for women with an existing breast tumor that flax can prevent cancer spread. Women, get flax into your diet and save your life and your breasts! There is more to the flax-breast cancer prevention story. Flax is also a rich source of lignans, found in the fibrous shell hull of the flaxseed. Extensive evidence from numerous research institutes has revealed the potent anticancer properties exhibited by these amazing natural plant chemicals. Lignans have been shown to prevent the occurrence and spread of colon and breast cancers by normalizing hormone metabolism responsible for the disease. The evidence is truly significant. The American Cancer Society reports that one in eight women will contract breast cancer. Unfortunately, breast cancer may be present for several 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. A diet with high amounts of lignans from flax is an important daily protocol to prevent breast cancer. 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. How to Find the Best Lignan Flax Oil Be sure the company that produces your flax is M.A.D. about fresh lignan flax oil. Here's what to look for when it comes to being M.A.D. about fresh flax: This service is called Fresh ExPress and it guarantees you the absolute freshest flax oil anywhere.  How to Incorporate Flax Oil into Your Daily Diet
Lignan 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. Some Conditions Improved by Flax Oil
References: 1. footnote*Tham, D.M., Gardner, C.D., Haskell, W.L. ÒClinical review 97: Potential health benefits of dietary phytoestrogens: a review of the clinical, epidemiological, and mechanistic evidence.Ó J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1998; 83(7): 2223-35. |