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Benefits of Flax
What is flax?
Flax is one of the most ancient of useful herbs. Its Latin name, Linum usitatissimum, means "most useful."
Flaxseed excavated from ancient Greek archeological sites has been dated back to 1900 to 1700 B.C., and the use of
flaxseed is inscribed on tablets at Pylos. Both the Greek historian Thucydides and the Roman Pliny mention the use of flax for
food. In fact, so impressed with this gift of nature Pliny wrote, "What department is to be found in active life in which
flax is not employed?" Of flax Bartholomew had this to say, "None herbe is so needfull to so many dyurrse uses to mankynde
as is the flexe." And Dioscorides extolled flaxseed's power for "mollifying all inflammation inwardly and outwardly."
Hippocrates encouraged the use of flaxseed for the relief of abdominal pains, while Theophrastus recommended flax mucilage
as a cough remedy. Hildegarde of Bingen used flax meal in hot compresses for the treatment of both external and internal
ailments.
The value of flax to these early cultures is reflected in the rich folklore that surrounds the plant.
Flax was believed to be a blessed plant; one that could bring good fortune and restore health.
French leader Charlemagne, so impressed with the herb's culinary, medicinal, and domestic usefulness,
passed laws and regulations requiring its cultivation and consumption. Flax was much loved and widely
cultivated throughout Europe after that, and its cultivation and use continued to expand to other lands and cultures.
So why are the Omega-3 essential fatty acids found in flaxseed so vital to good health?
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to regulate gene transcription and expression, thus altering enzyme synthesis, and to modify several risk factors for coronary heart disease, including reducing serum triglycerides and blood pressure.
They also protect against thrombosis and a variety of cancers, plus they enhance immune response and inhibit inflammatory reactions.
EFAs are required for maintaining the structure of cell membranes and the permeability of the skin. They are also needed as precursors for eicosanoids such as prostaglandins and thromboxanes, and in cholesterol transport and metabolism. EFAs -- Hearty Protectors. Once again population studies reveal that a diet high in Omega-3 significantly reduces the risk of developing heart disease.
It is interesting to note that of all the common causes of premature death -- heart attack, stroke, cancer, accidents, diabetes, and infectious diseases -- the odds of dying from a heart attack are greatest. That goes whether you are male or female. Most assume that cardiovascular disease afflicts primarily men, mainly because the symptoms show up ten years earlier in men. But following menopause, women catch up rather quickly. In fact, every year more women die from heart attacks than men. Per annum, five times more women die from a heart attack than from breast cancer. As you can see, heart attacks don't play favorites when it comes to gender. It is an equal opportunity disease.
Until recently, heart-healthy diets and nutrients good for the heart usually have only one goal; to lower cholesterol levels, which is helpful to the heart. But as research into what makes the heart tick continues, new revelations on how to achieve and maintain heart health are coming to light. True heart health is achieved through a variety of means, not just one. For instance, one might also consider lowering other blood fats besides cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, lowering homocysteine levels, increasing arterial flexibility, and decreasing blood platelet stickiness.
Flaxseed oil assists in the prevention of cardiovascular heart disease (CHD) by helping to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, raise HDL (good) cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower platelet stickiness. In clinical trials, Omega-3 rich flaxseed exerts a positive effect on blood lipids. Overall clinical findings suggest that significant reductions in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels can be achieved, without a change in HDL-cholesterol levels, by adding flaxseed or flaxseed oil to the diet.
Substituting flaxseed oil for saturated fats in the diet enhances its beneficial effect. Epidemiologic studies have been excellent ways in which to study the effects of Omega-3 on heart health.
The list of Omega-3s medical benefits is growing
The list of Omega-3s medical benefits is growing. In two separate recent studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists found that Omega-3s protected against cognitive decline in a group of older men at risk for cardiovascular disease. At the end of the five-year study, those taking supplements had less cognitive decline than people who didn't.
The other study was conducted at many sites throughout the United States. One study measured plasma fatty acid levels in a group of 2,251 men living in Minnesota between 1990 and 1992 and from 1996 to 1998. During that time, investigators at the University of Minnesota, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of North Carolina and the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in Maryland, conducted three neuropsychological tests to study attention and memory.
Again, those taking omega-3 fatty acids had less risk of "global cognitive decline," the authors reported. What's more, a number of cardiovascular factors were pushed in the direction of better health.
Omega-3 fatty acids help lower blood pressure and increase the flexibility of the vascular wall. High blood pressure can make the wall more rigid. Omega-3 fatty acids can also penetrate red blood cells, making them more flexible and better able to get through narrowed arteries.
There are more cardiovascular benefits, according to a study published in Lancet. Japanese researchers at Kobe University studied 18,000 people with high cholesterol and some kind of unhealthy heart history. Everyone was prescribed statins, the cholesterol-lowering agents, and half of them also received omega-3 fatty acids while the others swallowed a placebo.
They were followed for more than four years, at which time the scientists found 20 percent fewer cardiac events, including heart attacks, in those on 12 grams of fish oil a day.
Omega-3’s most potent effect is as an anti-inflammatory agent. It is now being used in a number of inflammatory disorders, including arthritis, lupus and some cancers. Studies have shown that Omega-3 regulates genes involved in inflammation. Human genes have co-evolved with the foods we have eaten for centuries," Sears said.
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