I mentioned several weeks ago that I had begun a daily regimen of Black Cohosh, Flax Seed and Fish Oil. I’m happy to report that the hot flashes that I had been experiencing for more than a year have completely stopped. Based on everything I’ve read, I attributed this to the Black Cohosh, while the Flax Seeds have undoubtedly benefited me in other ways. But a new study suggests that it could have been the flax seed after all.
Granted, the study, reported in the Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology, was small - 21 women participated – but the results were promising. Each participant ate four tablespoons of crushed flaxseed daily for six weeks (double what I am presently taking). Half of them had a drop in hot-flash frequency and the study concluded that “this reduction is greater than what would be expected with a placebo.”
Even if Flax Seed does not eliminate hot flashes, the plant, which contains Omega 3s, Lignans and Fiber, certainly has other benefits that make it worth taking including;
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Lowering cholesterol
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Stabilizing blood sugar
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Reducing certain inflammations
In fact, it’s being called a new wonder food that may help fight a number of diseases from breast cancer to diabetes and heart disease.
Since our bodies can’t breakdown whole flaxseed, purchase it already ground (I found organic ground flaxseed at Whole Foods) and stir them in yogurt or smoothies. If you like to bake, you can also add ground flaxseed to muffins and breads. You’ll find lots of recipes using Flax as an ingredient in Elaine MaGee’s “The Flax Cookbook” and in “The Amazing Flax Cookbook” by Jane Reinhardt.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
After reading so much about it,, I finally buckled down and got some flax seeds, (the health benefits are too great to pass up).
Surprisingly, when baking with it,, it doesn’t taste half bad! (that’s where my trepidation always lies). I’m going to hunt down “The Flax Cookbook” too!
Hello Wendy
Could you please tell me how much of the black cohosh and flax seed did you take each day?
thanks in advance
Linda
Hi Linda – When I took black cohosh, I used Remifemin, which contains 20 mg of Black Cohosh. As for Flax Seed, I was mixing two tablespoons with yogurt every day. A friend of mine takes twice as much. You’ll need to experiment to find the amount that you’re comfortable with.
Do flaxseed oil tablets work as affectively as the flax seed itself? I am suffering with horrible hot flashes and night sweats and need a natural remedy as I am at high risk for breast cancer.
Thanks, Pamela
Hi Pam – Check out the interview I did last year with Stephanie Stober, a Flax farmer: http://www.menopausetheblog.com/2008/03/10/designer-flax-seed-from-a-north-dakota-farm/#more-99
She explains that it is the lignans found in the outer shell of the flax seed, (which contain a phytoestrogen), that can be particularly beneficial for menopausal women. Taking oil tablets instead of the flax seed itself, she added, would be cheating you out of the benefits derived from the plant seed. However, she cautions that women who have or have had breast cancer should check with their doctors before adding flax to their diets.
I’ve been taking flaxseed and only found out yesterday that I’m not taking enough. I’m going to increase to 1 tablespoon a day, and go up to 4 TBS from there, if necessary.
Glad for this confirmation.
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