Comments on: Designer Flax Seed from a North Dakota Farm

By: 100 Healthiest Foods for Women Every Nurse Should Know « Daily News

100 Healthiest Foods for Women Every Nurse Should Know « Daily News — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:56:07 +0000

[...] seed. This little seed is a great supplement for a woman’s diet. Flax seeds are high in omega-3 EFAs and lignans, an important type of fiber for [...]

By: Grace

Grace — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:41:53 +0000

Added benefits of flax: A good friend of mine, Olga Stevko (www.DrOlga.com) (an MD and a fabulous hypnotherapist) suggested ground flax seed for my constipation. Although I was skeptical as I have suffered all my life with sever & chronic constipation, I tried it. Believe me when I say it works! I am so happy. And the extra benefit is that I now have lovely long nails that are “strong as nails”.

By: Eat These Snacks to Lose Menopausal Belly-Fat — Menopause - The Blog

Eat These Snacks to Lose Menopausal Belly-Fat — Menopause - The Blog — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:37:51 +0000

[...] low-fat yogurt smoothie with 2 tablespons of flax seed – Flax seeds are part of a food group called lignans that reduce estrogenic activity at a cellular [...]

By: Acai Berry Detox

Acai Berry Detox — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:22:15 +0000

I’m always into discussions on anything organic, so this read made me feel at home.
I’ll bookmark the site and subscribe to the feed!

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:38:58 +0000

Thank you Shaila for your explanation. I didn’t realize that flax seed, when taken at the same time as multi-vitamins, can absorb and flush out the beneficial nutrients that we need. Typically I take two tablespoons of flax seed with yogurt in the morning, then vitamins after break fast. I should probably postpone taking multi-vitamins until lunchtime.

By: Shaila Schwartz, ND

Shaila Schwartz, ND — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:01:55 +0000

Hello Cindy and to all who are interested in this flax seed discussion:

I am a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) currently practicing in San Francisco, California. It’s not that the body gets accustomed to the lignans in the flax, but rather that hormone levels are constantly changing; dropping off. Woman who are menopausal may require evaluation of their clinical nutrients, herbal medicine(s), and/or homeopathics, as the body adjusts to new levels of decreased hormone production. Diet modifications may also require fine tuning as hormones levels decline.

For improving mild menopausal symptoms, 40 grams of crushed flax seed has been used with success and is a safe amount that woman can take daily. Orally, flax seed can cause digestive symptoms similar to other sources of dietary fiber including bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, dyspepsia, and nausea. Flax seed can significantly increase the number of bowel movements and the risk for diarrhea; doses greater than 45 grams per day may not be tolerated for this reason.

To answer your last question about flax seed administration, I normally suggest to my patients that they take the seeds with some food. Breakfast seems to be the best time, I.e. in a smoothie or in cereal. When the seeds are combined with additional fiber, they aid in the elimination of toxins from the body, and add a synergistic fiber effect. I also suggest that the seeds be taken away from any minerals (I.e. multivitamins), as they act like a “sponge” and can flush out crucial nutrients that we want the body to hold on to.

Shaila Schwartz, ND
Naturopathic Doctor

By: Cindy

Cindy — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:53:36 +0000

I have reached those menopausal years and have found that hot flashes and night sweats are very dysfunctional. About a year ago, I was excited to find that golden flax seeds were an excellent alternative to hormone replacement therapy. I have been taking about one tablespoon of whole seeds in the morning and one tablespoon of wholes seeds in the evening. I grind them fresh each time for optimization. Now, within the last month, I find that the 2 tablespoons a day is no longer effective. Does the body get accustom to the amount of lignans in the flax? What is the safe maximum amount of flax seeds that I can take a day and still get some relief from the symptoms of menopause? Is there any particular way to take the milled flax seed (such as on an empty stomach, before meals, after meals etc.) that would maximize the effect of the seeds? Any help or suggestions would be helpful.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:18:40 +0000

Thanks for your comment, LadyBeams. You mentioned that you use Flax seed oil along with the Flax seed with your yogurt every day. Stephanie Stober mentioned above that the lignans of the flax seed, found in the shell, may be helpful for menopausal women because they contain phytoestrogens. Thus, the processing of the seed to produce Flax seed oil, won’t contain these lignans. So it may be the ground seed that’s giving you the most benefit. It’s terrific that you’ve found a natural solution for your hot flashes. Also, I take fish oil made by Nordic Naturals. It’s flavored with strawberry, so there’s no fishy aftertaste – you might want to give that a try.

By: Ladybeams

Ladybeams — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:44:28 +0000

I had read an article in one of the health newsletters I receive regarding the benefits of flax prior to me hitting menopause. I have never been a great one for fish oil, so this was a good alternative. The advice also was to take the “golden” for the maximum benefits. I was rather intermittent when it came to taking it. When I started going thru menopause and started getting hotflashes, it didn’t take me long to figure out the flax controlled that. I watched so many women suffer from hotflashes and nite sweats, I will be eternally grateful for finding this natural cure. I use the ground flaxseed and the flaxseed oil in my yogurt every day. The only time I had a problem with symptoms was if I forgot for a few days. Once I was back on my regiment, the sweats and flashes went away.

By: Menopause - The Blog » Dr. Andrew Weil On What NOT To Take For Menopausal Symptoms

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:52:58 +0000

[...] does he recommend? Black cohosh, ground flaxseed (see my earlier blogpost about Flax), a healthful diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids and [...]