Flaxseed is an herbal remedy for
hot flashes and breast pain. Flaxseed also has Omega-3 fatty acids
that can help lower triglycerides, a type of blood fat.
Flax, Flaxseed Oil - Flaxseed
is
the seed of the flax plant, which is believed to have originated in Egypt. It
grows throughout Canada and the northwestern United States. Flaxseed oil comes
from flaxseeds.
Common Names--flaxseed, linseed
Latin Names--Linum usitatissimum
- What Flaxseed Is Used For
- Flaxseed is most commonly used as
a laxative.
- Flaxseed is also used for hot flashes and breast pain.
- Flaxseed oil is used for different
conditions than flaxseed, including arthritis.
- Both flaxseed and flaxseed oil
have been used for high cholesterol levels and in an effort to prevent
cancer.
- How Flaxseed Is Used
Whole or crushed flaxseed can be mixed with water or juice and taken by mouth.
Flaxseed is also available in powder form. Flaxseed oil is available in liquid
and capsule form. Flaxseed contains lignans (phytoestrogens, or plant
estrogens), while flaxseed oil preparations lack lignans.
- What the Science Says about
Flaxseed
- Flaxseed contains soluble fiber,
like that found in oat bran, and is an effective laxative..
- Studies of flaxseed preparations
to lower cholesterol levels report mixed results.
- Some studies suggest that alpha-linolenic
acid (a substance found in flaxseed and flaxseed oil) may benefit people
with heart disease. But not enough reliable data are available to determine
whether flaxseed is effective for heart conditions.
- Study results are mixed on whether
flaxseed decreases hot flashes.
- NCCAM is funding studies on
flaxseed. Recent studies have looked at the effects of flaxseed on high
cholesterol levels, as well as its possible role in preventing conditions
such as heart disease and osteoporosis.
- Side Effects and Cautions of
Flaxseed
- Flaxseed and flaxseed oil
supplements seem to be well tolerated. Few side effects have been reported.
- Flaxseed, like any supplemental
fiber source, should be taken with plenty of water; otherwise, it could
worsen constipation or, in rare cases, even cause intestinal blockage.
- The fiber in flaxseed may lower
the body's ability to absorb medications that are taken by mouth. Flaxseed
should not be taken at the same time as any conventional oral medications or
other dietary supplements.
- Tell your health care
providers about any herb or dietary supplement you are using, including
flaxseed or flaxseed oil. This helps to ensure safe and coordinated care.
What's an Herb? An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential
therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and
roots. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and
fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not
effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
Dietary supplement is a
product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino
acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for
dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.
To use an herbal product as safely as
possible:
-
Consult your doctor first
-
Do not take a bigger dose than the label
recommends
-
Take it under the guidance of a trained
medical professional
-
Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or
nursing
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Why should I use herbal products?
The decision to use herbs to improve your
health is, as with all health decisions, a personal one. There are, however,
many good reasons to consider herbal products to complement your own
health care methods. One of the best reason, however, may be the fact that
herbs and herbal products, continue to provide real health benefits while
maintaining a remarkable safety profile. Readily available natural
substances were the first medicines used by humans. Primitive and ancient
civilizations as well as contemporary cultures throughout the world have
always relied on herbs to provide the benefits that have been observed with
their use. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that 80
percent of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a
major part of which are derived from plants, as their primary health care
tools. In our own time and culture, most herbs are available in the form of
"herbal supplements." These products are found in the form of teas, tablets,
capsules, liquid extracts, and others. We now have ready access to products
that bring the herbal traditions from all over the world in a variety of
convenient forms. In addition, scientific inquiries continue to develop our
knowledge of the benefits of plants, and often validate the observations
made over the past centuries.
Are herbs safe?
Plants that enjoy broad culinary and
therapeutic usage are generally safe. We can flavor our food with any number
of herbs to make a meal more flavorful. We can appreciate a delicious cup of
peppermint leaf or ginger root tea, or benefit from the soothing properties
of marshmallow root or the bark of slippery elm. We can take an herbal
supplement containing dandelion root or saw palmetto berries, or any number
of the other herbs. Although allergies and reactions have been recorded for
a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such individual
concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the safety
profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe. On the
other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that are
highly toxic, even deadly.
|
|
|
|
