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Flaxseed Oil: Studies Support its Use for a Variety of Health Conditions Including Cancer and Heart Disease

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In the first portion of this article we went over what flaxseed oil is, what essential fatty acids are and omega-3, and why the oil can be extremely beneficial to our health. Many studies have been conducted on this golden yellow oil, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive.

For example, over 60 double-blind studies have linked increased omega-3 levels to lowered blood pressure. Generally speaking, taking about one tablespoon a day of flaxseed oil was shown to lower both systolic and diastolic readings by as much as nine mm Hg.

Flaxseed oil may also help prevent hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Research has found that the oil can help reduce platelet aggregation, which then leads to a reduction in both plaque and blockage.

As if this wasn’t enough, flaxseed oil has been found in some studies to have a positive effect on cancer. Dr. Joanna Budwig, a biochemist from Germany, was working with cancer patients and she noticed that they all tended to have very low body levels of omega-3. She began to give her patients a combination of flaxseed oil mixed with a form of protein (which she felt helped the oil assimilate into the body even better), and many showed remarkable improvement with tumors shrinking, etc. Other studies have shown that flaxseed oil may be especially good at helping with cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate.

So how do you go about using flaxseed oil? You can purchase the oil in either liquid or capsule form, and it’s also possible to buy the seeds all crushed up in a flaxseed meal form. Whatever form you decide to buy really depends on personal taste. Some people have described flaxseed oil to have a nutty taste, while others don’t really care for its flavor. In that case, taking the capsules might be the way to go.

One way that flaxseed oil differs from other healthy oils like olive oil is that you cannot cook with it. Heating it will change its chemical makeup, so you can’t use it to sauté your vegetables or anything. But you can add it to salad dressings, smoothies, or other cold dishes that call for an oil. Try googling flaxseed oil recipes to get some more ideas.

If you use the crushed flaxseed meal, that is okay to cook with. A lot of people add it to muffin or bread mixes for added nutrition and fiber. Although you can purchase whole flaxseeds from many health food stores and regular supermarkets, please note that if you eat them whole they’ll pretty much leave your body in that form. They have a tough outer shell so it’s important to crush them up first—you can use a coffee grinder, try using that to break apart your whole flaxseeds before using them in your cooking.

References:

Murray, Michael and Pizzorno, Joseph, Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 1998

http://www.cancure.org/budwig_diet.htm

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=17E09E7CFFF640448FFB0B4FC1B7FEF0&nm=Reference+Library&type=AWHN_Supplements&mod=Supplements&mid=&id=9111FA8F4A9D40BD8CF8E62A8F7574EB&tier=2

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Alison Stanton
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.