How flaxseeds can help control diabetes, heart disease

With the increasing emphasis on eating and living healthy, there has been a lot of talk about including flaxseed into one’s diet. This tiny, brownish, flat seed is packed with nutrients and could help eradicate a number of lifestyle diseases that are on the rise these days.

Flaxseed is considered healthy due to the fact that they contain Omega-3 fatty acids, also known as ‘good fat’, Lignans, rich in antioxidants and estrogen content; and Fiber. Here are a few ailments flaxseed can help fight:

Diabetes:


Lignans present in flaxseed, are known to improve the blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. A daily intake of flaxseed can help to maintain a normal blood sugar level over an extended period of time. Read more about tips to prevent diabetes.

Heart Disease:


Antioxidants in flaxseed help the heart due to their anti-inflammatory properties, blood pressure lowering effects and are known to normalize a person’s heartbeat. Flaxseeds also help to reduce the formation of plaque in the arteries and reduce the hardening of the arteries. They keep the LDL levels or ‘bad cholesterol’ levels under check and can beat conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Cancer


The high content of antioxidants and Omega 3 fatty acids protect against breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. The lignin content in flaxseed especially protects against tumours that are hormone sensitive eg: estrogen-sensitive breast tumours. Here are all the common questions about cancer answered by a specialist doctor.


Inflammation: 


The omega 3 fatty acids and lignans present in flaxseeds along with a component known as ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) have a dramatic effect on inflammation in the body. They work by blocking the release of inflammatory agents and are especially beneficial to patients who suffer from diseases such as arthritis, and Parkinson’s disease.

Hot Flashes


Hot flashes are a problem that is commonly associated with menopausal women. Its occurrence can be reduced with the inclusion on one tablespoon of flaxseed into their diet. According to a study, women who followed this regime showed a 57% drop in the occurrence and intensity of hot flashes. It is believed that the antioxidant properties in flaxseeds help to regularize the hormonal imbalance, leading to a drop in the occurrence of hot flashes. Here are some tips to deal with symptoms of menopause.

Tips to include flaxseeds in your diet:


You could start off by having one tablespoon of ground flaxseed powder every morning on an empty stomach, to get maximum benefits. Alternatively, add it to your energy drink or fresh juice. If you want to include it into your cooking, sprinkle one tablespoon of flaxseed powder on the dish you prepare. Remember not to put the powder directly into hot oil, because this can cause your dish to get an unusual flavour. The excess heat tends to deactivate the beneficial properties of flaxseed as well. However, like everything in excess is bad, so are flaxseeds. Experts recommend not more than 2 tablespoons should be consumed in a day.

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