Nutrition Frenzy

Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements may help overweight women to lose body fat, but only if their calcium intake from food is already quite low, a small study suggests.

The study, which followed 63 overweight or obese women, found that those who took a calcium-plus-vitamin-D supplement in addition to a lower-calorie diet lost no more body fat over 15 weeks than those given a placebo.

When the researchers looked at only those women with a very low calcium intake before the study, the supplement did seem to have a benefit.

Among the women — who had been getting less than 600 milligrams of calcium per day — the calcium/vitamin D supplement spurred greater reductions in weight and body fat.

While the reason for the benefit is unclear, there was evidence that the supplement helped curb women’s appetite for fatty food, the researchers report in the British Journal of Nutrition.

During a buffet-style test meal, the study found, women who’d been taking the supplement ate less fat than they had at a test meal done at the study’s start. The same was not true of women in the placebo group, however.

For the study, the researchers had 63 overweight middle-aged women go on a calorie-restricted diet. All had been getting inadequate calcium in their diets — less than 800 mg, compared with the recommended 1,000 mg for women ages 19 to 50.

Half of the women were randomly assigned to take a calcium/vitamin D supplement twice a day, which provided 1,200 mg of calcium daily. The other half took placebo pills.

Only women with the lowest calcium intake prior to the study — less than 600 mg — seemed to get added fat-loss benefits from the supplement. Supplement users lost 13 pounds, on average, versus 3 pounds in the placebo group.

While the results from the test meals suggest that extra calcium may help calcium-deficient women curb their appetites while dieting, more research is needed to confirm that, according to Tremblay’s team.

Theresa Tamkins of Health magazine has this tip:

Vitamin D may protect people — especially those with asthma and other chronic lung conditions — from colds and other respiratory tract infections, according to the largest study to date to look at the link.

Unlike other vitamins, a deficiency of vitamin D (which is known as the sunshine vitamin because sun exposure triggers production in the body) is quite common in the United States — particularly in winter.

At least 50 percent of people in the new study, which included nearly 19,000 people 12 and older, had levels that suggested less-than-optimal protection against respiratory tract infections, according to the report in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

“People think that if they have a good, balanced diet that they will get enough vitamin D, and that’s actually not true,” said Dr. Michal Melamed, an assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. “Unless you eat a lot of fish and drink a lot of milk, you can’t get enough vitamin D from diet.”

In the study, Dr. Adit Ginde of the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and colleagues at Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital Boston found that people who had low blood levels of vitamin D were more likely to report having had a recent cold than those with higher amounts. What’s more, the risk of a recent cold or other respiratory infection seemed to rise as vitamin D levels dropped.

Overall, 24 percent of people with the lowest levels (under 10 ng/ml) had had a recent cold, compared with 20 percent of those with slightly higher levels (10 to 29 ng/ml) and 17 percent of those with the highest levels (30 ng/ml or more). Health.com: Top 7 natural cold remedies

The link was even stronger in people with asthma, who had about six-fold greater risk of colds with low vitamin D, and in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who had a two- to three-fold greater risk.

If you’re feeling tired, achy, fatigued and weak, you may need more Magnesium in your diet.

Magnesium supplementation may be indicated when a specific health problem or condition causes an excessive loss of magnesium or limits magnesium absorption.

You may need supplements:

Individuals with poorly-controlled diabetes may benefit from magnesium supplements because of increased magnesium loss in urine associated with hyperglycemia

Individuals with chronic malabsorptive problems such as Crohn’s disease, gluten sensitive enteropathy, regional enteritis, and intestinal surgery may lose magnesium through diarrhea and fat malabsorption

Individuals with chronically low blood levels of potassium and calcium may have an underlying problem with magnesium deficiency. Magnesium supplements may help correct the potassium and calcium deficiencies

What’s the best way to get more Magnesium? Eating a variety of whole grains, legumes, and vegetables (especially dark-green, leafy vegetables) every day will help provide recommended intakes of magnesium and maintain normal storage levels of this mineral. Increasing dietary intake of magnesium can often restore mildly depleted magnesium levels. However, increasing dietary intake of magnesium may not be enough to restore very low magnesium levels to normal.

More good news about Magnesium: scientific evidence from DASH clinical trials is strong enough that the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure states that diets that provide plenty of magnesium are positive lifestyle modifications for individuals with hypertension.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you feel you need Magnesium supplements.

Apple Cider Vinegar does have scientific backing for various health claims.

Recently, a friend told me that Apple Cider Vinegar (in either liquid or tablet form) would help reduce my blood sugar, lower cholesterol and blood pressure. I was reluctant, because I had never heard of that before. For a few weeks I was looking for Apple Cider Vinegar Tablets and finally found some in a far off drugstore.

To back the claim, I did some research and found this:

Here’s a rundown of some more recent ones.

Diabetes. The effect of vinegar on blood glucose levels is perhaps the best-researched and the most promising of apple cider vinegar’s possible health benefits. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower glucose levels. For instance, one 2007 study of 11 people with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%.

High cholesterol. A 2006 study showed evidence that vinegar could lower cholesterol. However, the study was done in rats, so it’s too early to know how it might work in people.

Blood pressure and heart health. Another study in rats found that vinegar could lower high blood pressure. A large epidemiological study also found that people who ate oil and vinegar dressing on salads five to six times a week had lower rates of heart disease than people who didn’t. However, it’s far from clear that the vinegar was the reason.

Cancer. A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. Epidemiological studies of people have been confusing. One found that eating vinegar was associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. Another associated it with an increased risk of bladder cancer.

Weight Loss. For thousands of years, vinegar has been used for weight loss. White vinegar (and perhaps other types) might help people feel full. A 2005 study of 12 people found that those who ate a piece of bread along with small amounts of white vinegar felt fuller and more satisfied than those who just ate the bread.

While the results of these studies are promising, they are all preliminary. Many were done on animals or on cells in a lab. The human studies have been small. Before we will truly know whether vinegar has any health benefits, much larger studies are needed.

Various reasons, mostly internet surfing, are the reasons for more kids turning to Vegetarianism.

While surfing the internet, more impressionable kids and teenagers are finding animal slaughter videos on YouTube (R), courtesy of organizations like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Thus, causing kids and teenagers to avoid eating meat from that point forward.

Some parents and Doctors worry that growing kids are not meeting their protein, vitamins B12 and D, iron, calcium and other important nutrients that most people get from meat, eggs and dairy.

Also, vegetarian diets are not necessarily slimming. Some vegetarian kids cut out meat but fill up on doughnuts, french fries, soda or potato chips, experts said.

Multivitamin and supplements must be taken, and extra care to keep sugary, high-fat and cholesterol and high carb snacks, foods and drinks away from kids and teenagers who choose Vegetarianism. It is all too easy to fall into the trap that ‘as long as I don’t eat meat, i’ll be healthy and save the lives of animals’.

Most people are semi-vegetarian, which is what I consider myself. What it should be called is the normal American diet: 8 oz meat or protein a day, with the rest filled with fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, dairy products and low-carb, low-cholesterol breads and grains (I eat Dreamfieds Pasta–diabetic friendly).

If your child or teenager comes to you expressing interest in becoming a Vegetarian, applaud their desire to eat and live a more healthy lifestyle and educate yourselves about proper nutrition. It is possible to meet the FDA’s dietary guildelines for kids and teenagers.

Check out Living Without Meat for more information about Vegetarianism. Tell Sally that Brick sent you.

Vitaimin A? Calcium? Vitamin D? Which health supplement are you taking?

For a few years now, I’ve been taking Vitamin D as a prescription, ‘doctor approved’. The health supplement market is booming! Never before have people been taking vitamins, minerals and herbs to enhance their health to try to make up for their diet. Or, maybe people are just wanting to get the most for their health. Either way, we are spending millions and millions for our optimal health. According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, There are a few dietary supplements that show some benefits: calcium supplements and vitamin D (to reduce the risk of osteoporosis), omega 3 supplements (to reduce the risk of heart disease) and folic acid supplements (to prevent major birth defects).

Be careful, as the article suggests, on what quality you are buying. Consumer reports found that nearly half of the brands failed to contain the labeled amount of the nutrient. They also didn’t dissolve as well as the name-brand types. So if you are going to invest in a supplement, based on this study, a name-brand kind might be the way to go. One thing people don’t really need to be concerned about is taking too much or too high of a dose.

Even though pharmaceutical companies and science has so-called ‘debunked some supplements, some are worth taking, even my dr. has said they’re not harming me. Echinacea doesn’t cure my colds, but it sure lessons the symptoms for me. Someone told me that Cinnamon and Apple Cider Vinegar tablets will reduce glucose levels, so I’ve started takng Cinnamon tablets (ACV tablets are hard to find). Every little bit helps, and it’s not hurting me.

What supplements are you taking?

Lose a pound recently? Great! Then keep it off with this mighty nutrient: vitamin C.

Research shows that your body needs sufficient vitamin C to burn fat — and burning fat is key to keeping excess pounds away. So pop your C supplement, or snack on some C-rich orange sections before your next power walk.

A Critical Compound
People in a study who had low blood concentrations of vitamin C and walked on a treadmill for an hour burned 25 percent less fat than people with adequate C. But a dose of C brought fat-burning levels back up to par. Why? Seems C is essential for creating carnitine, a substance that turns fat into fuel

How Much Is Enough
To keep the pounds you dropped from coming right back, you could start your day with some grapefruit, have an orange after lunch, or fill your dinner plate with C-rich veggies like red bell peppers, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. Here are a few more reasons to C up!

For a stronger heart: Vitamin C makes bad cholesterol less dangerous.

A Good Reason to Add Berries to Your Oatmeal

A side of sliced strawberries with your steel-cut oatmeal may make for one heck of a smart breakfast combo.

That’s because oats are rich in heart-healthy compounds called phenols. And it seems that adding some vitamin C (from the berries) is like adding water to a Chia Pet: It causes the heart-helping powers of the oats to grow.

Working in Synergy
When oat phenols and vitamin C were combined in a study, they worked synergistically to reinforce LDL cholesterol and make it more stable — even better than the oat phenols alone could do.

And you want your LDL to be stable, because that means it?s less likely to break down and stick to the walls of your arteries. You know, that process that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other nasty business.

Why Steel-Cut Oats?
They take a little longer to make, but they?re worth it. Steel-cut oats — also called coarse-cut oats — are lightly processed. And that means they probably still have most of their good stuff intact (fiber, nutrients, etc.).

Browse Victoria Cross on Food Past.

Welcome to the September 10, 2007 edition of the Health and Fitness Forum.

The purpose of this forum is to feature well-written articles that provide easy-to-implement tips and information on health, fitness, nutrition, weight loss, beauty and overall well being. We have several great articles this week.

Please read, share and enjoy.

Diet Tips

Weight Master presents Reason why calorie-restrictive diets are unhealthy… posted at Weight Master.

Rob presents The Koda Kumi Diet; eating your way to weight-loss posted at Dusk and Dawn, saying, “This is a short article about a small change I’ve made in my life that has been having a continuous, positive effect on my health.”

Exercise Tips

EnduranceNinja presents Go for a walk. posted at The Adventures of the Enduranceninja, saying, “Beginners guide to becoming an Endurance Ninja”

Kimberly Linton presents Take Charge of Your Lunch Hour! posted at Living the Fit Life.

John Hill presents Get Bigger Biceps and Triceps for Hardgainers posted at Big-Arms.com.

John presents How to Get a Big Wide Muscular Back posted at Muscular-Fitness.

Alvaro Fernandez presents 11 Neuroscientists Debunk a Common Myth about Brain Training posted at SharpBrains, saying, “Exciting quotes on exercising our brains…”

Fitness Tips

Zoe Anderson presents Pilates as Smart Exercise - Principles and Efficiency posted at thinkpilates.com, saying, “Pilates terms to help you integrate a pilates based form of exercise into your schedule. Also included are three different ways to get started with pilates.”

General Health and Wellbeing Tips

Tiffany Washko presents Battle of the BPA Free Sippy Cups - A Review posted at Natural Family Living Blog.

Becky Gillaspy presents Common Thought Traps posted at Weight Loss without Worry

Amanda Harris presents Pajama Mommy Community posted at Pajama Mommy.

Andrew Edgington presents What is the Future for Bodybuilders? (Part 2) posted at Mick.

Healthy Eating Tips

FitBuff presents posted at FitBuff.com’s Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog, saying, “There’s nothing more deflating than ruining your diet by succumbing to the speed and convenience of fast food. It may seem trivial in the grand scheme of things, but this minor failure can lead to a downward spiral in all areas of your life.

So, do you have to avoid ALL fast food ALL the time? Not if you are informed and make the healthiest choice possible when you indulge.

That’s where this great tool comes in. It not only shows you the best option for each type of fast food, but there is also a list of nearly 30 popular fast food chains, with their complete menus and nutrition guides available for you to see.”

Wenchypoo presents How’s Your Health Been Lately? posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Sohail presents Sugar Beverages: Drinks of Mass Destruction? posted at The HealthBlogger, saying, “Sugar Beverages: Drinks of Mass Destruction?”

Jeremiah Reid presents Should We Eat Grains? posted at I’m an Omnivore.

Nneka presents How to Stop Eating Compulsively posted at Balanced Life Center.

Dean presents Top Ten Fast Food Meals That Make You Fat posted at Mr. Cheap Stuff, saying, “What is on your list of worst fast food meals?”

Nutrition Tips

John Hill presents Calcium Deficiency posted at Universe Of Success.

Weight Loss Tips

Shaheen Lakhan presents Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: The Eating Disorder Expose posted at GNIF Brain Blogger.

Paul Heingarten presents Weight Loss Secrets Revealed ? posted at workout ebooks, saying, “It seems there is a mystery which surrounds all people on a diet: how to find the “weightloss fat burner secrets” that will end their misery, obesity, or simple desire to be thinner, ultimately without too much extra work or additional suffering.”

Alternative Health Tips

TheNourisher presents Nourishing the Liver posted at Nourished Magazine.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the health & fitness forum
using our submission form.

health and fitness tips, health and fitness forum, health and fitness, diet, exercise, healthy eating, celebrity diets

In general, I don’t recommend supplements as a way to expedite weight loss.

Instead, I have always had great success following a natural, healthy approach based on moderate exercise, unprocessed, organic, whole foods, and stress-reduction techniques (one of which is NOT binge eating).

But, there are a few natural, safe and effective dietary supplements that are key to any weight loss and overall health plan.

Whether you are looking to reshape your body or working to maintain an already lean physique for a lifetime, one supplement worth investigating and investing in is Conjugated Linoleic Acid.

What Is Conjugated Linoleic Acid?

CLA is a fatty acid that is found in meat and dairy products. Evidence compiled over the last decade shows that besides being a powerful anti-oxidant CLA offers numerous health and weight loss benefits.

Benefits of CLA Include

- Increases metabolic rate

- Decreases abdominal fat

- Enhances muscle growth

- Lowers Cholesterol and triglycerides

- Lowers insulin resistance

- Reduces food-induced allergies

- Enhances immune function

- Effective in helping people with thyroid conditions lose weight without interfering with thyroid medications

Sorry, A Cheeseburger in Paradise Doesn’t Offer CLA Benefits

Unfortunately, milk shakes and burgers duo won’t supply sufficient CLA to be of any benefit- there simply is not enough CLA present in these sources. Supplements, however, are concentrated sources of CLA which allow you an affordable way to get an effective dose of CLA.

Where Do I Find Quality CLA?

Health food stores, GNC and online outlets like Drugstore.com carry CLA. I suggest using a patented brand to ensure that your supplement contains sufficient CLA to be effective.

I suggest “Tonalin” brand, it is the most researched, highest quality CLA. Look for “Tonalin” in 1,000mg capsule form.

How Much CLA Do I Need To Receive Benefits?

Studies show that to be effective 3.4g or 3400mg per day of CLA must be taken. So, if for example, you were to use the “Tonalin” capsules you’d need to take 4 capsules a day with meals.

Is CLA Safe?

Yes!
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supplements, weight loss

In a recent post I told you about the adaptogenic health benefits from the supplemental herb Rhodiola Rosea.

Turns out Rhodiola can enhance sexual performance as well!

About the same time I wrote the Rhodiola post, my darling and virile husband started taking two hundred mg of Rhodeola Rosea (of Russian origin). The Hubs is a super-stressed out, Type-A, complete workaholic. Taking an adaptogenic tonifier like Rhodiola was intended to help his system cope with the mental and physical drain that sleep deprivation, travel and long hours at the office, can cause.

Within a few weeks of taking rhodiola (it can take about 2 months for benefits to be felt), he reported feeling more energetic throughout the day and I noticed he was no longer a boring, exhausted blob when he finally got home to see me. Seriously, it was great to have my fun-loving, energetic man back in the crib!

But then, this past weekend it was like, HEL-LO! An additional benefit of Rhodiola seemed to have um, arisen.

Rhodiola Enhances Libido:

It’s true! All the literature I have read has noted that Rhodiola Rosea can restore or increase libido in both men and women. For women Rhodiola can help out when libido is reduced due to menopause and hormone fluctuations.

It’s Not Viagra:

The Rhodiola Riser is not the same as the Viagra perm- erection (to me a four hour stint isn’t appealing anyhow) and it doesn’t just cause a sudden erection out of the blue. Instead, Rhodiola can actually stimulate desire and libido which leads to well, you can take it from there.

Be Careful What You Wish For:

I should have known Hub was enjoying additional feelings of friskiness when he actually ASKED me to buy more Rhodiola when he ran out. Usually, I am the one who is totally in charge of monitoring the “healthy stuff” in our household.

For example, at breakfast I will ask, “Are you still working on that bottle of 60 multi-vitamin capsules I got for you fifteen months ago?”

“Yes, I take one every morning!”, is the guaranteed reply.

But This! He LOVES this stuff! Strutting around, pinching my booty, he is so proud, so enamored with his amped up sexual prowess. I am in deep trouble. I have created my very own, live-in, horny monster.

Lucky for me I adore my man. Seeing him act like a spring chicken just brings a smile to my face. I am not sure if the extra energy Rhodiola affords him is simply restoring his energy in general, so that he has more to uh, “give” or, if the Rhodiola is in fact working directly on the old libido.

Either way, Rhodiola is a safe, effective way to add a little spring to your step and perhaps some other things as well.

sexual performance, Rhodiola, Libido, Viagra

Stress is a killer. Literally.

Every time our bodies are subjected to stress - whether it comes from dealing with an A-hole boss, road rage or even a demanding workout regime, stress causes inflammation in our cells that leads directly to disease and premature aging.

So, what can you do to stay young, hip and gorgeous forever? How do ensure you’ll have the kind of looks that will get you carded even when you fifty?

The answer may lie in a unique group of herbal supplements called “adaptogens”, of which Rhodiola Rosea is a frontrunner.

WHAT CAN AN ADAPTOGEN SUPPLEMENT DO FOR ME???

-Increase availability of energy during the day

-Reduce feelings of stress that lead to premature aging

-Accelerate the healing process

-Increase endurance

-Generate greater mental alertness

-Support deeper, more restful sleep

-Improve sports performance and resistance to muscle strain

WHAT IS RHODIOLA ROSEA???

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stress, premature aging, herbal supplements, Rhodiola

Borage (Boar aj) Oil is one supplement every beauty bitch should be taking.

I especially like it because next to no one knows about it.

I mean, after receiving a compliment on our spectacular complexions don’t we all like to be all, “oh, I really don’t do much, just wash with a bar of Dove soap . . . . hmmm, too bad that doesn’t work for you.”

The big dogs like Dr. Perricone of The Perricone Promise fame, recommend it and even more importantly, the Hot Sundae is telling you this stuff works.

Borage is a concentrated source of GLA (Gamma Linoleic Acid). Gamma linoleic acid helps the body utilize the healthy fats you ingest (think olive oil, almonds, and avocado — NOT the Cinnabon you inhaled at the mall).

Fatty fish like salmon also contain GLA, which is why fish is touted as a premier way to get a healthy glow and lustrous locks. For those of you who find fish stinky and revolting, a borage oil supplement is a wonderful, mercury-free way to reap many of the same rewards offered by fish.

Even for a fish lover like me, taking 1,000 mg of borage oil daily is still a good idea since whipping up a sardine frittata for breakfast can sometimes, or never actually happen. Be sure the bottle says “cold-pressed.” As with olive oil, cold pressed means the integrity of the borage oil is intact.

A final note - be sure not to pass this tip along to your girlfriends. After all, you’re the one who took the time to read this damn article, so why should she get to look as hot as you?

Alright, now scoot along and get that borage oil already. Oh, and don’t forget to pick up a few bars of Dove.

Borage, Perricone

Unlock a wealth of health and beauty benefits with Acai (ah-sigh-ee).

This small, deep purple Amazonian berry is being hailed by health and beauty gurus such as Dr. Nicholas Perricone as a premier source of anti-aging antioxidants - more potent than other conventional fruits, such as blueberries and even the mighty pomegranate.

While you won’t find the berry sold at your local grocery store, you can pick up a jar of Sambazon Pure Acai powder at Whole Foods Market.

At only 19 calories a scoop, acai also contains a healthy dose of Omega 3, 6 and 9 plus amino acids and fiber. And, unlike blueberries, grapes or pomegranates, a serving of acai has 0 grams of sugar. Add a scoop to smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt.

Taste? There really is none to speak of, maybe just a hint of chocolate flavor (never a bad thing).

Or, give Sambazon “pulp packs” a try. In the frozen foods section (again, at the glorious Whole Foods), these individually portioned packs are perfect for slipping into a blender. Add milk, and some protein powder, hit blend and voila, a perfect breakfast or post-workout delight.

Do beware that lurking in close vicinity to the 100% acai pulpy packs are Sambazon and other acai products that have been blended with other juices. While these products still contain antioxidants, they have a higher sugar content and less of the coveted acai.

If you are among the truly nutritionally lazy (no shame, no shame) go for Sambazon’s Powercapsule. Your daily dose of the Amazon in an easy to swallow capsule.

People, there is a reason those Brazilians look so damn good in those teeny bikinis. Acai??? Maybe . . . But what I do know, is that Acai can help you look and feel your best, and that makes it one supplement that is truly hot.

Acai, Nicholas Perricone, anti-aging, antioxidants, Sambazon

Think you you really need meat to look and feel your best? If so, take a look at Ms. Carrie Underwood, who was recently voted World’s Sexiest Vegetarian.

Regardless of whether you’re ready to join Ms. Underwood on the vegetarian bandwagon, all of us could use more vegetables in our diets. Jam-packed with anti-oxidants and a great source of fiber, vegetables are a primo diet and weight loss tool.

But there are two major stumbling blocks to eating 5-9 daily servings:

First problem is not so many of us live on an organic farm. Ideally, we could just skip out back, collect a variety of salad greens in our apron and make a fresh salad for lunch and again for dinner. But most days, the best any of us can manage is grabbing a drive-through salad of iceburg lettuce speckled with a few wet tomato lips.

Obstacle deux is that you may think vegetables taste like Ka Ka. Take my husband, the Neanderthal - left to his own revolting eating habits the only vegetable he’d consume would be the corn in his taco shells. Lucky for him, I have a vested interest in his vigor and vitality. This would be the fact that I look forward to retiring on the Cote d’Azur with a Black Amex Card.

Because he abhors the green guys, I have become something of a culinary deviant. My success, however, has been limited.

Like me, I am sure you have read countless magazine articles suggesting simple ways to sneak in those villainous veggies. Have you seen the ones that get really excited about adding spinach to pizza toppings? It goes like this, “Stringy, nasty spinach is completely camouflaged by cheese and pepperoni, they’ll never know its in there!” Ok, well, he knew.

My man rooted out that spinach every damn time. I’m sure if you have little kids you’ve found the same dissect and remove techniques go on at your dinner table.
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anti-oxidants, vegetables, diet, weight loss

Just a sprinkle of flaxseed, a nutty-tasting nutritional powerhouse, can make a huge impact on your life!

Why’s Flax So Fab?

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Flax is known as the richest source of essentials fatty acids such as Omega 6 and Omega 3 which are essential to cell membrane formation, active brain tissues and in controlling cholesterol. These fatty acids MUST be consumed through diet, our bodies have no way of producing them.

Fight Cholesterol: As part of a daily diet, flax has been shown to reduce total cholesterol by reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.

Defeat Diabetes: Eat flax daily to help lower blood sugar levels. In a recent study by the University of Toronto , test subjects who ate bread made with flax seed had blood sugar levels 28% lower than their counterparts who ate whole wheat flour bread.

Cream Cancer: Flax has a high lignan content (up to 800% more than any other tested plant food), alpha-linoleic acid and fiber which combine to provides natural cancer-protective compounds. Flax is an especially potent fighter of breast and colon cancer.

Combat Constipation: Firing cannon balls into the potty? Or just straining to fire off anything at all? Flax to the rescue! High in both soluble and insoluble fiber, one ounce of flax provides 32% of the USDA’S recommendation for daily fiber intake.

Address Arthritis: Do you suffer from an inflammatory disorder including rheumatoid arthritis? Push too hard in your workout? Flax can help. The bounty of Omega 3’s in flax eases joint pain and stiffness .
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