Tag: menopausal
Flaxseed Health Benefits, Can Flaxseed Help Your Blood Sugars?
I just love flaxseed, and one I supplement with daily. Flaxseed has an amazing amount of benefits to help promote overall health. In saying that, how can one find flaxseed? What actual benefits does organic flaxseed provide? Can it help prevent your blood sugars from spiking? For that and much, much more, continue reading!
Flaxseed oil is an excellent supplement that supports the body’s vital systems. It is rich in the omega-3 essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. Although omega-3s are crucial to human health, they are not manufactured by the body, so it’s important to get a steady supply through dietary sources and supplements.
There are two types of essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6. Most Americans get enough omega-6 fatty acids from dietary sources such as meat, eggs and dairy. Omega-3s are necessary for growth, heart health and brain function, but many of us do not get enough of them from dietary sources. MayoClinic.com reports that multiple studies have shown that omega-3 supplements may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
These supplements have also been studied as a treatment for depression and other mental illnesses, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, PMS, ADHD, osteoporosis, and even cancer prevention.
Benefits Of Flaxseed:
Flaxseed oil offers a wide range of health benefits. There are some studies showing that flaxseed oil can reduce total cholesterol and LDL (low density lipoprotien also known as bad cholesterol). This, however, is dependent on how well the alpha-linolenic acid is broken down into EPA and DHA. Flaxseed oil is likely to make platelets less sticky, which could help to reduce the risk of heart attack.
Flaxseed may also lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels (fat in the blood). Flaxseed oil has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to regulate the heartbeat, further supporting good cardiovascular health. In addition, the flax seed contains compounds called lignans. Studies show that patients taking lignans had a 75% reduction in atherosclerotic plaque buildup.
Flaxseed itself is recommended for those who suffer from Crohns disease or irritable bowel syndrome because it is thought to be able to heal the lining of the stomach and reduce inflammation.
The ALA found in flaxseed inhibited tumor growth and incidence in animal studies. In addition, the lignans in flaxseed are thought to bind to estrogen receptors, reducing the risk of estrogen driven breast cancer.
Health Benefits Of Sage And Type 2 Diabetes
Sage, Salvia officinalis, is a desert herb native to the Mediterranean. It prefers shallow, rocky soils and large amounts of sun. Cooks rely on this herb for its distinct flavor and aroma, and the herb also offers a number of potential health and medicinal benefits. So what are the associated health benefits with this amazingly, powerful herb, lets take a closer look and see how you can incorporate this into your healthy lifestyle!
Sage And Diabetes:
This wonderful herb may have other potential health benefits, including protecting against diabetes. Studies on laboratory animals published in the “British Journal of Nutrition” found that this paticular extract might be hypoglycemic, lowering the animals’ blood glucose by blocking release of stored glucose from the liver, a function the liver performs in response to a hormone called glucagon. The authors compared these effects to those of a common diabetes drug, metformin, and suggested that sage might be a useful preventive against Type 2 diabetes. However, studies on human subjects are needed to confirm its potential for this use.