Just the Flax Ma’am

This journey we are on is as much about better health as it is smaller pants.
So far, our posts have mostly been about weight reduction and increased exercise; both great goals which common sense would suggest will affect our health in a positive way.
But we can do better than that ladies, by being more pro-active in our daily nutritional choices.

This post will be the first in a new category named “Did you know?”
Included here will be little nuggets of healthful information we can share with each other. By incorporating simple changes into our daily living we will surely reap huge rewards. We are all very knowledgeable about healthy living and how to achieve it; the challenge is actually doing it. My thought is if we have a place to organize and share this knowledge, our new awareness will transfer into action.

I’ll go first; the topic is “Flax Seed”. (Riveting, I know!)

First off, when buying/using flax seed, be sure to get “Milled” Flax Seed. Whole flax seed cannot be digested which in turn does not allow the body to absorb the benefits of the heart-healthy Omega-3 oils which flax is a rich source of.

Doctor’s minimal daily recommendation for Omega-3 is 1000 mg per day. 2 Tbsp. of Milled Flax Seed has 2600 mg of Omega -3. Omega -3 cannot be manufactured by the body and must be supplied daily in the diet.

We have all heard the countless benefits of Omega-3”s. Among those are:

* Better brain function and higher intelligence
* Feeling better with much less depression.
* Superior cardiovascular health.
* Freedom from pain and inflammation.
* Protection from heart attack and stroke.
* Reduction of breast, colon and prostate cancer.

Fiber is very imperative to our diets. The average American only gets 8.75 grams of fiber intake a day. To prevent colon cancer, breast cancer, and heart disease you need between 25-30 grams a day. Flax has the highest content of fiber than any other food. Again, by consuming just 2 Tbsp. a day, you will increase your fiber intake by another 15% (4g) with zero calories or Trans fat. And remember… fiber is also helpful in keeping our tummy’s satisfied longer.

Nasty stuff you say? I thought so too at first; you just have to figure out where you can use it that is the least invasive regarding taste (which is sort of earthy) and texture (which is more like flour than grains since it’s milled). I added an entire Tbsp. to my light ranch dressing that I use to dip my veggies in for snacks. That’s probably a 1-2 ratio (1 pt. flax, 2 pts ranch) and I had no issue with it at all.

I will continue to experiment with the when’s and where’s of it’s use; the key for me is that I measure it out in the morning and know I have a whole day to get it in me.

Fish oil pills are another great source of Omega-3’s, I have trouble popping pills so this is the way I’m going to try to go for now. Plus the fiber is beneficial as well. It doesn’t matter how you choose to take these supplements, the goal should be to take them!