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The medicative bounty of nature is nigh-limitless. Flaxseeds are part of such bounties. Hosting an immense nutritional profile, its derivative, the flaxseed oil used to be prized by ancient cultures for its countless benefits.
While its usefulness waned in the centuries that followed, flaxseed oil has now become a flag bearer of highly nutritional superfoods that can benefit your body, and your mind in a variety of ways.
How can it benefit your mind and your body? How far does the nutritional and medicative value of flaxseed oil extend? Once you are at the end of this article, you will intimate yourself with probably the most versatile crop in the world.
Flaxseed Oil Benefits on mind and the body
Flaxseed oil has the ability to take care of the mind and your body. Its constituents can reduce inflammation which is a positive factor when dealing with a stressed mind. On the other hand, its fiber and protein constituents can help you deal with a heavy body as well.
This crop truly provides an all-in-one factor, let us look into how it can help with the mind and the body.
Is it good for anxiety?
Anxiety can be attributed to many things: uncertainty, our requirement of instant gratifications and so on. Together, these factors give way to anxiety issues that are not only long-running, but also devastating.
Medicines like Benzodiazepines, Buspirone and anti-depressants can help instantly. However, their side effects can cause immense issues that at times, can give way to more stress.
These side effects generally include the following:
- Immense weight gain.
- Lack of iron in blood
- Calcium deficiency
- Extreme lethargy
- Skin irritation
- Constipation
Despite the unwanted additional effects, you cannot completely shrug-off modern medicine, for it is indeed effective.
However, what you can do is supplement your medication with something extra, something that can calm the side-effects, while calming the nerves.
This is where Flaxseed Oil is realized to be amazingly effective.
In the 2006 issue of the “American Journal of Psychiatry”, focus was put on the omega-3 fatty acids present in flaxseeds oil. According to the journal, it plays a significant role in the management of mood disorders. It was found that patients who have been given flaxseed oil for longer periods experienced a longer remission from bad mental states. Additionally, there were no side effects of the herb.
How can it deal with anxiety?
Well to understand how it can help with anxiety, let us taker a dig at what causes anxiety: Stress.
Stress creates an immense pressure on certain parts of the brain. As a result, certain chemicals of the brain go into overdrive because of lack of regulation. The reason for this “overdrive” can be attributed to inflammation. The constituent of flax seed: the omega 3 fatty acid, can help regulate the chemicals by reducing inflammation. In layman’s terms- it can calm down your nerves.
How to use Flaxseed oil to deal with anxiety?
Just use it on a daily basis in conjunction with the medications. All you need is a single table spoon of Flaxseed oil on a daily basis and you are good to go.
Is it good for Depression?
The anti-inflammatory properties of Flaxseed oil due to the presence of omega 3 fatty acids has an overall positive effect on the mind. And your mind would need all the positive impact if you are suffering from depression.
Its symptoms should be noted and they are as follows:
- Anxiety
- Sleeplessness
- Short temperedness
- Weight gain
- Bad appetite
- Extreme mood swings.
Flaxseed oil can help here. The Omega-3 fatty acids contain docosahexaenoic and eicosapentanoic acids. Those with high levels of depression suffer from low levels of these compounds. Flaxseed oil can supplement them and can in turn prevent depression.
The functional capabilities of Flaxseed oil for dealing to depression and anxiety is pretty much the same. So, if you are feeling blue, you might not mind choosing a spoonful of flaxseed oil for you.
Does it reduce cholesterol?
Blood is not all fluid, there is a waxy substance added to the mix.
If you are not careful about your daily diet, the waxy substance and substantially increase, messing with the blood velocity, creating a fat-plaque in your blood vessels. It gives way many cardiac issues to happen. The waxy substance if cholesterol, and it needs to be controlled.
Flaxseed oil, can lubricate the inner walls of the blood vessels. It reduces plaque deposits and in turn, wrap a leash around the growth of cholesterol.
Therefore, yes, Flaxseeds do reduce cholesterol. By lowering the risk of high cholesterol, this crop can give you a new lease of life.
How to use flaxseed to reduce cholesterol?
Well, contributing to the fact that there is nearly no side effect of flax seed on the body, there is no set dosage of how much of it your body should consume.
However, in conventional terms:
- If you have high cholesterol, you should consider taking about 50 grams of flax seed oil per day.
- 40 grams per day can be used to deal with mild levels of high cholesterol.
You can either use flaxseed as an oil or can eat it as is. However, our recommendation is to mix it with certain liquids or foods.
- You can mix one table spoon or two of flaxseed oil with a vegetable juice or a protein shake.
- The baked goods that you make at home can use flaxseed oil as a replacement.
- An egg-white omelet cooked with flaxseed oil is not only healthy, but it has an aromatic taste that makes the eggs feel fresher.
- If you are indulging with fried foods (that we won’t recommend in case of high cholesterol), you can add flaxseeds to the breading to make the bread crunchier, more aromatic and definitely, add health factor to a generally fat soaked delight.
Is it good for Gastritis?
Gastritis is a group of conditions that have one common root, inflammation of the inner lining of the stomach. It can be either because of a bacteria or access consumption of alcohol.
Its symptoms are as follows:
- Extreme stomach pain
- Nausea
- Continuous painful flatulence
- A feeling of fullness even when you have not eaten.
At this point, it can be quite obvious as to how Flaxseeds can help with gastritis. It does that by attacking the common root of all gastritis issues- inflammation.
Again, the omega-3 fatty acids present in Flaxseeds can douse the fires of inflammation.
To extract the complete anti-inflammatory properties of flaxseed, it should be taken as an oil. You can add flaxseeds to vegetable or fruit juices, or you can use the oil, and add it to toast.
Other ways to use flaxseed oils are as follows:
- Add flaxseed oil to smoothies
- Make a vinaigrette
- Add flaxseed oil to noodles or pasta
- Use the oil on roasted vegetables.
Conclusion
Flaxseed oil was prized once, and in this health-conscious generation, it has evolved from being an ancient medicine to a superfood. It is versatile, it is aromatic and it can be tasty as well.
But remember this, even if flaxseed oil is an all-rounder, it is not an end-all-be-all of all the remedies. A medicine is only as effective as your lifestyle. Therefore, its effectiveness depends on how positively and healthily you choose to live your life.
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