Health Benefits of the Flax Seed

Weekly Scripture:
"But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life." Alma 32:41

Weekly Quote:
"The strongest principle of growth lies in the human choice." -George Elliot

Flax Seeds

The other day I had my husband try flax seeds in his regular bowl of morning wheat berries. I had soaked them overnight in the thermos with the wheat and boiling water, and in the morning, the result was a slimy, gooey bowl of wheat berries and flax seed. My husband was thoroughly disgusted, but ate it anyway. This led him to ask questions about possible other ways of eating flax seeds and so I conducted a study of flax, interested to know all the facts myself.

I've known for some time that flax is beneficial to our health, but had forgotten all the why's, so I looked it up in a few of my health books and also on-line. One very good source I found is on the website http://fatsforhealth.com. There is a library of articles you can look up by topic here and I found them very useful.

Flax is an ancient plant that is grown for it's fibers and for it's seeds. The fibers are used for making linen cloth and the seeds are used for various purposes such as linseed oil, flaxseed oil, to be eaten as flax seeds or to be ground into meal.

What's the Big Deal About Flax?

Flax has many health benefits.

• It contains essential fatty acids which help heart, arthritis, thrombotic disease, improving immune function, cancer prevention, male infertility, and brain function.
• Flax contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, so it is a good laxative
• It is the highest plant source of lignans.
• It contains many vitamins and minerals in natural form.

Lignans

Lignans are antioxidants that destroy free radicals, reduce the aging process, and protect against environmental toxins. They may also help reduce risk of cancer, especially colon and breast cancers. Lignans are interesting because when they are digested, they become estrogen compounds. These hormonal effects may attribute to many of its health benefits.

Flax Seed Oil

Many people take flax seed oil because of the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids it contains. I have also heard that it is very good at fighting breast cancer. Flax seed oil should cold-pressed or expeller-pressed (I believe these are the same thing) or it's health benefits will have been destroyed. It should always be kept in black containers and refrigerated to preserve it's valuable qualities.

Flax Every Day

Flax is easy to incorporate into everyday living, whether you use the oil, the seeds, or the meal. The oil should never be cooked, as this turns it into a toxin. The raw oil can be used on salads, vegetable dishes or in smoothies. The seeds can be soaked and added to morning breakfasts (chew them very well to break their shell and make all their nutrition available to your digestive processes.) Flax seed meal can be used to flavor salads and vegie dishes, and it can be used in baking, such as bread and muffins.

Enjoy your flax!

To stay healthier, remember to stick with things that are simple and natural. The less processed, the better!

Mot of this information was taken from an article by Artur Klimaszewski, MD entitled Flax for Health.

The Benefits of Fasting

Recently I have been re-reading a book on fasting by Paul and Patricia Bragg. It is very inspiring and informational about the benefits of fasting. Paul Bragg recommends a weekly 24-36 hour fast, as well as fasting 4 times a year for 7-10 days. I have tried the 24 hour fast, and in the church of which I am member, we have a 24 hour fast once a monthly.

I have fasted once a month since I was 8 years old, although not always for 24 hours. Most of the time as I was growing up, we only fasted for 2 meals. I was taught this was for spiritual reasons, to help me grow closer to my Heavenly Father and to augment my prayers when I had a special need. Later, I heard rumors that fasting is very good for me physically, too, because it gives the digestive tract a rest from it's constant work of breaking down food and absorbing nutrients.

As I became more interested in good health and eating practices, I learned more and more about these physical benefits of fasting. Here are several benefits that Paul Bragg talks about in his book called, "The Miracle of Fasting":

Fasting
- gives your body a break and helps you build up "vital force"
- Lets your body eliminate toxins that build up from environmental sources and
the foods we eat.
- Saves money
- Helps to "melt away the pounds"
- Helps overcome addictions to alcohol, smoking, and drugs
- Gives you more energy and helps you feel more alive

With all these benefits, why isn't fasting more commonly done? To be honest, it's not easy. It is a simple way to improve your health, but it is not always easy to ignore the hunger pains in your stomach. It takes dedication and self-control, and one must focus on the end goal - greater health. Praying while fasting is also of great worth and will help improve your spiritual health also.

I don't recommend fasting beyond 24 hours without some guidance, whether it be from books or from someone experienced in fasting. Therefore, I recommend you begin with the Bragg's book The Miracle of Fasting, which can be purchased in many health food stores or from the Bragge website

Scripture of the Week:
(Taken from "The Book of Mormon")

And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved. Omni 1:26


Quote of the Week:
A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings.
-Hippocrates

Health and Spirit

This column is for articles on healthy eating and lifestyles coupled with a spiritual progression.

The important attributes are:

• Eating healthy
• Praying daily
• Studying scriptures

One winter when I was in my mid-twenties, I noticed I was beginning to feel tired all the time and I didn't have the energy I used to have. For the first time in my life, I was beginning to feel 'old'. This couldn't be right! I wasn't that old! I knew something had to change and I decided to try a juice cleanse.

My grandpa was a believer of the "Lemonade Diet", which is a 10-day program of drinking strictly a mixture of fresh lemon juice, water, pure maple syrup and cayenne pepper. I couldn't take that much time off work and knew what a trial drinking all that cayenne pepper would be. Luckily my parents introduced me to Dr. Christopher's 3-day cleansing program and gave me a small book outlining the program and how to eat a mucusless diet after the cleanse.

In the late spring I was finally able to do my 3-day cleanse and those 3 days changed my life. While I was home those 3 days, in-between drinking all that juice and water, I read the small book. It was so inspiring and motivating to me to live a healthier lifestyle that I wanted to keep learning more and more about how to keep my body clean and pure and healthy.

After my juice cleanse, I began a new life of eating mostly fruits and vegies. The desire to eat this way had grown inside me and continued growing as I kept reading and learning and putting into practice what I had learned. It was fun and I had regained my youthfulness. I had more desires to learn things and try new things I'd never done before. Life became an adventure instead of just living from day to day.

Some of the side benefits of my new eating habits didn't come about until a few months later. My forehead had been continuously bumpy for several years and I always had at least one ugly big zit breaking out somewhere on my face. But my face completely cleared up after about 4 months! I guess all those toxins began making their way out the proper channels instead of through my face.

Anyway, this experiment has been fun and I am a definite advocate for natural remedies!

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