Flaxseed gel. I know what you’re thinking. How could a food product be good for your hair? It’s simple, because it’s natural and it hardly has a scent. I stumbled upon this recipe while surfing the web and it only calls for two ingredients. 1cup of H20 and a quarter cup of flaxseed; Yes, that’s it.

Mix the ingredients and add to a pan. Heat slowly, stirring often to stop seeds from sticking to the bottom. Continue stirring gently until water starts to boil.. A frothy jelly will form and it is crucial to turn the heat down a little when seeds settle in the jelly. Don’t wait for them to fall to the bottom. Carefully pour the liquid through a strainer over a bowl checking for any seeds that may have passed through. Essential oils or preservative can be added at this point. Mix the gel carefully adding any alcohol or preservatives to increase the shelf life of the gel. Popular additions to flaxseed gel include grapefruit seed extract, essential oils with antiseptic qualities, honey and jojoba oil. Seeds can be saved for another batch of gel (Eco-friendly!)This flaxseed gel should last for at least two weeks if kept in the refrigerator- even without preservatives.

What about medication? A large number of people in the world do well with taking Tylenol for a headache or Vicodin for pain. Personally, I am not a fan of medicine that contains ingredients that I can’t pronounce, so when it comes to that stuff, I choose natural remedies all the way. Lemon and honey for a sore throat, chamomile tea for stomach aches, and flaxseed oil for my joint pains. Studies have shown that the essential fatty acid called omega-3 has been linked to a reduction of stiff joints. It just so happens that flax is abundant in omega-3 acids. So if you feel that you’re lacking in that particular type of nutrient, take a flaxseed oil capsule along with your other vitamins. Who knows, you may never need another Tylenol again.

This post is specifically for men who want to lower their cholesterol levels. It’s important, that’s a fact, and I’m going to suggest a way to make that happen for you with one word, Flaxseed. This isn’t a myth or something made up by women just because the seed comes from a pretty little blue flower. A professor in food science at Iowa State University ran a test on 90 men and women whose only health problem was that they had high cholesterol. They were given 3 tablespoons of flaxseed lignans daily over the course of three months.

And the survey says…the dosage of flaxseed was shown to lower cholesterol in 10% of the men who were tested! Not a large number, but affective nonetheless.  Although more research needs to be done, I think we can all clearly see that beautiful blue flower actually works.

Herb Joiner-Bey, N.D speaks about how flax, flax seed oil, and Omega-3 fatty acids benefit overall health and help prevent many health conditions.  You can learn more about flax including recipes at www.flaxmatters.com

Dr. Marion Verbruggen gives the scientific research behind the health benefits of flaxseed.  Yuu can always find out more about flaxseed and purchasse flaxseed by visiting www.flaxmatters.com .

I just found out that one of the main components of flaxseeds, omega-3 fatty acids, can improve your skin.  Studies have shown that flax seed can greatly improve the appearance and feel of your skin.  If you have a rash or dry skin, try adding flaxseed to your diet.  The recommended daily dose is 2 tablespoons a day.  Flaxseed acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.  You will notice a reduction in your redness and scaly king.  The omega-3 fatty acides lower the excess blood flow to the skin caused by inflammation.  Flaxseed can be added to almost anything you are eating or baking – add to your yogurt, cereal, even sprinkle it on top of a salad.  You can check out recipe ideas and buy flax at www.flaxmatters.com

Taken from http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?pfriendly=1&tname=foodspice&dbid=81

In a study involving 40 patients with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL), daily consumption of 20 grams of ground flaxseed was compared to taking a statin drug. After 60 days, significant reductions were seen in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol-in both groups. Those receiving flaxseed did just as well as those given statin drugs!

Body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol were measured at the beginning of the study and after 60 days.

In those eating flaxseed, significant reductions were seen in total cholesterol (-17.2%), LDL-cholesterol (-3.9%), triglycerides (-36.3%) and the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (-33.5%) were observed in the diet+flax group, compared to baseline. Similar reductions were seen in those taking the statin. Benefits did not significantly differ between the two groups.