Flax Seed & Constipation
Case 1: "A child's constipation alternates with diarrhea." Remedy: Mix one teaspoon of flaxseed with a quart of spring water to simmer for fifteen minutes. The result is flaxseed tea which can be used to cook oatmeal or add to juices. If you don't want to make the flaxseed tea, ground organic flax in a coffee grinder to add directly into oatmeal. It is claimed this remedy can relieve constipation within 48 hours. Case 2: "A thin woman displaying symptoms of yin deficiency constipation: pale tongue with no coating, pale face and lips." Remedy: Soak equal parts of flax, fenugreek and psyllium. Take three tablespoons of this combination once or twice a day. Raw When eating flaxseeds raw, Which is better for constipation, whole or crushed ? I get contradicting answers. I concentrate on points we are sure of: 1) the act of swallowing the seeds must be followed by the act of drinking some liquid to make the seeds swell into mucilaginous bulk. What happen if your liquid intake is insufficient? Well, one lady ended up with blocked intestine for not drinking enough for her flax intake. 2) Crushed seeds have to be used within a week. Otherwise, the delicate oil inside the seed will start to turn rancid and may irritate the stomach. So I should make a conscious note to watch my timing when taking crushed flax. Whole seed would be a more convenient option for busy folks. 3) The act of crushing the seeds helps to convert its cyanogenic glycosides into the harmful hydrogen cyanide form. In another words, eating raw flax whole presents no problem of increasing cyanide in your bloodstream. Tests conducted on humans showed that consuming large quantites of crushed flax overwhelms the body's natural ability to detoxify the cyanides. However, in reality, nobody is poisoned by cyanide in flax because, you need to gobble up to one kilo of flax to kill yourself this way. Cassava contains more cyanogenic glycosides. Other natural food sources of cyanides are the yummy apples and cherries. 4) Prussic acid in flax is of too little quantity to be harmful. The quantity is just right as a tonic as well as to improve flavour. Prussic acid also enhances the taste of bitter almonds ( marzipannn ), cherry and plum stones ( kirsch and slivovitzzz ). 5) Flaxseed oil may act as a lubricant that complements the mucilage and fiber of the seeds. However, the oil is not credited for laxative effects. The oil contains only the alpha-linolenic acid components. P.s. Someone might scream at the remedy in case 2 mentioned at the onset as "old-fashioned". Soaking the seeds is said to "pre-empt" the very effect we want to achieve in the intestinal tract. Processed/Cooked. Boiling/extraction/baking/processing detoxifies the seeds from cyanides. ( which is too little to bother us, really) Add flax to bread, salads, muffins as a nutritious gluten-free vegan ingredient. Yums. Credentials Studies in patients have shown that linseeds : 1. decrease transit time and increase stool weight and, 2. daily intake of 50 g in milled form for 4 weeks increase weekly bowel movements by 30 per cent. Commission E, a body of scientists that advises Germany on herbal treatment which makes it an equivalent of FDA, in fact endorses linseed for constipation. Commission E's suggestion for chronic constipation is 3 tablespoons whole or crush, three to four times daily. Long Term Consumption Flax was traditionally used in small quantities for long term constipation. These days, you know how agressive health food bu$ine$$ promotes the consumption of flax in large quantities. So much that I won't be surprised the possibility of cyanide poisoning could become reality. Respecting recommended dosage and checking to see if your medical condition/medication can tolerate flax are reasonable steps to take when choosing flax for long term usage. I have decided against posting a long list of candidates who may not qualified to use flax. Because, there are so many contradicting stories regarding pregnancies, breast feeding, prostrate cancer and irritable bowel syndrome to name just a few. No point stirring up argument on questions that require time and more studies to verify. As for me, I will check before offering flax muffins to a bipolar patient. ( Chuckles ) References 1.Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, Volume 51, page 10,43, By Steve Taylor 2.The 5-minute herb and dietary supplement consult, page 134, By Adriane Fugh-Berman 3.Medical Toxicology of Natural Substances: Foods, Fungi, Medicinal Herbs, page 665, By Donald G. Barceloux 4.The green pharmacy: new discoveries in herbal remedies for common diseases, page 142, By James A. Duke 5. Healing with whole foods: Asian traditions and modern nutrition, page 365, By Paul Pitchford 6. The family herbal: a guide to natural health care for yourself and your, page 177, by By Barbara Theiss, Peter Theiss 7. Weiss's Herbal Medicine, Classic Edition By Rudolf Fritz Weiss 8. Mayo Clinic Return from Flax Seed to Constipation Remedies |