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Flaxseeds are rich in nutrients and compounds that are beneficial to optimal health. They promote bone and joint health, help fight heart disease, provide protection from breast cancer, and they combat Dry Eye Syndrome (an affliction that affects over 10 million Americans). This is by no means an exhaustive list of the benefits of flaxseed, a food whose potential as a health supplement is constantly being researched and assessed by nutritionists.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACID
This nutrient is responsible for flaxseed's anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its health benefits to bones. Omega-3 fats are one of the "good fats" that can help lower cholesterol levels.

*Omega-3 fats help the body generate certain types of prostaglandins, namely Series 1 and 3 prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are molecules that function as a sort of anti-inflammatory hormone.

*Omega-6 fatty acids (found in red meat, margarine, and several vegetable oils including corn, safflower, sunflower, palm, and peanut oils) help generate Series 2 prostaglandins which actually promote inflammation.

*Omega-3 fats provide additional benefit to the skeletal system. By increasing your dietary intake of Omega-3 fats and decreasing your intake of Omega-6 fats, you can actually prevent excessive bone loss.

*Ingesting 20 grams of flaxseed a day for 60 days has been proven to lower one's cholesterol levels to a degree comparable to taking statin drugs.

*If you suffer from Dry Eye Syndrome (DES), relief may be in sight. Researcher Biljana Miljanovic, MD, MPH, and colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital gathered research data (as published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) suggesting that a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids may lower one's risk for developing DES.

*2 tablespoons of flaxseed contain approximately 140% of the recommended daily allowance of Omega-3 fatty acids, namely alpha linolenic acid (ALA). Extracted oil from flaxseed contains a greater concentration of ALA, but does not provide some of the other nutritional benefits (such as dietary fiber).

DIETARY FIBER
The health benefits of dietary fiber are well documented, especially its ability to support good digestive health in general, and a healthy colon in particular. Dietary fiber is invaluable to diabetic patients.

*Dietary fiber can lower cholesterol levels in people with atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease and stabilize blood sugar levels in diabetic patients.

*The fiber found in flaxseed is a great asset to the digestive system

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