The Benefits of Flaxseed
 Hot flashes are a bothersome issue for women experiencing menopause. A hot flash is often described as a flush of intense warmth across much of the body that may be accompanied by sweating, reddening of the skin, or occasionally, cold shivers. Hot flashes occur in varying frequency and duration, even during sleep, and often cause or accompany sleep deprivation, anxiety and irritability.
Research suggests that lignans, estrogen-like compounds in flaxseeds, may help relieve hot flashes. In a pilot study, women consumed four tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily—two in the morning, two at night. After six weeks, the frequency of their hot flashes dropped, on average, from 7.3 to 3.6 a day. Intensity of the hot flashes decreased too.
"[Lignans in] flax offer a ‘natural,’ less potent estrogen effect on hot flashes than synthetic hormone therapy," says the study’s lead author, Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "We hope to find more effective non-hormonal options to assist women, and flaxseed looks promising."
Until recently, hormone replacement therapy was the most commonly prescribed treatment for hot flashes, but unwanted side effects have led to the search for non-hormonal solutions. Several effective non-hormonal drug therapies have been identified, but they are not always effective, and not all women can use them because of side effects. These limitations have led researchers to explore non-drug agents.
The results are promising. Flaxseed may not only help alleviate hot flashes, it also appears to have several health and psychological benefits as well. Flaxseed is also available in a supplement form. For more information Visit Healthy Choice Essentials Flaxseed Oil.
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