Flaxseed and Breast Health

  Flaxseeds are another fiber source that should be of interest to women. Ground organic flaxseeds are brimming with alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, as well as linolenic acid, an omega-6fatty acid, which are known as "essential fatty acids," or EFAs. The body needs EFAs to manufacture and repair cell membranes, enabling the cells to expel harmful waste products and regulate body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, fertility, and conception.

  Dietary essential fatty acids common to flaxseed oil are ultimately converted to hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins, These prostaglandins regulate a host of bodily functions, including water retention, blood clotting ability, nerve transmission, and inflammation and swelling.

  The hulls of flaxseeds contains lignans, which are rich in phytoestrogens (estrogen-like substances from plants) and reduce excess estrogen from binding to receptor sites in breast tissue. This is important because a lifetime of exposure to estrogen is a well-known risk factor for contracting breast cancer. In a healthy body, cells divide at a controlled rate in order to grow and repair damaged tissues and replace dying cells. The body quickly recognizes any abnormal cells and removes them before they can cause harm. Cells are constantly dividing and growing: these around- the- clock activities keep us in good health. But when the body cannot check the growth of abnormal cells, these "bad" cells keep multiplying until a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor, slowly emerges.

  When lignans are ingested, they work with estrogen and estrogen receptors to bring the body back into balance, and to deal with any excessive or "bad" forms of estrogen that may adversely affect beast health. (Left unchecked, estrogen could result in rapid multiplication of breast cells, which can lead to the growth of tumors.

 Flaxseed is available in meal and seed form. You can also find high-lignin flaxseed oil in the refrigerated section of your local health food store.

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