Anyone use milled flaxseed?

[bacarver]

I found out yesterday that my cholesterol level has really jumped and I have no clue as to why. It was 212 three years ago and now it's 247. I've been very good in regard to diet, exercise, healthy weight and lifestyle.

I don't like the idea of medication so I'm looking for natural options.

Has anyone tried milled flaxseed? Does it work? Any side effects?

Thanks!

Barb

[Eden]

I put flax seed on my oatmeal - though I don't know what it has done for my health, since I've not yet ever had my cholesterol checked, I would say that it has no side effects.

[Red Rock]

I use flaxseed-ground- in all of my cereals. Oftentimes when I make pancakes from scratch, I will add it in there also.

I have actually used the whole flax and the ground off and on for a number of years. Have noticed no ill side effects. I just hope it helps my cholesterol as well. I was told I was high last time I had my blood checked.

[KnottedYet]

I'm eating some mixed into my hummus right now! my cholesterol went up (I was bad and was eating 2 eggs with cheese every morning for breakfast) and I'm hoping the flax and cutting out the eggs will get it back down.

I've had cholesterol in the high 200's since I was a teenager. I reeeeally don't want to go on chol drugs, so I reeeeeeally need to start playing by the dietary rules and stop cheating!

No ill effects noticed from the flax. I like the taste of the milled flax much more than the flax oil. It's good in pancakes, refried beans, hummus, chili, mild nutty flavor.

[Pedal Wench]

Any thoughts on if you need to grind them up, or is chewing good enough?

[Eden]

Any thoughts on if you need to grind them up, or is chewing good enough?

The first time I used them I had whole seeds - not that I was examining too closely, but they did seem to go right through intact for the most part.... I get the feeling that ground you will get more good from them.

[kelownagirl]

I read something the importance of freshness. In buying them, storing, them, and grinding them yourself immediately before use. I'm sure if you google it, you can find out specific data.

[Blueberry]

My understanding is that you have to eat them ground, or you don't get any nutritional benefit. I believe the outside isn't digestible. I don't recall the details, but they're quite hard to grind - I don't think I had the proper equipment in my kitchen...

CA

[Thorn]

Grind 'em up and toss 'em on my oatmeal in the AM. I have hereditarily high cholesterol. The rest of the family is on pipe-cleaner drugs, but I refuse to submit (long story, but Mom had the muscle reaction to the drugs before they admitted there was a reaction--she never recovered).

I've managed to control my cholesterol through diet (and, of course, exercise). I cannot tell you which thing worked, but in the year I got it to drop 40 points, this is what I did....

+ Killed the donut and bagel breakfast habit and replaced it with a serving a vanilla yogurt with 1/2c dry oatmeal, 1/4c each of walnuts, cashews, and a dried fruit (mmmm...dry blueberries). Add to that 2T of ground flax seed. I mix up a week's worth of the toppings on the weekend so it isn't a lot of work during the week.
+ Killed the coffee and cream habit (my grandmother taught me to drink coffee--half cream and half coffee). I replaced it with tea. Periodically, I'll still have chai, but with 2% milk, not cream.
+ Glass of red wine every evening.
+ Cut back on my cheese consumption. I'm already a vegetarian, but I live in Wisconsin--cheese is the state dish! Cheese and crackers is now a treat.
+ Cut out my afternoon candy bar and replaced it either with dark chocolate and some almonds or a Luna bar. This was the hardest.

After more than a year on this, the really wierd thing is I can walk by the donut table at work. The donuts just don't taste good anymore and candy bars and M&Ms are too sweet. Times like that I think I've damaged myself.:eek:

[Thorn]

Oh, and the nutritionist column on Velnonews this week is on heart-healthy eating. You might want to check that out.

[OakLeaf]

Flax seeds grind just fine in a spice grinder or mini-chopper. They tend to be both glutinous (in consistency, they don't contain gluten) and oily, so choose a grinder that will let you immerse and thoroughly wash all the parts. (couple of suggestions: Kitchen Aid spice grinder (http://www.kitchenaid.com/catalog/product.jsp?src=Coffee+Mills+&+Grinders&cat=227&prod=413); Braun stick blender (http://www.braun.com/na/products/fooddrink/foodpreparation/handblenders/mr400.html) with chopper attachment.) Everyone needs a stick blender anyway - my #1 favorite kitchen appliance!

Whoops... so much for my comment in the gratitude thread about not abusing my access to electric power :o Okay, take two. It's breakfast time anyway (getting out the marble mortar and pestle (http://www.amazon.com/White-Marble-Mortar-and-Pestle/dp/B000BUB58K/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1204205153&sr=8-4)). <grind - grind - grind - return to computer scarfing oatmeal with raisins and flax seeds> That works just fine. I'd compare the "grindability" of flax seeds to cumin seeds. I don't think I'd try to grind them with a wooden pestle.

Personally, I'm skeptical of "miracle food" bandwagons, though I'm not above supplements. I'll eat (eat, not "use") freshly ground flax seeds on my breakfast cereal or smoothie for some healthy anti-inflammatory fats a couple-three days a week. My cholesterol has been very healthy when I've had it checked (been a while though), which I actually attribute to a combination of genetics, exercise, and a fair amount of soy foods in my diet.

[luv'nAustin]

The kind that I buy is ground. It is grown in North Dakota and they send it to me in the mail. If you are interested I could give you the phone number. You do need to store it in the fridge after the seal is broken but it will stay fresh for months.

My only tip is that you start with a small quantity and slowly increase your daily intake so that your stomach is not upset. I think that I use at least a tablespoon on my cereal each morning.

[cosc]

My coffee grinder works double duty with flax seed. I wipe the grinder with paper towel after using flax. Remember to unplug grinder before wiping though.
I put flax in pancakes and homemade bread or cornbread. In baking with flax I find I need less salt in my recipes.

[bacarver]

Thanks for the ideas, TE.

I gave up my beloved eggs about 3 years ago. I eat the substitute, but it really isn't the same.

I don't want to take the "pipe cleaner" drugs because I am very sensitive to med side effects. If something can go wrong, it will with me.

I don't eat between meals, don't drink coffee, haven't had a donut in forever, am allergic to walnuts, and eat limited cheese. I LOVE 8th Continent Soy milk.

The care and upkeep of my body is hard work and not really fair. But, I am active and athletic.

I am going to Kroger tomorrow to see if they have milled flaxseed. I think I saw it on the hot cereal shelf.

I hope it works!

Barb

[Frenchroadie]

I have low cholesterol but it even got lower when I started eating the "Zone Diet" way by Dr. Barry Sears. I really don't see it as a diet but rather a way of eating. Pounds started dropping off also easily for a change and have kept off one year later. Something to look into...... and yes, I occasionally eat flaxseed that I grind as needed in a coffee grinder, I put it in my milk shakes.

[Crankin]

Well, don't be totally anti medication.My husband has terrible genetics but is a superfit person, eats pretty well, too. By the time I forced him to get a physical his cholesterol was sky high and he had high BP, too. A year later he had 2 80% blocked arteries. He had started on the medication a year before that. After he had the arteries taken care of, his doctor switched him to 2 different cholesterol lowering meds.
I am all for alternative health methods, and have had some weird drug reactions, but ladies, do fool around with this, especially if you are nearing menopause. Flax seed would not have helped my husband.
I have eaten well for years and I still have a fairly high total cholesterol level (218). But my HDL and triglycerides are really good, so they say I don't need any meds. No matter what I do, I can't seem to get the total lower.
And by the way, it's generally accepted now that eggs don't make your levels go up that much, it's fatty foods (saturated) that do.

[Jolt]

And don't forget that trans fats are the worst of all as far as having bad effects on cholesterol levels and clogging arteries! I would advise staying completely away from them whenever possible.

BTW, Crankin--I wouldn't get too hung up on the "high" total number if your HDL and triglycerides are good. As far as I understand, it's more the ratio than the total that is important. At my last physical, for example, my total was 207, HDL 82, LDL 107 and triglycerides 89. The doctor wrote on the lab results that this was "very good" even though the total was technically a little high. Seems I take after my mother in the cholesterol department--her total is always a little high but the HDL is really good so it's fine.

[Crankin]

Thanks, Jolt. I know that my ratios are really good and I have been told the numbers are a direct result of 25+ years of exercise. My HDL recently got a little lower, went from 81 to 75, but since I had a dr. once tell me that he had never seen an HDL that high in his entire career, I will settle for the 75.

Robyn