Nurse's Notes
Introduction
As a Registered Nurse since 1977, I am pleased, along with my
husband, to promote the use of flax. I have spent many years as
a nurse, caring for patients who are sick or disabled, and have
been honored to care for countless wonderful people. Oftentimes,
however, as I went about my job, I found myself wishing that I
could help people stay healthy, instead of just helping them when
they get sick. In 1999, my husband and I started to read about
flax and its health benefits. We started to ask ourselves, “Could
we be part of the solution to the health needs that so many people
have? Could we work together to provide a quality product that
could help people stay healthy?” After much research and
soul searching, we determined that the answer was a resounding, “Yes!”
And so, with that, Golden Valley Flax began. We’ve enjoyed
watching our business grow from little more than an idea and a
dream to a successful company. Making a living for our family by
helping others stay healthy is, we think, one of the best jobs
anyone could possibly have. We love meeting and talking with our
customers, and there are few things we enjoy more than helping
our customers live healthier lives through using Golden Valley
Flax.
As a part of that, I’ve decided to regularly post what I
learn about the health benefits of flax here, on my Nurse’s
Notes page. There’s an amazing amount of cutting-edge research
done all the time about flax, and I do my best to keep up with
as much of it as I can. Not long ago, my husband and I attended
the 59th annual meeting of the Flax Institute in Fargo, North Dakota.
One of my favorite presenters was Dr. Lillian Thompson from the
Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto
Medical School. Dr. Thompson gave a talk about how flaxseed works
to help fight breast cancer, and I asked her to send me a copy
of her speech. It should be coming in the mail anytime now, and
as soon as it does, I’ll pass it along to you!
Until then, be sure to eat right, stay positive, and
Live well,
Esther Hylden R.N.
Nurse's Notes
Hi, folks!
If you've been following the latest research about flax, you've
almost certainly heard about many of the health benefits of flax:
due to its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, flax has
been shown to help reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels,
and generally improve your heart health. What you may not have
heard about, however, is new evidence that shows how flax consumption
may significantly reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
Last spring, I attended a Flax Institute conference, and came away
with lots of valuable new information.
The Flax Institute brings together leading researchers from around
the world, and I was able to listen in on several quality presentations.
I found myself most interested by Dr. Lillian Thompson's talk,
which was titled "Interactive Effects of Flaxseed and
Tamoxifen on Human Breast Cancer." Dr. Thompson, a researcher
at the University of Ontario, has spent over a decade studying the effects
of flaxseed on the different stages of cancer, particularly breast cancer.
Flax is the richest source of phytoestrogen lignans in the plant kingdom,
and also contains very high amounts of a-linolenic acid, both of which have
been shown to have anti-cancer effects. Because of this, Dr. Thompson and
her colleagues thought that flax might have a very high potential to reduce
the risk of cancer.
With that in mind, Dr. Thompson conducted four separate studies,
the results of which are as follows:
- Flaxseed inhibited
the growth of human breast cancer in mice, in the presence of both high
and low levels of estrogen (simulating pre- or post-menopausal
situations).
- At high estrogen levels a greater intake of flaxseed proved
more successful than taking a lesser amount.
- Flaxseed enhances the inhibitory effects
of Tamoxifen (a popular breast cancer drug) in tests with laboratory
mice. This was accomplished by reducing the tumor cell proliferation.
All in all, Dr. Thompson concluded that the results are very
encouraging, and provide scientific justification for the clinical
testing of flaxseed in both pre- and post-menopausal breast
cancer patients taking Tamoxifen.
Other research has confirmed Dr. Thompson's findings. An article
in the October 2004 issue of Redbook, by the dietician
Roberta Anding, quoted a study of more than 3,000 women conducted by the University
of Buffalo, New York. In the study, researchers found that women who regularly
consume lignan-rich foods (like flaxseed) reduced
their risk of cancer by 33%. Anding recommended, on the basis of this study,
that women add flaxseed to their daily diets.
I, of course, was very encouraged by the results of this study,
and not just because my husband and I grow and
sell flax. My family has a long history of breast cancer, as well
as cancer in general, so I'm always on the lookout for things we
can do to reduce our risk of cancer.
I hope that you've found this
information helpful! As always, keep in mind that flax is a part
of a healthy complete lifestyle, and should be supplemented with
a healthful overall diet and regular exercise. If you have any
information about what flax has done for you, don't hesitate to
write-I'd love to hear your stories. There are few things I appreciate
more than talking with our customers. Until then, make sure to
eat right, exercise, and
Live well,
Esther Hylden, R.N.
