Flaxseed lower high cholesterol

[Richard D]

A new study from Iowa State University's Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC) may give men a way to combat high cholesterol without drugs -- if they don't mind sprinkling some flaxseed into their daily diet.

Suzanne Hendrich, an ISU professor in food science and human nutrition, led a study that examined the effects of flaxseed lignan in 90 people diagnosed with high cholesterol. The results showed that consuming at least 150 milligrams of flaxseed lignans per day (about three tablespoons) decreased cholesterol in men, but not women, by just under 10 percent over the three months that they were given the flaxseed.

While Hendrich admits that's considerably less than the expected outcome from cholesterol-lowering drugs -- approximately 10 to20 percent for three months, depending on the individual -- it's still enough to make flaxseed a more natural option for some men.

"Because there are people who can't take something like Lipitor, this could at least give you some of that cholesterol-lowering benefit," Hendrich said. "The other thing is, there are certainly some people who would prefer to not use a drug, but rather use foods to try to maintain their health. So this potentially would be something to consider."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100326101121.htm

[DFW]

1. This is very old news

When I was diagnosed with near total artery blockage and rushed to a hospital here in Germany 6 years ago, after getting
two stents put in, the first thing that happened afterward is that the hospital called my wife in and had a dietician
spell out to the both of us the new rules: no more animal fat, i.e. no red meat, butter, cheese, ice cream, etc etc etc.
Also: a daily müssli with oat flakes, wheat germ and a decent-sized dose of flax seed. They weren't hailing this as a new
discovery, either. It has been a standard part of anti-cholesterol diets, at least here in Germany, for years.

I also take lipitor and stick to the prescribed diet as strictly as I can, but my LDL has gone down from 147 to 59, so while
the combination may not work for everyone, it seems to have helped me.

[elocs]

2. Well, this is DU where news is often old and frequently reposted over and over

in case somebody missed it.

[DFW]

3. Probably so

In case there's anyone out there with arterial blockage who doesn't know this yet,
if this is the first they've heard of it, better late than never!

The news may be old, but it's less true for all that.

[supernova]

4. Wow the 4 food groups of Germany

"red meat, butter, cheese, ice cream"


:D Joking, I love the Germans and Austrians. But wow, traditionally do they ever eat a lot of (bad) fat.

[DFW]

6. Traditionally, you're right (except for the ice cream!)

Although, they eat a lot of veggies, too.

These days, though, you'll find vegan and vegetarian places everywhere here, as well as health food stores
carrying more grains and herbs than a Greenwich Village emporium. We get our flax seed, oats, wheat germ,
pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, etc. at a local health food place right here in our little suburb of Düsseldorf.

[RedEarth]

5. Thanks for posting