Since man stood upright, tiny but mighty flaxseeds, their fibrous mojo, and health-sustaining oil have been a cultural keystone. Composer Claude Debussy even wrote a lovely melody comparing a women's beautiful flaxen hair to the shiny brown seed.
The Omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) oil and cleansing dietary fiber were indispensable for upholding health and a happy colon. Friends often come for dinner and once I received a hilarious thank you courtesy call: "Wendell, dinner was awesome but I'm pretty sure some things came out of me this morning I ate when I was 6." I enlightened him that the flaxseed I sprinkled on everything was Roto Rootering' his backed-up colon.
Both plant and seed have been used for centuries to weave fibers for clothing and housing. Ancient Egyptians carried flaxseed in their medical bags. During the eighth century, King Charlemagne passed laws requiring the consumption of flaxseed. Linen made from flaxseeds composed Christ's swaddling infant clothes and to make the sacrosanct Shroud of Turin. However there's considerably more going on within the ancient gift from the generous Universe.
EFA Omega-3 deficiency is associated with chronic diarrhea, Crohn's or IBS, ADD, irritability or nervousness, dry mouth, throat, skin that dries or cracks behind the ears, emphysema, asthma, chronic lung disease, chronic joint pain or arthritis, kidney, bladder or prostate problems and infertility, impotence or a history of repeated miscarriages.
Fibrous flaxseed contains significant amounts of Omega 3 and naturally occurring plant estrogens called lignans which prevent bone loss, reduced risk of colon cancer and estrogen-related breast cancer and diminished symptoms of menopause. Omega 3 balances production of prostaglandins which help regulate blood pressure, blood clotting, nerve transmission, and allergic responses, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract functions, and the production of hormones. This miracle of nature helps prevent heart disease, improves mental function, and cools inflammation related to asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches and osteoporosis. Inflammation, by the way, accelerates aging and causes about 70% of today's diseases, whereas Omega 3 soothes inflammation decreasing disease risk. Smell what I'm cookin'?
Because Americans adore dead, processed foods, they eat way too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. A diet high in omega 6 causes destructive internal inflammation, especially if the diet lacks magnesium and B vitamins. These overly used fats are used in many bodily functions, but less is more.
The greatest source of the overabundance of omega-6 fats in the American diet is America's lust for fast, convenient, and processed foods. Commercial fried foods, even if they're low in trans-fat, are still likely to contain lofty levels of omega-6. Nearly the entire extreme intake of omega-6 fatty acid in American diets comes from popular cooking oils like sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed, walnut and soybean oil – all high in omega-6 fatty acid. I repeat: less is more.
Omega-3 naturally occurs in cold water fish, walnuts and green leafy vegetables. DHA, brain food, also comes from fish oil, salmon, herring, anchovies, sardines, chicken and eggs. Your best formula for success is to ingest 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds with 2000 IU's fish oil daily, in addition to a handful of plain walnuts. Try flaxseed over your morning fruit and cereal.
Refrigerate ground flaxseed in a tightly sealed container and then grind a small handful before serving. Please note the need to grind the fibrous seed in a coffee grinder in small batches then sprinkle them on everything you eat. Two tablespoons a day is sufficient. Once ground, the seeds quickly lose their mojo; process and store un-ground seeds in the refrigerator.
At home Sandi and I put it on everything; even the dogs are set-your-clock regular. The mere gravity of getting out of your morning bed will arouse a truly moving experience even before the chilly white seat has a chance to warm up.
Chef Wendell hosts Eat Right Now on WISH TV 8 CBS Indianapolis. He can be reached at 317-372-2592 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Visit his website at Chefwendell.com.