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July/August 2003 Alternative Health
Flax Oil is better for dieting and detoxifying

From the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller The Fat Flush Plan by Ann Louise Gittleman, recently featured on ABC TV's "The View" and Dr. Phil":

A tablespoon of flaxseed oil can attract oil-soluble poisons that have been lodged in your fat stores and transport them out of your body, helping you lose weight.

Although up to 40% of your calories come from high-quality fats, and particularly, flaxseed oil, its Omega-3 fatty acids have been show to REDUCE insulin resistance significantly in people with diabetes, according to a report by Australian researchers published in The New England Journal of Medicine. And when your blood sugar is even, you experience reduced cravings and overeating.

Ground-up flax seeds are just as good as the oil. Use 3 tablespoons of ground-up flaxseeds to 1 tablespoon of the flaxseed oil.

Flaxseed oil needs to be ingested with other foods and not alone. It helps to emulsify the oil, which ensures better absorption and therefore better use of the essential fatty acids the oil contains.

While fiber, water and exercise can flush out toxins through the bowels, urine and sweat, the oil can attract oil-soluble toxins that have been lodged in the fatty tissues of the body and carry them out of the system for elimination, too.

Flaxseed is one of the richest sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. In clinical studies, they have been found to burn nearly three times faster than animal fats. No wonder they are known as the "anti-obesity fats."

2 daily tablespoons of flaxseed oil eliminates the feeling of hunger because it creates a feeling of satiety and makes you feel fuller, longer. You are happy with less food because you are less hungry. Flaxseed does this by revving up metabolism and eliminating the deprivation that can make you give into temptation and cheat on your diet. In addition, the flaxseeds themselves are a powerful source of antioxidants and plant sterols, responsible for a major portion of human immune function.

For women with menopause, the good news about Flaxseed is even better! Many midlife women report that the flaxseed and GLA components of The Fat Flush Plan act as natural hormone therapy, reducing hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disturbances and tissue dryness without the side effects of fat-promoting synthetic estrogens and progestins.

Ann Louise Gittleman, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling diet and cookbook The Fat Flush Program, includes flax in many of her signature dishes. Use flaxseed meal over vegetables, sprinkled in salad, or used in fruit smoothies. Add it to cottage cheese, yogurt and friendly carbs!

The following recipes are from The Fat Flush Cookbook:

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

½ Cup scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
½ teaspoon dried mustard
2 tablespoons flaxseed oil

Combine scallions, lime juice, cilantro and mustard in a small bowl. Whisk in flaxseed oil.
Use immediately or store for up to 4 days. Yields a half cup and is perfect with seafood: salmon, tuna or shrimp dishes.

Basil Pesto

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup flaxseed oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 cup pine nuts
1/8 cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It's perfect for vegetables.

 

Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S., is one of the most respected nutritionists in America today. She is recognized as an international authority on women's health and beauty, having authored over twenty books (including The Fat Flush Plan, The Fat Flush Cookbook and the forthcoming Fat Flush Fitness Program.) She sits on the board of several nutritional foundations and is interviewed frequently on TV and Radio.

Read more about flaxseed oil and The Fat Flush Plan at www.fatflushplan.com/.