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In this day and age of fat phobia and the resultant barrage
of low fat and non-fat food products, a recommendation to supplement your daily diet with
one to two tablespoons of essential fatty acid rich flax or borage seed oil would appear
to go against what you are being told. To the contrary, this is exactly what health
conscious consumers are doing across the country, to attain and maintain optimal health.
It is true Americans should not consume more than 20-30% of daily calories as fats, a lack
of the dietary essential fatty acids has been suggested to facilitate degenerative
disease.
Flax seed oil is considered by many to be the answer to this health dilemma. Oil extracted
from flax seed is unique because it contains both essential fatty acids: alpha-linolenic,
an omega-3 fatty acid, and linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, in appreciable amounts.
Flax seed oil is the world's richest vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3
fatty acids have been extensively studied for their apparent beneficial effects toward:
The high content of omega-3 fatty acids in flax seed oil is but one of its positive
attributes. Essential fatty acids common to flax seed oil are ultimately converted
to hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins, and are important for the regulation
of a host of bodily functions including:
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Inflammation, pain, and swelling
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secretions from mucus membranes and their viscosity
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smooth muscle & autonomic reflexes, gastrointestinal, arterial, ear, heart
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water retention
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blood clotting ability
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allergic response
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nerve transmission
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steroid production & hormone synthesis
Scientists continue to discover regulating effects of prostaglandin's. Without the
essential fatty acids, precursors of prostaglandin's, problems in the regulation of the
above listed bodily functions are possible.
Nature's most potent concentration of GLA comes in the form of borage seed oil (24%). A
great deal of scientific research has been conducted with supplements rich in GLA,
resulting in significant interest regarding specific health concerns, including
pre-menstrual syndrome, breast health, skin health and circulatory support.
When considering an essential fatty acid supplement and deciding on whether to use flax or
borage seed oils, the most sensible solution may be a formulation of the two. The
combination of both flax and borage seed oil yields a true Omega-Twin, by providing
nature's best of the omega-3 fatty acids in flax with the best of omega-6 fatty acids in
GLA rich borage oil.
Supplementation with flax seed & borage seed oils makes good sense for the following
reasons:
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Omega-3 fatty acids and GLA together on the production of beneficial prostaglandin's.
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There are many health benefits from both flax seed and borage seed supplements.
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Flax seed oil combined with borage seed oil work together for even better results.
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Flax seed and borage seed oils combined is a less expensive supplement than purchasing
them separately.
The answer does not appear to be no fat, but the right fat, as common to flax and borage
seed oils, to achieve optimal health.
Past and present scientific research supports the use of essential fatty acid nutrients in
promoting optimal health. Flax seed oil is recognized as nature's richest source of
essential and omega-3 fatty acids. Borage seed oil is recognized as nature's richest
source of GLA. These natural plant substances used alone have created a great deal of
interest in the control of numerous health problems. The combination of omega-3 fatty
acids with gamma-linolenic acid may further complement the health benefits of either fatty
acid used singularly.
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