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Flaxseed for hormone balance
Flaxseed is the least dramatic thing on this whole list. There is no ritual, no tincture, no four-week steep. There is a tablespoon of seeds and a glass of water.
In return it is one of the best studied. Flaxseed contains lignans, plant compounds so similar to oestrogen that the body can use them when its own begins to swing. It does not work overnight. It works because you do it every day.
Grind them. Whole seeds pass straight through without leaving anything behind.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp whole flaxseed
- A large glass of water, at least 250 ml
- Optional: oats, yoghurt or a smoothie to stir them into
Equipment
- Coffee grinder or mortar
- Airtight jar for storage
Method
- 1
Grind 1 tbsp whole flaxseed to a coarse meal. Grind only what you need today or tomorrow.
- 2
Stir into oats, yoghurt or a smoothie. They taste mildly of nut and disappear into most things.
- 3
Drink a large glass of water with them. This is not optional, flaxseed draws fluid and needs something to work with.
- 4
Repeat daily. Give it at least 6-8 weeks before judging whether it does anything.
Dosage
1 tbsp ground flaxseed daily, with plenty of water.
Shelf life
Whole seeds keep a year. Ground seeds go rancid within days, keep them chilled and grind small amounts.
Safety
Drink plenty of water with them. Flaxseed without enough fluid can cause constipation rather than the opposite.
Flaxseed can reduce the absorption of medication. Take it at least an hour apart from your tablets.
If you have a hormone-sensitive condition, speak with your doctor before taking flaxseed regularly. The lignans act mildly like oestrogen.
Not with known bowel narrowing or obstruction.
Start with half a tablespoon the first week if your stomach is sensitive.
How the herbs work
Flaxseed contains lignans, plant compounds similar enough to the body''s own oestrogen to bind in the same places. When your own production begins to swing, they can soften the swing a little.
The seeds also hold mucilage and fibre that suit the digestion, and omega-3 fatty acids. That is why they must be ground, whole seeds pass through unopened.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.