The benefits and harms of flaxseed oil for women

Flaxseed oil is often called a miraculous elixir, as well as one of the main assistants in preserving the beauty and health of a woman. How reasonable are these epithets and what properties does flax seed oil have?

The benefits of flaxseed oil have been known since ancient times. Hippocrates declared its healing properties; eminent ladies of the Roman Empire used oil as an external remedy; Cleopatra also had it in the arsenal of beauty.

Preparing the product by cold-pressing flaxseed, which is also edible raw. The oil has a caramel or a more saturated yellow color and a pleasant delicate aroma.

The raw materials for the product are dried flax seeds, which are ground by special millstones almost to dust. The mass of the resulting mass is placed under pressure, thanks to which oil is emitted from it.

The finished product is suitable for external and internal use, it can be used as a therapeutic or prophylactic agent, as a standalone product or as part of infusions, masks, compresses.

The basis of flaxseed oil is represented by amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. There are alpha-linolenic acid, better known as omega-3, linoleic acid - omega-6. The vitamin composition is represented by tocopherol, vitamins A, K, F and vitamins of group B. There are in the composition of such trace elements as iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus.

Features of the composition provide antioxidant, firming and immunostimulating action of the oil. Regular consumption of the product reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system and the digestive tract, normalizes metabolic processes, and has a beneficial effect on the skin.

However, flaxseed oil brings the greatest benefit to the female body, due to the presence of progesterone and phytoestrogens, which act as an analogue of the female sex hormones. In this regard, the product will be useful both in the period of formation of the menstrual cycle, and during, as well as after menopause. Flaxseed oil is a source of beneficial amino acids at the time of conception, during gestation and during lactation.

Linseed oil is usually recommended for women after 40 years of age. During this period, there is a change in the hormonal background and, as a result, a decrease in estrogen in the woman’s body. As a rule, this process is called menopause, and it, in turn, is divided into stages such as premenopause, menopause and postmenopause.

The production of estrogen by the ovaries during this period is not only reduced - it turns out to be non-permanent. That is, at different stages of menopause, a different amount of estrogen is produced, which negatively affects the well-being, emotional health and appearance of the woman.

Making the menopause less painful helps the appointment of drugs containing estrogen. Flaxseed oil contains a similar phytoestrogen. As a result of his regular intake of "jumps", estrogen becomes less noticeable, it is possible to stabilize the hormonal, and at the same time, the emotional background of the woman. It is possible to reduce the frequency of tides and their intensity, increase libido.

Flax seed oil is also recommended for eliminating unpleasant premenstrual syndromes, its reception will bring relief even with painful heavy menstruation. This is due to the presence of omega-3 and omega-6. These unsaturated fatty acids, entering the body, provoke the production of prostaglandin.The latter has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, reduces the intensity of secretions and allows the body to recover faster after blood loss.

The presence of phytoestrogens in the oil as a whole has a beneficial effect on the female reproductive organs, allowing the girl to look more feminine. This concerns the appearance of a small roundness in the thighs, an improvement in the blood supply to the breast (of course, no visible increase or growth is expected, however, taking linseed oil is one of the ways to avoid the formation of breast tumors).

In case of violations of the cycle, which provokes a lack of estrogen, linseed oil can replace hormones and restore the cycle. However, its reception is much safer, because it does not cause an overdose of hormones, has a small list of contraindications.

Having aligned hormonal background, having strengthened and made the body healthier with the help of linseed oil, a woman can thus simplify and speed up the conception of a child.

No less useful is the product for stabilizing hormonal levels during pregnancy. It is the lack of female hormones that is one of the causes of miscarriages. Consumption of a natural product, as already mentioned, will not only help restore the right amount of estrogen, but also stabilize them, prevent an excessive increase in estrogen.

Vitamins and amino acids in the oil have a positive effect on the mother's immunity, increasing its resistance to viruses and colds, pyelonephritis, fungi.

When consuming oil as a remedy for constipation, which often occur in the first and last trimester of pregnancy, you need to monitor the dosage to avoid excessive bowel activity and contraction of the uterus. But in general, the product effectively and gently treats constipation.

Flax seed oil improves the functioning of the vascular system, and thanks to iron and vitamin B, the hematopoiesis improves, the hemoglobin level rises. This, in turn, allows for better saturation of the organs and tissues of the mother and fetus with oxygen, preventing hypoxia and entanglement of the fetus. Finally, the usefulness of the product lies in the fact that regular external use of linseed oil will prevent or reduce the appearance of stretch marks on the skin.

Taking flaxseed oil during breastfeeding can enrich the child's body with amino acids and vitamins. At the same time, these components, being in a processed form, will not cause rejection of the baby and will be absorbed by it.

Flax oil can be used as a supplement to the main medical treatment for diseases such as fibroids, mastopathy, as well as adhesions, endometriosis and thrush.

When using flax oil in the early stages of the formation of fibroids (benign formation) and mastopathy (benign neoplasms in dairy structures) in combination with conservative therapy, independent resolution of tumors is sometimes observed. The positive effect of oil in this case is due to the fact that both diseases have a hormonal origin. In addition, the components of the product contribute to the normalization of metabolic processes and the binding of free radicals. Finally, lignin, which is a phytoestrogen, improves blood flow in the mammary glands, which also contributes to the resorption of tumors.

Against the background of a hormonal failure, another gynecological disease, endometriosis, develops. It is characterized by the proliferation of endometrial cells - the layer lining the inner surface of the uterus.Reception of the product not only normalizes hormones, but also provokes the production of prostaglandins, the action of which has already been mentioned above. It is not uncommon when taking flax seed oil or analog capsules and drug therapy can save a woman from a painful and unwholesome procedure of curettage of the uterus cavity.

Despite the amazing healing properties of flaxseed oil, in some cases it can harm the body. First of all, we are talking about individual intolerance to the product. It is worth refusing treatment with such a remedy in acute phases of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract organs, a tendency to diarrhea, and disturbed digestion. You should not consume the product for gallstone disease, violation of homeostasis, hepatitis and polycystic ovaries.

Due to the ability of the product to have a stimulating effect on the circulatory system, it is contraindicated in bleeding disorders and a tendency to internal bleeding. You can not combine the oil with the reception of anticoagulants. Due to the ability to level the effects of drugs taken for diabetes, the composition should not be used by people with the disease.

It is important to comply with the dosage of the drug, before use, you should consult with your doctor and be examined. The use of a product with an expired shelf life is not only useless, but also dangerous, since the decay products of vital fatty acids appear in its composition. A similar process, as well as the appearance of free radicals in the composition, is detected when the oil is heated - you cannot cook on it!

As a rule, symptoms such as nausea, increased flatulence, diarrhea, and asphyxiation are evidence of intolerance to the product, excessive dosage or low quality oil.

When using oil in conjunction with oral contraceptives, the action of the latter may be reduced, which threatens an unplanned pregnancy. The result of the simultaneous use of oil and other hormonal drugs may have an unpredictable result.

You will learn more about the benefits and dangers of flaxseed oil by watching the following video.

When buying, it is important to make sure that you intend to purchase cold-pressed linseed oil. Only in this case the product can be consumed inside. There is also an analogue of hot pressing, which is widely used in the decoration of wooden furniture. This oil will not only benefit, but may also be unsafe for health when ingested.

Another important point - the shelf life of the oil. The product must not be expired. Choosing a suitable volume, remember that it is recommended to keep an open container with oil for no more than a month. It is better not to buy the product in an oversized bottle.

High-quality flax seed oil cannot be sold in plastic containers, since the contact of fatty acids with this material results in the release of harmful compounds. The product is bottled in glass bottles, optimally - if they are made of dark glass.

It is important to study the composition of the product. Here only cold-pressed flax seed oil should be listed. There should be no preservatives and other additives, vegetable oil.

A good product has a yellow, sometimes slightly greenish tint and a light nutty flavor. The presence of a small sediment is considered normal and proves the natural composition. If we talk about taste, it is quite pleasant, with a slight bitterness.

Flaxseed oil is usually taken several times a day. The first reception occurs in the morning when the stomach is still hungry. As a preventive measure, you can use it for filling vegetable and fruit salads, add cold appetizers to taste. Delicious get a dish of cottage cheese with a little butter and dried fruit. In short, a small amount of oil (to your liking) can be added to any dishes, if they are not subjected to further heat treatment.

To prevent the unpleasant symptoms of menopause, you should drink flaxseed oil half an hour or an hour before meals once a day. Dosage - 1 tablespoon. You should drink away the course for 10–15 days, and after a break for 3 months.

To eliminate the existing lack of estrogen during menopause, linseed oil is drunk on an empty stomach in the morning, and then again an hour before the meal. The total daily dose should begin with 1 tablespoon, gradually, this amount should be increased to 2 spoons.

The stabilization of the cycle is usually allowed by the double intake of linseed oil. The first dose (tablespoon) should be drunk on an empty stomach in the morning, the second (the same amount) - an hour after taking the last meal.

If it is necessary to reduce the pain and intensity of menstruation, then 3-4 days before the day of the beginning of menstruation you should drink 1 tablespoon of oil in the morning on an empty stomach. Then the same amount of oil should be drunk daily until the end of the month. Between menstruation, you can take 1 teaspoon of the product daily, although in most cases this is optional.

During pregnancy, you should receive advice and permission from the gynecologist to receive oil. He will determine the permitted dosage. As a rule, pregnant women consume the oil an hour before or after meals, 1-2 tablespoons twice a day.

For the treatment of mastopathy and fibroids, the product is recommended to be taken twice a day, 1.5-2 hours before meals, and 1 tablespoon. In addition, it is recommended to fill the product with salads, put a drop of butter on the bread, put in a paste, etc. The total amount of flaxseed oil can reach 3-3.5 tablespoons per month. The course of treatment is a month. After the mastopathy is cured, it is recommended to rub the oil externally, performing massage movements with the hands.

Store flaxseed oil in the refrigerator, for example, in the door. Shake oil well before use. Keep the product in a tightly closed bottle. Do not use after the expiration date, use an open bottle for 1-1.5 months. The optimal storage temperature is 5 ... 25 degrees.

If the oil thickens, it indicates a violation of storage conditions - you can not use the product.

If suddenly the product is purchased in plastic containers or bottled in clear glass, it should be poured into a dark glass bottle.

Some women admit that after childbirth they notice a decrease in the amount of natural lubrication, which causes discomfort during sexual intercourse. However, it is enough to start taking a tablespoon of flax seed oil in the morning on an empty stomach, so that after 5–7 days to forget about such a nuisance.

If it is impossible to drink flaxseed oil in its pure form, women are advised to add it to kefir or yogurt. The latter acquire a peculiar taste, which, however, cannot be called unpleasant. Doctors confirm that in this form the oil is fully absorbed and does not cause a negative reaction of the body.

Pregnant women who suffer from constipation late, also note the effectiveness of linseed oil. It is enough to drink a tablespoon of the product once a day or every other day in order to achieve a gentle bowel cleansing.