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Use of flax as a cancer preventer is "an area that I think has a
lot of promise," notes Lilian U. Thompson, Ph.D., of the
University of Toronto, one of a handful of researchers
investigating the relationship between flax and cancer
inhibition.
One of the keys to flax's anti-cancer properties is that it is
rich in compounds known as lignan precursors. These are
converted in your colon to the lignans enterolactone and
enterodiol. Lignans are one of the important phytochemicals that
people can consume daily to minimize their risk of cancer and,
also, if they do get cancer, to minimize it's spread
(metastases).
Thompson and her colleagues began their scientific quest into
the powers of lignans by seeking the richest source of lignan
precursors, screening for the production of enterolactone and
enterodiol from about 70 common foods. Finding that flax
produced 75 to 800 times more of these substances than any other
foods led them to their intensive study of flax. Today, Thompson
is one of the worlds leading authorities on flax's human health
benefits, especially in the area of it's use as part of cancer
prevention and treatment.
Most recently, Thompson and other researchers from the
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto,
Ontario, Canada, found that lignans significantly reduced the
proliferation of four different types of human colon tumor cell
lines, even if they were incubated with various levels of cancer
promoters.
In one or their experimental studies, researchers determined
whether flax could exert a long-term protective effect against
colon cancer, and whether it's effect may be, in part, due to
it's high content of lignans and beneficial influence on the
activity of the detoxifying enzyme beta-glucuronidase. In this
study, urinary lignan excretion, an indicator of mammalian
lignan production, was significantly increased in the flax
groups. Meanwhile, the total activity of beta-glucuronidase was
significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner in the groups
consuming flax. Four microadenomas and two polyps were observed
in the control group, but not in the treated groups. The total
activity of beta-glucuronidase was positively correlated with
total urinary lignan excretion. The researchers noted, "It is
concluded that flaxseed has a colon cancer protective effect,
that it is due, in part... associated with increased beta-glucuronidase
activity."
Flax containing lignans, has demonstrated itself to be a
powerful protector against colon cancer and cancer metastases.
MegaOmega™ Organic Sprouted Flax
can be purchased in health food stores nationwide. This new high
lignan and high Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acid organic flax is now
available which possesses all of the qualities of flax with the
extra benefit of naturally occurring additional lignans.
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