Flaxseeds Found to Help Lower Blood Pressure
One-third of American adults have high blood pressure – a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and chronic heart failure. In an effort to bring down their blood pressure, many of these 67 million US adults take Big Pharma remedies, but a new study indicates flax seeds could be an inexpensive solution for lowering blood pressure.
The study was the first human clinical trial of flax seed as a high blood pressure treatment. The results were promising.
For the research, 110 participants were split into two groups. Both groups were instructed to eat baked goods like bagels and muffins throughout the six-month study period. One group’s baked goods included milled flax seeds, (up to 30 grams) while the others did not.
Those who were fed the flax saw a decrease of about 15 points from their systolic blood pressure reading. That’s compared with an average 7 point decrease of diastolic readings in the group who didn’t get flax.
Read: Still Think Salt Consumption Leads to High Blood Pressure?
Dr. William White of the American Society of Hypertension said:
“The study results are indeed surprising, it is actually hard to imagine such reductions in blood pressure with flax seed mixed in food stuffs.”
The study, reported in the journal Hypertension concluded:
“flaxseed induced one of the most potent antihypertensive effects achieved by a dietary intervention.”
This is especially exciting because flax seed is so reasonably priced, easy to take, and comes without the side effects of popular pharmaceuticals. What’s more, flax seeds provide a wealth of other benefits, including protection against radiation and benefiting those with diabetes.
Predictably, researchers say it may be too soon to swap out your medications for flax, but incorporating flax seed into your daily diet could get you to the point where those medications are no longer needed.
Flax seed can be found in most grocery and health food stores. They must be ground, so use your coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle if you prefer doing it old-school. Then, they can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods, or nearly anything else.
Read: Lower Your Blood Pressure with Coconut Water
High blood pressure medications come with a slew of side effects. Positive lifestyle changes, however, only have positive effects. If adding something as simple and inexpensive as flax to your daily routine could reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing your blood pressure, why wouldn’t you do it?