Depression and Anxiety: Healing with Flax and Chia Seeds
How to take flax or chia seed: Take 1-3 tablespoons of fresh ground flax and/or chia seed daily. (You do not need to grind the chia seeds.) You need to take the seeds away from other proteins (at least 1/2 hour), and with a carbohydrate (like a piece of fruit) so that your body will pick up on the tryptophan*. That means don't take it with meat, milk, yogurt, etc. Some people swirl the ground flax seed and/or chia in 100% fruit juice. I swirl it in water and then have some fruit, or I have it in a mixture of 1/2 fruit juice 1/2 water if I'm too busy to eat right then. If you have insomnia you can spread the flax and chia seed out and take some in the evening. This has been known to help with sleep. You don't have to take both flax and chia, you can take one or the other.
Why flax and chia seeds are so good for you:
They contain two ingredients that help the brain. Tryptophan and Omega 3. Tryptophan is an amino acid required for the body to make serotonin, which is key to our brain's health*. Please note that flax seed oil does not have tryptophan. You need to have flax seed. For further information on key nutrients required for serotonin and other neurotransmitters, read Dr. Neil Nedley's textbooks. I also suggest The Ultramind Solution by Mark Hyman (ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-4971-0.)
Where to get flax/chia seed: I have seen flax seed in all of my local grocery stores, and I am starting to see chia seeds in some grocery store bulk sections. I also found ground flax seed at Sam's Club. But some experts (like a doctor I know) say fresh ground flax seed works better. I have to trust the doctor since he has a blood tester of some kind and tests his own blood as he experiments. So I grind some (in my blender) about every 2 weeks and keep it in the fridge. Health food stores usually carry it as well. But the most important thing is you take it. If you can't take fresh ground, or if you cannot take it away from protein--at least take it!
Most health food stores carry chia seed. I buy my chia seeds on the internet either at Amazon (The Raw Food World Natural Health's brand), or online at Nature's Answer, or at www.aliveandaware.net. (Vitacost also carries chia seeds.) Prices seem to fluctuate a bit. Rumor has it that white chia seed is healthier, but it is more expensive too. I just use 1/2 tablespoon more of the black chia seed than I would the white chia seed.
If this is going to help me, how soon will it help? If you eat lots of meat and sugary foods or soda pop, it's going to take more time than if you are eating well. Some people notice a difference within days. For others it takes about as long as it would with an anti-depressant. I can't stress enough how important it is to eat well. Eating too much meat means there is a lot of protein competing against the uptake of tryptophan. (*I have a blog post that may help you learn how to make that transition.)
If sugar isn't good for me, why do I crave it? If you are craving sugar, that's one of the body's signals that your serotonin is low. Chocolate cravings signal the same type of thing. It gives you an artificial rush, but doesn't really solve the underlying problem. I have found that if I'm stressed and start craving sugar that's my signal that I need to increase my intake of flax or chia seeds and maybe my fish oil pills. I will continue taking an increased amount until the stressful situation has passed. (Please take a high quality fish oil pill, see my other blog post for that.*)
What if I can't take flax seed? There are a very small minority of people who react to flax seed. Do not despair, because most who can't take flax seed can take chia seed. Some find chia is even more effective than flax. (Chia has many anti-inflammatory properties.) Raw cashews are also very nutrient packed with nutrients to help depression. Pumpkin seeds may help with anxiety because they are high in the amino acid "taurine," which help make GABBA, which helps relax the nervous system. Spirulina may be another option for you. It is loaded with tryptophan and has anti-inflammatory properties as well. I would take it with a fruit or 100% fruit juice just like you would take the flax or chia seeds in order to help the body pick up on the tryptophan.
Dr. Nedley mentions chia seed in his weight loss recipe. But it will not cause weight loss if you don't need to lose weight. I take both chia and flax seed. Maria prefers chia seed. I combine the flax and chia together and drink it immediately. Chia is kind of different because it gels up when it's in water. Some drink it in a gel form, but I prefer to drink it before it gels. For further information about chia seeds, see eatchia.com.
*To further understand Omega 3s and 6s, follow this link: http://depressionhealinginsights.blogspot.com/2009/12/research-discussion-on-omega-3s-and.html?q=Research+discussion+on+Omega+3
For even further information on Omega 3s, fish oil, or foods high in tryptophan and other necessary nutrients, you can put the word in the search window on this blog and find more articles.
To see the many conditions that increased Omega 3s help, see the slide 24 and 25 of this power point presentation: http://www.innovinhealth.com/Conf09/Omega3FattyAcidsforMentalHealth.pdf
Contraindication:Do not take more than 3 tablespoons of flax seed a day, as this can hurt the thyroid.
Posted 8th August 2010 by Depression Healing Insights
Thank you for sharing this post. It is really helpful and very informative. It helped to enhance my knowledge about flex seed.
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