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Flaxseed okay to use while in treatment?

Page last modified on: August 15, 2008
Question from nadine: I am still in treatment. Is it OK to use flaxseed and flaxseed oil in the hopes it will ease the flashes?
Answers —Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: The plant-like estrogen in flaxseed, the lignans, lives in the hull of the seed. If you are using an oil, use one that includes the ground up hulls, and buy it fresh in a light-proof bottle that is refrigerated (it goes rancid pretty fast). The amount of plant-like estrogen in flaxseed that your body can absorb is relatively limited, and there is no study and scant personal stories to suggest that flaxseed alone could reduce hot flashes.
Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.: If you are using flaxseed oil, use it in salads, not for cooking. It has a nutty taste to it.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: So if you feel like you are living on the edge, you may not want that "nutty" taste! :-)
Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.: I have somebody who takes the flaxseed and grinds it with a little bit of cinnamon powder, and puts it on toast. Others use it with chili powder in beans, and it can also be used instead of sesame seeds.

On Wednesday, July 19, 2000, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Food for Cancer Recovery. Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about nutrition and how it relates to cancer recovery.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph. is an adult development specialist and health promotion educator who develops and delivers programs and products to support lifestyle change.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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