20 Daily Habits That Will Enrich Your Life

20 Daily Habits That Will Enrich Your Life

MATT MAYBERRY

Take time each day to visualize your goals.

As entrepreneurs and business owners, it can be very easy at times to fall into a rut and get in the habit of having just average days where we seem to not get much of anything done.

Here are 20 ways that will hopefully rekindle that passion of yours and help make each day amazing.

1. Engage in consistent action.

2. Constantly picture yourself beyond your current circumstances. Dream enormously big and hold that dream deep within your mind, body and spirit.

3. Spend time in solitude to just think and visualize.

4. Write your most important goal on a note card and look at it five times a day. Say it out loud and believe with a deep conviction that it will become a reality.

5. Drink plenty of water. It's impossible to operate to the best of your ability and tap into your full potential if you are dehydrated. Our minds and bodies need water in order to perform at an extremely high-level.

6. Eat to win. If you don't want junk results stay away from junk food. The bottom line is that we are what we eat.

7. Get your sweat on. One of the best productivity tools that you can utilize is to get a workout in at some point throughout your day. Whether you go to the gym or at home, make the time.

Find time to read every day.

8. Pick up a book for 15-20 minutes and get lost in it. Just as our bodies need physical exercise, our minds need to stay mentally fit.

9. Spend your time around those who lift you up and encourage your vision, not belittle it. We are the average of the five people we hang out with the most. Pick your company wisely.

10. Make time to grow. Carve out 30 min to an hour and find ways to personally and professionally grow.

11. Turn off the music in your car to an audiobook. Most of us spend hours in a car daily, utilize that time to better yourself and learn.

12. Keep a journal. Record your thoughts, ideas and strategies. We have roughly 20,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Don't let an idea or strategy go to waste. Never rely solely on your memory.

13. Think of five things you are grateful for right this second. It can be something as simple as how beautiful is mother nature or how wonderful your family is. Be grateful for what you have and you will eventually end up having more.

Almonds will give you more energy and keep you going all day.

14. Snack on almonds. Great source of protein and other minerals and vitamins that will increase your energy levels and keep performance in peak state.

15. Say "I love you" more often. Don't let a day go by where you don't tell those you love how much they truly mean to you. Life is short and by simply saying the words "I love you" will bring you an immense sense of satisfaction.

16. Treat others how you want to be treated. In business and in the game of life, people matter. If you want to truly win in both, make every person you come in contact with feel important.

17. Have a green smoothie. Instead of turning to caffeine turn to the power of mother nature and blend yourself up a delicious, energizing and healthy green smoothie. One of my favorites is two handfuls of organic spinach, one apple, juice of one lemon, three stalks of celery, and ginger root. There are plenty of recipes available to you online.

18. Take a post-it-note or note-card and write down some quotes that move, inspire and empower you. There will be times throughout the day that might upset you or discourage you. Constantly feeding your mind with words that inspire and empower you will instantly get you back on your feet ready to hit the ground running.

19. Cut off all distractions. When it's time to work, work. When it's time to relax, relax. Discipline yourself to stay off Facebook and other social media sites when you are working on a computer. If you are in an office, hang up a "Do Not Disturb'' sign if possible. Focus completely on the task at hand.

20. Take full and complete responsibility for your life. Own up to your mistakes and never fall into the trap of playing the ever-so-popular blame game.

Adopting winning habits is one of the surest ways to get to where you want to go. What we do on a daily basis determines the results that we end up with. If you don't like what you have been producing up to this point, then change what you do daily. It's my hope that this list of 20 ideas is of extreme value to help make today utterly amazing for you.

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A Super-supplement for Hormone Balance: DIM

DIM, or diindolylmethane, is a plant based compound found in cruciferous vegetables, such as brussel sprouts,cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. DIM has been shown in studies to reduce the risk of certain cancers, especially those driven by abnormally high estrogen levels, such as breast, uterus and prostate cancer. DIM can also stimulatethe breakdown of fat while encouraging muscle development.
Estrogen Overload
Estrogen hormones are naturally found in men and women and have many benefits such as preserving artery health and brain function while fighting oxidative free radical damage. Higher estrogen levels found in women cause the female body shape with breast and hip development. Many women are estrogen dominant however, meaning they have too much estrogen accumulating in the body for the complementary progesterone to balance.
Natural estrogen dominance occurs as women near menopause, starting even ten years prior to menopause, where they often don’t make as much progesterone to balance their estrogen. Symptoms such breast pain, water retention, heavy painful menstrual cycles, or irritable anxious moods are typical bothersome symptoms. Estrogen’s over-stimulation of breasts and uterus tissue can lead to breast cysts or adenomas and uterine growths – both unpleasant and potentially dangerous physical outcomes are too often accompanied by worrisome mammograms and hysterectomies.
Some women have estrogen dominance throughout their life for various reasons, such as low thyroid, high cortisol, exposure to environmental estrogen-like chemicals, or impaired detoxification pathways for estrogen.

Men often suffer from estrogen overload as well. With normal aging our testosterone levels drop as the conversion to estrogen increases, leading to a falling ratio of testosterone to estrogen. Higher estrogen levels in men lead to weight gain, loss of muscle mass, feminization of the body, further decreases in already falling testosterone levels, and increase the risk of diseases such as heart disease and prostate cancer. The enzyme that normally converts testosterone to estrogen is most abundant in fat, so as men put on weight the cycle of falling testosterone and rising estrogen simply
picks up steam!

How does DIM work?

There are two main pathways in the liver for our estrogen to be normally metabolized and excreted. One pathway leads to very good metabolites called 2-hydroxy estrogens. The other pathway leads to bad metabolites called 4 or 16-hydroxy estrogens. DIM stimulates the favorable 2-hydroxy pathway for estrogen metabolism and this is how DIM works to improve our health. DIM is not a hormone, nor is it a hormone replacement. It is a plant compound that will improve our hormone balance. By improving the metabolism of our natural estrogens DIM will help lower high levels of estrogen in the body. This alone can help remedy estrogen dominant conditions and restore a healthy estrogen/testosterone ratio in men and women. The favorable 2-hydroxy metabolites promoted by DIM are potent anti-oxidants and help prevent muscle breakdown after exercise, as evidenced by female athletes having less muscle tissue breakdown after intense exercise than men. By reducing the estrogen dominance and also reducing the accumulation of cancer-promoting 4/16-hydroxy metabolites DIM can help lower the risk of cancer. The 2-hydroxy metabolites help increase the active testosterone levels in men and women by displacing inactive protein-bound testosterone to its active “free” portion. This leads to significant improvements in the ability to build muscle and enjoy the benefits of testosterone including better mood, increased stamina, endurance, sex drive and erectile function. The accumulation of fat around the belly, hips and buttocks is partly due to excess estrogen levels combined with falling testosterone levels. DIM will help lower excess estrogen and promote the fat-burning 2-hydroxy metabolites. This can help you achieve a leaner body with less body fat.

Hormone balance with DIM
How do you supplement DIM and how much should you take? First of all, only the “micro-encapsulated” forms of DIM are well absorbed. For women, doses of 100-200mg daily are typical, and after menopause, whether taking hormone replacement therapy or not, doses of 50-100mg daily will improve estrogen metabolism. For men, doses of 200-400mg daily are sufficient during intense exercise or weight loss efforts. For general healthy aging a dose of 100-200mg daily is sufficient. Doses as much as a thousand times higher have been shown to be safe in animal studies and there has never been a reported complication with DIM usage in humans.

How do you know if DIM is working? Aside from the improved clinical circumstance we often measure the good and bad estrogen metabolites with a simple blood test. We routinely observe increases in the good 2-hydroxy metabolites with the use of DIM. As an aside, correction of low thyroid conditions also improves estrogen metabolism. I recommend DIM instead of its precursor compound known as I3C or indole-3-carbinol. Two I3C molecules combine in the body to make DIM. But I3C is variable in its absorption, reacts with other supplements such as vitamin C, and can convert to unhealthy compounds. As much as 10 times amount of I3C is needed to get levels comparable with straight DIM supplementation. I start many women on DIM in their early 40s when there are signs of falling progesterone levels early in the perimenopause. For many this alone can help the estrogen dominance while also increasing a low testosterone level. Sometimes we add progesterone to further balance the estrogen. We also routinely add the health-promoting adrenal hormone known as DHEA during this time which helps with weight loss, strength, sex drive and more. We strategically combine DIM with other supplements to help with athletic conditioning or with overall healthy detoxification. During weight-loss or athletic training we might add creatine and a higher-protein diet, combined with targeted workout and recovery drinks that maximize insulin and muscle building. My favorite DIM supplement also contains curcumin, green tea and wasabia for a broad detoxification effect.

I am now Carrying the 2 forms pictured above if you are interested... at a reduced Rate

DIM can be used at any age as part of a weight-loss or strength training program. DIM promotes healthy hormone balance that can help you achieve peak exercise efficiency and healthy aging. Hormone balance can help you stay healthy, resist aging and get the most from your exercise or weight-loss efforts.

ONE POUND OF FAT VERSUS ONE POUND OF MUSCLE: CLEARING UP THE MISCONCEPTIONS FOR MAXIMAL WEIGHT-LOSS RESULTS!!

Have you ever heard the saying, “Muscle weighs more than fat?” Perhaps at some point in your life you were working your butt off in the gym in an attempt to lose weight. During this time, you hopped onto the scale weekly, sometimes even daily. Some days were better than others. Sometimes the numbers on the scale decreased, but to your dismay, this wasn’t always the case. Some weigh-ins showed that the scale read higher than your starting weight. Other days the scale wouldn't budge.

In the fitness world, the statement, “muscle weighs more than fat” is habitually tossed back and forth. In the context of fitness and recording body weight numbers on scales, the statement “muscle weighs more than fat” does not hold much weight. It just does not make sense because one pound is one pound.

The truth is that when placed on a scale, one pound of fat is going to weigh the same as one pound of muscle – just like one pound of bricks is going to weigh the same as one pound of feathers. Where the confusion comes in is that muscle and fat differ in density (muscle is about 18% more dense than fat) and one pound of muscle occupies less space (volume) than one pound of fat.

So yes, muscle seems to weigh more because there is a difference in the volume between the two. When a cubic inch of muscle and a cubic inch of fat are measured, the cubic inch of muscle will weigh more. As you add compact muscle mass to the body, body weight may increase. However, pound for pound, muscle and fat weigh the same and when tracking progress of a fitness program, it is very important to look at all markers of improvement, and not just the numbers on the scale.

Cross section across skeletal muscle = more dense

Cross section across fat tissue = less dense

Five pounds of muscle compared to five pounds of fat

By looking at the photo below, you can see that five pounds of muscle (pictured on right) is going to take up less space in the body and be a lot less “lumpy” under your skin and in between your organs than the same weight in fat (shown on left).  In fact, the difference can be quite dramatic. I would much rather have five pounds of smooth, lean, dense muscle tissue inside of my body than five pounds of amorphous, bulky, gelatinous fat, and I am guessing you would too!  Besides being more compact in the body, there are also many health advantages to increased muscle mass.

Benefits of having more lean muscle mass   

Having more muscle mass in your body will:

o    Create a leaner physique

o    Reduce your risk of injury

o    Increase strength, stability, power and endurance

o    Improve balance and mobility

o    Improve the way you feel about yourself

o    Increase energy and vitality

o    Improve athletic performance

o    Create metabolic reserve in times of traumas such as (car accidents and burns)

o    Increase your metabolic efficiency

o    Improve insulin sensitivity and improve blood glucose control

 Now Let’s focus on the last two most important benefits listed:  “Increase your metabolic efficiency” and “Improve insulin sensitivity and improve glucose control.”

Increase your metabolic efficiency

Each pound of fat that your body stores represents 3,500 calories of unused energy. In order to lose one pound, you have to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories by either consuming 3,500 less calories over a period of time than your body needs or by burning 3,500 calories worth of exercise. Which fat is really burned through the breath (86%), and the rest is excreted through perspiration and pee time (14%).

By increasing your lean muscle mass through resistance and body weight training; you will help your body burn more calories.  One pound of muscle will burn slightly more calories at rest than one pound of fat tissue at rest. Six (6) calories per hour per pound of muscle and two (2) calories per pound per hour of fat.

Focus on all of the health benefits of having more muscle mass, not just on the calorie burning abilities of muscle

Health and fitness professionals across the world put a lot of emphasis on the “muscle is a high-octane calorie incinerator” concept and even exaggerate (sometimes unknowingly) the actual amount of calories muscles burn while at rest.  Fitness magazines, health experts like Dr. Mehmet Oz, and personal trainers across the country happily report that one pound of muscle burns an extra 50-100 calories per day than fat.

However, recent scientific research has proven this number to be inflated.  One such study was led by Claude Bouchard, an obesity researcher from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA.  His collected data over the years has revealed that one pound of muscle, at rest, burns about six calories a day while one pound of fat burns about two calories per day.  Six is a lot different than the 50-100 calories that is often stated by others in the health and medical fields.

As a fitness professional, I do not like to over-emphasize the point that muscle tissue burns more calories than fat.  I feel it is an important fact to know, and can be used as a motivator when getting started with a fitness program, but I do not think it should be the primary driving force behind gaining muscle mass.  Yes, muscle is three times (not 50 times) more metabolically active at rest than fat, but the actual amount of calories that is burned is not a grand amount.

Granted, at the end of the day, any extra calories burned is a great thing, and when you eat healthfully (and mindfully) and engage in a proper resistance training program, you will increase the amount of muscle in your body.  The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn while at rest and this is exciting.  However, it is pertinent for individuals not to become too crazed (or comfortable) with the notion that their resting metabolisms (rate at which one burns calories while at rest) are going to skyrocket once they begin weight lifting and gaining muscle. I have seen that often, when an individual puts too much focus on the calorie burning capabilities of muscle, it becomes very easy for that person to become:

o    Relaxed about what needs to be done to get the results wanted and in return, becomes sedentary and may even neglect sound nutritional habits by overeating. If muscle is burning calories at rest, then there is room for overconsumption and inactivity, right? Wrong.

or:

o    Overly obsessed with calorie burning through long bouts of cardio, weight training sessions and starvation. The main focus becomes all about decreasing fat, increasing muscle, and expanding the amount of calories muscle will burn at rest.  With this extreme approach, overtraining and poor health are often results.  More is better, right? Wrong.

The above behaviors are unhealthy, unbalanced, and unsustainable. I want people to get away from calorie obsession and start training with a balanced approach and with common sense.  It is important to look at all of the health benefits of muscle mass, not just one.

However, In my opinion, knowing that muscle can help balance insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels within the body is of greater interest than one pound of muscle burning an extra four calories more than one pound of fat. When the body’s endocrine system is working properly, it is much easier to maintain a healthy weight.  When insulin sensitivity and glucose management is screwed up, weight management (and loss) becomes a very difficult task.  Combine healthy insulin and glucose control with an increased resting metabolic rate (RMR), and you have a win-win situation.

Improve insulin sensitivity and better glucose control  

In 2011, researchers reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolismthat muscle mass strongly correlates with improved insulin sensitivity within the body. It has been noted that with a 10% increase in skeletal muscle index (a measure of how much muscle is on the body), HOMA-IR (a measure of insulin resistance) saw a relative reduction of 11%. People with a higher insulin sensitivity have better glucose control and ultimately, lower rates of diabetes.  This is great stuff because when a person is insulin sensitive, he/she can handle glucose well, which means less dietary glucose will turn into body fat and less insulin is necessary to keep body systems operating optimally.

The result?  A healthy functioning of the body’s systems.  This will create balance within the body as well as long-term and even permanent results, especially when it comes to battling the bulge.

Are you setting yourself up for failure? Step away from the body weight scale 

While participating in a “weight loss” program, solely depending on a standard body weight scale to track your progress can cause frustration and may even set you up for failure. Although you have been busting your buns in the gym and eating healthy foods, the scale may still display your weight as being the same as when you started, even after a few weeks of exercising.  This can create extreme disappointment and ultimately cause you to quit your program.

I can confidently assume that many of you reading this article know exactly what I am talking about.  We have all been there at some point.  It is that all too familiar feeling of anticipation you experience while you are standing on top of the scale, looking down, waiting to see what the wonderful magical number will read, anxious for it to be lower than the last time you stood in the very same position.  The number flashes in front of your eyes, it reads the same, as if the scale was frozen in time.  You shake the scale, reset it, step on and do the whole process over, only to find the end result is the same.  The number has not shifted, not even a fraction of a pound.

If you are experiencing this type of despair, I suggest that you step far away from the scale (put the scale out of sight) and shake off the dissatisfaction you are feeling and think for a minute.  Assess all that you have been doing and consider all of the other methods you have used and should be using to track your weight loss journey and progress.  Have you used other markers to track your progress?

The scale does not represent everything that is happening within the body

When the number on the scale does not budge, it is important to remind yourself that the scale only shows you a snippet of what is happening.  It is only expressing your total body weight – which includes fat, muscle, bones, organs, skin, etc. and not the composition of that weight within your body.

Your total body weight represented on the scale may be the same as when you started your weight loss program, BUT if you are building muscle mass and losing fat tissue, your body composition will be much different.  Remember, as mentioned before, muscle and fat differ in density. One pound of muscle is going to occupy less space (volume) within the body than one pound of fat.

When you have more muscle and less fat, you become more firm and will lose inches from places such as your waist, hips, buttocks, thighs, etc.  Seeing the same number on the scale is not always negative.  Again, we need to set our minds on other indicators of health and wellness.

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10 Flax Seed Benefits and Nutrition Facts

10 Flax Seed Benefits and Nutrition Facts 

Flax seeds have been consumed as food for around 6,000 years and may have very well been the world’s first cultivated superfood!

Flax seed benefits could help you improve digestion, give you clear skin, lower cholesterol, reduce sugar cravings, balance hormones, fight cancer and promote weight loss… and that’s just the beginning!

Flaxseeds, sometimes called linseeds, are small, brown, tan or golden-colored seeds that are the richest sources of a plant-based omega 3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the world!

Another unique fact about flaxseeds is that they rank #1 source of lignans in human diets.  Flaxseeds contain about 7 times as many lignans as the closest runner-up, sesame seeds.

Stunning Flaxseed Nutrition Facts

When you look at the nutritional benefits of flax seeds, there are many things that will catch your attention.

A  1 ounce (3 tbsp) serving of flaxseeds contains:

·         Omega-3 (ALA) 6,338mg

·         Fiber 8g

·         Protein 6g

·         Vitamin B1 31% RDA

·         Manganese 35% RDA

·         Magnesium 30% RDA

·         Phosphorus 19% RDA

·         Selenium 10% RDA

·         Also, flaxseeds contain a good amount of vitamin B6, Iron, potassium, copper and zinc.

This flax seed nutrition profile makes it easy to see why it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.

10 Medicinal Benefits of Flax Seeds

1. High in Fiber, but Low in Carbs

One of the most extraordinary benefits of flax seeds is that they contain high levels of mucilage gum content.  Mucilage is a gel-forming fiber that is water soluble and has incredible benefits on the intestinal tract.

The mucilage can keep food in the stomach from emptying too quickly into the small intestine which can increase nutrient absorption.

Also, flax is extremely high in both soluble and insoluble fiber which can support colon detoxification, fat loss and reduce sugar cravings.

You should aim to consume 30-40 g of High fiber foods daily.

2. Healthy Skin and Hair

If you want healthier skin, hair and nails then consider adding 2 tbsp of flax seeds to your smoothie or 1 tbsp of flax seed oil to your daily routine.

The ALA fats in flax seeds benefits the skin and hair by providing essential fats as well as b-vitamins which can help reduce dryness and flakiness. It can also improve symptoms of acne, rosacea, and eczema. This also applies to eye health as flax can reduce dry eye syndrome.

Flax seed oil is another great option since it has an even higher concentration of healthy fats. You can take 1-2 tbsp internally to hydrate skin and hair.  It can also be mixed with essential oils and used as a natural skin moisturizer.

3. Weight Loss

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that flaxseeds and walnuts may improve obesity and support weight loss.

Since flax is full of healthy fats and fiber, it will help you feel satisfied longer so you will eat fewer calories overall which may lead to weight loss. ALA fats may also help reduce inflammation.

This is important for weight loss in that an inflamed body will tend to hold on to excess weight. Add a couple of teaspoons of ground flaxseed to soups, salads, or smoothies as part of your weight loss plan.

4. Lower Cholesterol

The journal of Nutrition and Metabolism found that adding flax seeds into your diet can naturally reduce cholesterol levels.

The soluble fiber content of flax seeds trap fat and cholesterol in the digestive system so that it unable to be absorbed. Soluble fiber also traps bile, which is made from cholesterol in the gallbladder.

The bile is then excreted through the digestive system, forcing the body to make more, using up excess cholesterol in the blood and lowering cholesterol overall.

5. Flaxseeds are Gluten-Free

Using flax is a great way to naturally replace gluten-containing grains which are inflammatory where flax is anti-inflammatory.  So, flax seeds are great for those who have Celiac disease or have a gluten-sensitivity. They may also be a good alternative to omega-3 fats in fish for people with a seafood allergy.

Another great aspect of flax being gluten-free is that it can be used as a grain-free option in cooking.  I will often use it along with coconut flour in baking at home.

6. Flaxseeds are High in Antioxidants (Lignans)

Amongst its other incredible nutrition facts, flax seeds are also packed with antioxidants. Lignans are unique fiber-related polyphenols that provide us with antioxidant benefits for anti-aging, hormone balance and cellular health.

Polyphenols support the growth of probiotics in the gut and may also help eliminate yeast and candida in the body.

Lignans are also known for their anti-viral and antibacterial properties, therefore consuming flax regularly may help reduce the number or severity of colds and flus.

7. Digestive Health

Maybe the biggest flax seed benefits come from it’s ability to promote digestive health. The ALA in flax can help protect the lining of the digestive tract and maintain GI health. It has been shown to be beneficial for people suffering from Crohn’s disease or other digestive ailments, as it can help reduce gut inflammation.

You can also take 1-3 tbsp of flax seed oil with 8 oz of carrot juice to help naturally relieve constipation.

Flax is also very high in soluble and insoluble fiber which can also improve digestive health and is one of the highest magnesium foods in the world.

Two tablespoons of flaxseeds contains about 5 g of fiber or 1/4 of the RDA. The fiber found in flaxseeds provides food for friendly bacteria in your colon that can help cleanse waste from your system.

8. Flax Seeds for Cancer

Flax seed benefits have been proven time and time again and even including fighting breast, prostate, ovarian and colon cancer.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Cancer Research discovered that consuming flax seeds may decrease the risk of breast cancer. The three lignans found in flaxseeds can be converted by intestinal bacteria into enterolactone  and enterodiol which naturally balance hormones which may be the reason flax seeds reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Another study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the lignans in flaxseeds may also reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer.

9. High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

We hear a lot about the health benefits of fish oil or omega-3 fats. Fish oil contains EPA and DHA, two omega-3 fats that are critical for optimal health. Although flaxseeds do not contain EPA or DHA, they do contain ALA, another type of omega-3 fat.

A study published in Nutrition Reviews has shown that approximately 20% of ALA can be converted into EPA, but only .5% of ALA is converted into DHA. Also, surprisingly gender may play a big role in conversion where young women had a 2.5-fold greater rate than men.

Regardless of conversion, ALA is still considered a healthy fat and should be included in a balanced diet.

10. Menopausal Symptoms

The lignans in the flax have been shown to have benefits for menopausal women. It can be used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy because lignans do have estrogenic properties.

These properties may also help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It can even help menstruating women by helping maintain cycle regularity.

To experience the flax seed benefits for your hormones include 1-2 tbsp of flax meal in a breakfast smoothie along with 1 tbsp of flax seed oil.

How to Use Flax Seeds

There are many great ways to add these super seeds into your diet including adding them to homemade muffins, breads and cookies.

One of the most common questions about baking with flax seeds is, does baking have any effect on omega-3 fatty acid?

According to many studies, you can bake flax seeds at 300F for 3 hours and the omega-3’s (ALA) in flax seeds remained stable.

Tips for including flaxseed in your diet include:

·         Add 1-3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed to a morning smoothie

·         Mix a tablespoon in with yogurt and raw honey

·         Bake ground flaxseeds into muffins, cookies and breads

·         Add to homemade sprouted granola

·         Can be mixed with water and used as an egg substitute

Flax Seeds vs. Flax Meal vs. Sprouted Flax

Flaxseeds are best consumed ground as our bodies cannot access the nutrients if they are eaten whole and they will pass through undigested.

You can grind the flax in a coffee grinder, this is best done immediately before eating them so they do not spend much time exposed to air or you can buy them pre-ground.

However the very best way to experience flax seed benefits is to consume them in their sprouted form. Soaking flax seeds and then sprouting them eliminates phytic acid and may greatly increase mineral absorption.

Like other sources of fiber including chai-seeds and hemp seeds make sure to take them with plenty of water or other fluids.