Re: Chapter: Acknowledging ASD

On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 12:57:11 +1300, Quentin Grady
<quentin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


G'day G'day Folks,

So far the book has about nine chapters. Strangely perhaps there
isn't one about diabetes or the role that ASD has played in shaping my
ideas. Most chapters have been written because someone somewhere said
something that was inspiring. Now, you all know that dealing with T2
diabetes myself hasn't been my highest priority of late. Denial takes
many forms and degrees.

What I'd like people to do is complete a thread with the "Best of
Quentin" I have often posted repeatedly on the same topics. Some
inspired people some didn't. I'd like to know what worked.

For newbies to the game, here is how it goes.
Take a look at Google Newsgroups and Google

"Quentin Grady" something that inspired you.

eg

"Quentin Grady" lutein
"Quentin Grady" zeaxanthin

Best wishes and have fun. Without you all I couldn't have posted as I
have done and there wouldn't be a book to be written,

Best wishes,

I need to get out in the garden and trim some vines so go to it in
best fashion.

Hello, Quentin...

On the off chance that you are interested in a quick response, and
because I had difficulty sleeping tonight, I came up with two threads
of posts containing your marvelous work that are timeless in their
helpfulness for us all.... one was the one already mentioned by Alan,
I believe, in which you and Annette discussed macular degeneration,
diabetes, and dietary suggestions that might slow, or even reverse,
the advance of the condition.

Another thread in which you gave a fantastic response that is truly
memorable to me was started on December 10, 2005, regarding Alpha
Linolenic Acid, flax seed oil, and prostate cancer.... Annette, Old
Al, and Frank also were contributors to that thread. Your response, in
its tone, sophistication, and geniality, far surpassed anything I had
been expecting. You have set a very high standard, Quentin. Thank you.

Your response to my initial question follows:


From: Quentin Grady - view profile
Date: Sat, Dec 10 2005 8:34 pm
Email: Quentin Grady <quen...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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This post not CC'd by email
On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 07:44:18 -0500, W.M.McKee <wmmc...@xxxxxxx>
wrote:


Every so often, I read or hear advice about taking flax seed oil
supplements as something helpful to do to control some of the side
effects of diabetes. Lately, however, I have become aware of the
increased hazard of prostate cancer potentially caused or accelerated
by flax seed oil. For more on this, see,
www.prostateforum.com/Flaxseedoil.pdf

Anyway, I would like to know if anyone is aware of any more info on
this subject, and if there are any opinions out there on how to go
about balancing the risks and benefits. Obviously, this is right now
primarily a concern for men, but there could be increased cancer risks
for women, too...


Will



G'day G'day Will,

Thank you for posting. Eating foods rich in alpha linolenic acid is a
matter of balancing risks. Old Al has given an excellent summary of
the current position.


There are a couple of additional points that might be worth
considering.


1. The writer of the article, Charles E. Myers, mentions doctors
prescribing alpha linolenic acid for those who have been diagnosed
with cancer. The only people I know of doing so are those associated
with Dr. Budwig's Diet involving flax seed oil and cottage cheese.
IMHO that is a long, long way from mainstream thinking. What I am
suggesting is that the notion of doctors prescribing alpha linolenic
acid for cancer remission is a bit of a straw man argument.


2. What made the Uruguay study almost unique in its time was the
separation of animal and vegetable sources. The other studies had
lumped together all dietary sources and were widely discounted as
irrelevant in that alpha linolenic acid often acted as a marker for
eating offal meat.


3. Significantly flaxseed isn't a significant item in the Uruguay
diet. Put simply, in Uruguay alpha linolenic acid from vegetable
sources equates roughly to canola oil consumption.


Notice how the short circuit logic worked.


A. Men consuming canola oil in Uruguay, have higher rates of prostate
cancer than those that don't.


B. Canola oil contains alpha linolenic acid.


C. Flaxseed oil contains more alpha linolenic acid than other oils so
must be a worse risk of prostate cancer.


What has been left out?


Uruguay happens to have the world's highest rate of prostate cancer
yet to the best of my knowledge doesn't have the highest rate of
canola oil or of alpha linolenic acid. Clearly there are other factors
involved. The people of Crete have high levels of alpha linolenic
acid yet don't have high rates of any cancer. What they did have was
the world's lowest rate of heart attacks. The major source of alpha
linolenic acid in their diets is thought to be pursalane that goes
into salads.


Flaxseed fibre contains the greatest concentration of lignans, related
to phytoestrogens. Countries with high lignan intakes are noted for
low cancer rates. If you are particularly interested track down
research Bahram H. Arjmandi, PhD, RD, Department of Nutritional
Sciences, 416 Human Environmental Sciences, Oklahoma State University,

When last I looked at his conclusions it seemed his position was that
WHOLE flaxseed not only didn't pose a risk, it was beneficial in
inhibiting prostate cancer propagation. OK, that was a couple of
years ago and he is still an active researcher.


http://tinyurl.com/8792j


Notice that Charles E. Myers talks about prostate cancer risk and
flaxseed oil. The oil often has a low lignan content. The so called
high lignan oils are produced by extracting the oil from the linseed
then back blending some fibre. Some of these high lignan oils taste
awful unless the amount back blended is strictly limited.


FWIIW, the linseed grown in South Canterbury produces fibre that can
be back blended in much larger amounts without affecting the flavour.
Personally I have avoided the oil and gone for the defatted flax
fibre. It comes as a powder with a slightly nutty flavour. It blends
well with yogurt and blue berries.


Best wishes,


--
Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."


http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the sake of completeness, I now append the contributions of
Annette, Old Al, and Frank....


From: Annette - view profile
Date: Sat, Dec 10 2005 8:00 am
Email: "Annette" <aciant...@xxxxxxxxxxx>
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"W.M.McKee" <wmmc...@xxxxxxx> wrote in message


news:inilp1tsgskushjttpdim76utpdkah9344@xxxxxxxxxx


Every so often, I read or hear advice about taking flax seed oil
supplements as something helpful to do to control some of the side
effects of diabetes. Lately, however, I have become aware of the
increased hazard of prostate cancer potentially caused or accelerated
by flax seed oil. For more on this, see,
www.prostateforum.com/Flaxseedoil.pdf

Anyway, I would like to know if anyone is aware of any more info on
this subject, and if there are any opinions out there on how to go
about balancing the risks and benefits. Obviously, this is right now
primarily a concern for men, but there could be increased cancer risks
for women, too...


Will



Quentin is the one who seems to know more about flax seed than most of
us.
He *does* live in NZ, where a lot of flax seed is produced, and has
researched it pretty thoroughly.

He is aware of the risk of prostate cancer, I believe, and instead of
the
oil uses flaxseed meal as a supplement, (the meal left behind after
the oil
is extracted). For one thing, it does not have any special storage
requirements, and does not even need refrigeration. It contains many
beneficial nutrients, but he would be much better than I at explaining
what
they are, and why he uses it in his diet.


Here's hoping he finds the time to discuss it all with you.


Annette


From: oldal4865 - view profile
Date: Sat, Dec 10 2005 2:49 pm
Email: "oldal4865" <oldal4...@xxxxxxxxx>
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W.M.McKee wrote in message ...
Every so often, I read or hear advice about taking flax seed oil
supplements as something helpful to do to control some of the side
effects of diabetes. Lately, however, I have become aware of the
increased hazard of prostate cancer potentially caused or accelerated
by flax seed oil. For more on this, see,
www.prostateforum.com/Flaxseedoil.pdf

Anyway, I would like to know if anyone is aware of any more info on
this subject, and if there are any opinions out there on how to go
about balancing the risks and benefits. Obviously, this is right now
primarily a concern for men, but there could be increased cancer risks
for women, too...


Will



We are all faced with risks and the need to balance risks and
benefits.
The flax question illustrates one of them. In this case, one of
the
risk/benefit balances you face is that flax seed products protect
against
premature heart attack but also (according to that article)
potentially
accelerate prostate cancer

I am a diabetic. My premature heart attack risk is proven and
staring me
right in the face. Therefore, I vote for the heart attack
protection. Of
course, I am an older man so I have my PSA checked every year. If
my PSA
starts to rise, I'll go back and rethink all this.


Note that there is evidence that the husk of the flax seed is as
useful, or
perhaps more useful than the oil. Therefore, I grind flax seed
every
morning and mix it into my oatmeal breakfast. Note that the
article you
cited recommends the ground seed as a superior substitute for the
straight
oil.


If you can find some reasonable source for the ground husks, you
might
try them instead of the ground seed. I happen to believe that
extended
exposure to oxygen potentially reduces the benefit of the ground husk
so I
opt for freshly ground seed.


Regards
Old Al


From: Jefferson - view profile
Date: Sun, Dec 11 2005 9:44 pm
Email: Jefferson <croom1...@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
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W.M.McKee wrote:
Hi Quentin,

Thanks so much for the response and the information. I shall look for
the defatted flax fibre right away and give it a try.



If you can handle 50 lb. bags try Amazon.com. You might want to try a
smaller quantity first. ;) That had the cheapest source I have found
in
the U.S. At this point, I do not buy it myself nor do I have any
interest in the seller.

Frank


So, in addition to the "Bery, bery good for my eyes" with its mention
of green lipped mussels, I would nominate your "Alpha-linolenic Acid"
post as worthy of inclusion in the "Best of Quentin".

Again, I just cannot tell you how much I feel for you, right now. You
are a truly great man, Quentin.



Will, T2
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Lowest Omega-6 Oil?
    ... Men with existing prostate cancer naturally should be careful. ... Flaxseeds may be safer than flaxseed oil, ... CVD risk. ... Dietary alpha-linolenic acid is associated with reduced risk of fatal ...
    (sci.med.nutrition)
  • Re: keeping cholesterol low? - my apologies... (long)
    ... There's canola oil, soybean oil, coconut oil, and peanut ... Be creative with your spices. ... Yes, in cooking, as well as on your breakfast food, desserts ... prostate cancer had died of prostate cancer and almost half of those ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: Will the "MattLB" types now admit they are wrong?
    ... fish/flax/omega-3 oil doses people are taking because that's what I ... EV olive oil antioxidants ... You assume that I inherited maternal genes. ... and other risks, ...
    (sci.med.nutrition)
  • Re: Alpha-Linolenic Acid
    ... I read or hear advice about taking flax seed oil ... >>by flax seed oil. ... but there could be increased cancer risks ... >prescribing alpha linolenic acid for those who have been diagnosed ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Alpha-Linolenic Acid
    ... I read or hear advice about taking flax seed oil ... >by flax seed oil. ... but there could be increased cancer risks ... prescribing alpha linolenic acid for those who have been diagnosed ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)