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At first, Pierce wasn't sure what to make of the results. "I'm not a blood pressure researcher, so, to be honest, when we got the results, I said, 'Hmm, okay, I guess these are good. Let's consult with some hypertension experts,'" he says. "Their response was, 'Your results are fantastic.' So we went into the blood pressure literature and that's when we realized, 'Wow! We have a major effect here.'" Guzman concurs with the results. "It's a significant finding and the magnitude is substantial," he says. "The exact mechanisms as to how high blood pressure can cause heart attacks or strokes is complicated," says Guzman. "But the bottom line is if you can reduce blood pressure in patients, you can also decrease their risk of having a stroke or heart attack." Pierce attributes the reduction in blood pressure to three main ingredients in flax: • Omega 3 fatty acids: These are known to reduce inflammation, and a buildup of plaques in the artery walls is suspected • Lignans: These are potent antioxidants, more potent than Vitamin E. Pierce believes it was these three ingredients working together that created the synergistic effect that reduced the study participants' blood pressure during the trial. "You have to remember, one millimetre difference is a Some power huge impact on heart attacks bars are made and stroke," he says. That's a with flax. result even better than those found from consuming fish. "Fish can reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients by about four millimetres mercury systolic, so it's nowhere near the level for flax." Furthermore, flax may be more research, if you have a question, and beneficial than fish because it contains less answer it – case closed – that's not really cholesterol than fish. good science," says Aliani, who is now In addition to a drop in blood pressure, working on a study investigating flax's the participants also experienced a benefits for Type 2 diabetes patients. "In cholesterol reduction of about 10 per cent, good science, the answer to one question but Pierce says those findings are currently should open a lot of others, and that's the case here." Indeed, questions abound for Pierce. A lot of research is still left to do. "For example, these patients were on hypertensive medication so, really, I don't know whether flax reduces blood pressure in these patients on its own, or did it boost being written up for publication in a the effects of the drugs?" he says. "In our medical journal later this year. next trial, that's what we want to look at – But Pierce says it's the blood pressure take patients who are not on drugs yet and findings that are the most compelling at see if we can reduce the number of them this stage. No other food or supplement who end up taking drugs, or eliminate the comes close. "There's no comparison. need for them to go on anti-hypertension Flax seed is better than any other dietary drugs altogether." intervention ever shown," he says. "The good part is that past work shows That includes the DASH diet (Dietary flax does not reduce blood pressure in Approaches to Stop Hypertension), the people who are not hypertensive. Our Mediterranean-style diet prescribed to study confirms that." In other words, patients with high blood pressure. "And it's people with normal blood pressure won't at least as good as many of the drugs that lower their blood pressure where they may are on the market today," he says. be at risk of passing out. For Pierce, the findings are exciting. Eventually, Pierce would like to "I would hazard to say this is the most examine whether flax can help prevent significant finding our lab has produced, high blood pressure. "Technically, as a and I doubt that I will ever find anything scientist, I cannot say it (flax) will prevent better," he says. "If this has an influence the development of high blood pressure on reducing heart attacks and stroke by because you'd need another study to as much as the research suggests, I don't determine if that's the case," he says. think it gets much better than that." "That's a super study, one we'd love to Still, the research is only getting started. do – it won't be the next study we do – "Our paper on flax and hypertension is but honestly, that's where I believe the currently being revised for publication in real gold is; that's where I believe the the best heart journal in the world," he real beneficial effects are to be found. If it says "and we continue to learn more about does prevent or delay disease, then it is a how it works from animal trials." realistic approach for reducing health-care Aliani says like any good science, costs in Manitoba and Canada." Pierce's research has opened up many Joel Schlesinger is a Winnipeg writer. new avenues of investigation. "In scientific "Their response was, 'Your results are fantastic.'" to be a by-product of an immune system response to high-fat diets, stress and other factors that lead to arterial inflammation. • Fibre: Flax is high in soluble fibre, which absorbs bad fats from the body, reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Add flax to your favourite yogurt dish for a healthy treat. 26 WAVE

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