Hi all I and my wife have been on Atkins for 8 days now, we are both suffering with constipation. I have been advised to take flaxseeds, how much do we take, how do you take them any info would help.

My wifes Sister & Mother have both had breast cancer I understand that flaxseeds my be of use as a preventative measure.

Graham

Hi Graham!

Here's a couple of ways to use them...

Flax Porridge - there's more flax seed info in the this thread.

Flax Muffins

Once your body gets adjusted, constipation usually goes away because you do actually eat a lot of fiber in the form of vegetables.

Karen

Karen.. I've been trying Psyllium Husks, and haven't noticed any change in my regularity. I worry since I've never been regular, that I might be worsening the situation with the Atkins approach of losing weight?? Also, would you recommend Flaxseed over the Psyllium Husks? I hate the feeling of constipation, and I've been reduced to using "Correctol" laxatives to fix the problem

Personally I would take the flax seeds over psyllium any day. In the few times I've taken psyllium, nothing has happened.

I don't have chronic trouble with constipation, but I would rather eat something yummy made with flax seeds.

I like to mix ground seeds with yogurt or make porridge out of them.

Karen

Thank you, Karen. I'm presently in the induction stage, so I'm still learning about the dos and don'ts. I'll give it another week and then switch to flaxseed (thing is, I'm also taking an essential oil mix which includes flaxseed oil... I was hoping the combination of both would whip my bowels into shape )

This recipe uses flaxseed meal and is very tasty.

Low-Carb "Nutty" Bread

.25 cup Splenda
.25 cup Sugar Twin
1.25 cups butter, softened
6 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1.5 cups soy powder
1.5 cups flaxseed meal
2 tsp. baking powder
.25 tsp. salt
1 cup cream

(Total = 32.56 carbs/batch, works out to about 2/slice, usually)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease loaf pan/s well. Beat moist ingredients, including butter, for 5 minutes. Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed till well-blended. Pour into pan/s.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Use toothpick test to determine doneness. Cool for at least 20 minutes before trying to remove from pan/s.

Optional ingredients: .5 tsp orange oil or banana flavoring, .5 cup chopped walnuts, small amount of cinnamon oil or ground cinnamon.

Crimson -

It took 2 weeks of taking about 5 Psyllium husk pills a day before it made me regular. Atleast I think once a day is regular. I was never regular even pre atkins. If you ask me(which you didn't), Psyllium husk works great. =)

freydis.. sounds yummy! Thank you so much for sharing, I'll definately give it a try.

taram.. I'm the same, I've never been regular. It's just with eating so much meat (never been much of a meat fan) I just want it out of my system!

I take two tbsp of whole flax and mill them in a small coffee grinder I use just for flax, then add it to my morning shake. Great Omegas and great fibre to boot!

I use psyllium capsules too. I take 1000 mg a day (2 caps - 1 with breakfast and 1 with lunch) Keeps me regular which is a first for me!

Hi TriciaW what does your morning shake consist of. I am getting a bit fed up of bacon & eggs

Graham

I am a fan of Myoplex RTD Low Carb shakes (Strawberry) and Atkins RTD (Chocolate Royal and Strawberry). They are each a bit pricy so I try and buy in bulk when on sale. I think they are gooood! If I don't have a shake, I sprinkle the milled flaxseed on whatever I'm eating---salad, steak, stuffed celery, egg salad, etc. Some disagree with having shakes on induction, so beware. YMMV!

do these help and are they ok to take?? I was taking a high fiber drink but was not workng and contain 6 cabs per tsp.

Hello ladies I have started taking 1 tbs. of flax seeds twice a day, I find the best way for me is in a glass of water that way they do not end up in my teeth and thats 2 out of 8 glasses of water out of the way.

I am now back to normal.

Regards Graham

Freydis: your nutty bread recipe sounds great. I was just wondering about the butter. 1.25 cups sounds kind of high. Is that the right amount? Do you think it would be okay if I used less....like maybe .5 cup? I put the recipe in fitday and if I did it right, and you cut the loaf into 15 slices, that comes to approx 300 calories per slice. Thanks in advance for answering my question!