Chia Seed

Definition:

According to Wikipedia.com, "Chia (Salvia hispanica) is a plant of the genus Salvia in the Mint family. It originated in the central Valley of Mexico. It was largely cultivated by the Aztecs in pre-Colombian times and was one of the five more important food plants in that time. After the arrival of the Spaniards, the plant became almost extinct because of cultural and religious reasons."

""Chia" is the Mayan word for strength. According to chia seed lore, Apache warriors would tie a bag of chia seeds to their belts to sustain them on the warpath. Aztec warriors, it is said, were sustained by chia seeds during their conquests."

My Experience:

I ordered some Organic Chia Seeds off the internet and immediately set to task to turn these little seeds into a gel so I could start my experiment the next morning. Turning the seeds into a gel was easy I mixed 1/3 cup of Chia seeds with 2 cups of water, stirred it with a whisk to break up any clumps, and let sit in the refrigerator for about twelve hours. My goal was to consume 3 tablespoons of Chia seeds each day, one tablespoon before each meal.

Yuck, Yuck! I can't say much for the gel! I had an issue with the texture and my first instinct was to spit it out! It didn't taste bad, it just felt awful and it doesn't look too good either, not visually appealing to me at all. I decided right then and there that I was going to use the straight seeds and forget about making the gel.

Once I decided how to consume the Chia seeds, I went at it and one of the first things I noticed after taking the seeds for a week was that I was having ZERO problems with my stomach and bowels.

Because of my disorder I have chronic issues with digestion and bowels, but since starting the Chia seeds my system has been in top condition. I am like a fine tuned machine! Seriously, if anybody out there is suffering from chronic bowel issues you really ought to give Chia seeds a try!

As far as the other reported benefits I can't say that I have noticed a huge increase in energy or stamina, but I do notice that I feel fuller longer after each meal so I am not overeating.

Have I had any negative effects? The only thing I notice is right after I consume the Chia seeds I tend to be a bit burpy, but it only lasts about 15 minutes.

Would I do it again? Absolutely, matter of fact I am doing daily! As long as chia seeds keep things "running smoothly" I will continue to use them as a part of my healthy living strategy.

If you enjoyed this article, Chia Seed you may also like to read about Oil Pulling

If you are looking for organic chia seed you may want to check out:

• Mountain Rose Herbs
• "Chemical Free" Chia Seeds

http://wikipedia.com

http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/chia.html

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