Treasuring the Privilege of Fatherhood
What an amazing plant! It has a humble appearance with lovely blue flowers that bloom less than a day. Yet behind its unassuming pose, flax supplies a powerhouse of benefits to humanity.
As an oil, flaxseed is rich in nutrients, including the prized omega-3 alpha linolenic acid, basic fatty acid. Essential fatty acids such as this are the building blocks of prostaglandins, hormonelike substances present in both male and female reproductive glands. The prostaglandins may also aid in regulating blood pressure.
Flaxseed oil can also be used to prepare soothing hand creams and even liniments to treat burns. When applied to metal farm tools, it forms a hard seal to help prevent rust. The non-food grade version known as linseed oil is also used in artists’ paints and as a superb furniture polish. It’s also helpful as a mucilaginous hair-setting gel.
The seeds themselves have healing and cleansing properties; the famed physician Hippocrates used them to relieve intestinal disorders.
In the Middle East, flaxseed oil provides the base for a favorite traditional dish consisting of cooked fava beans seasoned with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.
In Germany, there is a special bread called Leinsamenbrot - a heavy, dense bread containing whole flaxseeds. Its rich, whole-grain flavor makes the bread a tasty health food often used to relieve constipation.
Fine linen, a product of the flax plant, was known in both Old and New Testament times. Anciently, rags of this fiber were used in paper-making.
A mixture of honey and flaxseed oil has been used as a remedy for removing unwanted spots on the face.
Flaxseeds contain both soluble and insoluble fiber; the National Cancer Institute recognizes fiber to be important in the prevention of various cancers, including colon cancer.
The University of Toronto conducted a study using flaxseeds and found them successful in lowering cholesterol as well as inhibiting the growth of new cancer cells. The lignans found in flaxseed are plant estrogens, also called phytoestrogens, that have been associated with developing strong bones, preventing the growth of many cancerous tumors, and inhibiting the formation of gallstones.
As a fabric, linen is cool and breathable in summer. It is prized throughout the world for its attractive qualities.
No wonder flax is one of the materials the “virtuous woman” in the Bible seeks. (Proverbs 31:13.) It appears to be a very valuable plant for which we can be thankful.