Fabulous Flax

Even the herbal world has its multitaskers, and I tell you, that flax is one special herb! Before we learned about flax in 5000 B.C., flax remnants were found in Stone Age dwellings in Switzerland. In England, it has been cultivated since prehistoric times, and cloth woven from flax was found in Egyptian tombs. Flax cultivation was depicted in Middle Eastern burial chambers. This fellow really gets around.

About 650 B.C., both Hippocrates and Theophrastus mention using flax for the relief of abdominal pain and cough respectively. Then Tacitus joined in and wrote in praise of flax around the First century A.D. In the Eighth century, Charlemagne decreed that flax seeds were to be eaten by all his subjects to maintain good health. In the Twelfth century, the Abbess Hildegard von Bingen used flax meal in her hot poultices to treat various ailments as did Brother Cadfael, the fictional Twelfth century Benedictine Monk created by Ellis Peters. These folks surely knew a great herb when they saw one.

It seems that flax is pretty independent. It does not want to be tamed and is not choosey about climate. It is found in a semi-wild state wherever it grows and has been found in all temperate and tropical areas for so long that finding its geographical origin just is not possible.

Flax first appeared in North America in 1617 when Louis Hebert brought it to New France. By the end of the Nineteenth century, we Americans got into the flax act. As the pioneers pushed westward, they planted flax from their homelands in the prairies. This absolutely marvelous herb is cultivated for both its fiber (fiber flax) and its seeds (seed flax). It is also called Linum (linseed). There are so many uses for flax that we cannot mention them all here. A short list includes paper products, twine and fabrics from fiber flax.

Seed flax is so versatile. It is used as linseed oil, as a medicinal tea, it stimulates respiration, is fed to livestock to improve digestion and keep coats healthy and is baked into breads and cereals. Humans grind and eat it for its beneficial omega 3 fats which support immunity, cardiovascular health and more. It is an antioxidant and also helps regulate blood sugar. It is easily stored in the refrigerator, and a little goes a long way.

Folk medicine is a discipline that takes full advantage of healing materials when it finds them. It found flax and never looked back. Flax has been and is used for abdominal pain, heart health, to decrease menopausal symptoms, arthritis inflammation, to increase stamina, in poultices for rheumatism, neuralgia, diarrhea, ulceration and abscesses.

In fomentations, the application of moist heat, it works to increase circulation, relieve the pain of sprains, strains, muscle, joint and nerve discomfort. The flax seed we use in our unique herbal wraps at Heat Treats is used and works the same way.

Flax seed oil has been used internally for coughs, asthma and pleurisy and externally for burns and sores. In addition, it has been used in the treatment of cancer and has been found to contain various anticancer agents.

And, believe it or not, there are even more ways flax works its healing magic. So when you discover flax, let it work its wonders for you. Perhaps you can find other ways to put its gifts to good use. Should you want more information, there are many excellent reference sources in books about herbs in your local library or health food store.