Health

Health – Olive Oil

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Olive oil is recommended for culinary as well as medicinal use—only the first-pressed, or virgin, unrefined olive oil, as the later pressings do not yield the same medicinal factors. Virgin olive oil is made by simple traditional processes, without heat, without refining, bleaching, degumming and deodorizing. If an olive oil is not labeled virgin, you can be sure that it is non-virgin and may have gone through any of these treatments. These refined oils negatively affect human health.

Olive oil contains linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid, in quantities from 3.5% to 20%, averaging 10%. It also contains the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid from 0.1% to 0.6%. This makes olive oil not a significant source of the essential fatty acids which should be procured from other sources, notably flaxseed oil. Olive oil does contain some lecithin, which can help with liver functions.

The special health-enhancing functions of olive oil are found mainly in its minor constituents. These are only present in the unrefined or virgin oil. They include beta carotene, or pro-vitamin A, and tocopherols, or vitamin E. Also included are chlorophyll, squalene, which is heart-protective, and phytosterols, which protect against cholesterol absorption from foods.

Virgin olive oil improves brain maturity and function in animals deficient in essential fatty acids. These research results almost assuredly transfer to humans as well, because brain development and function are similar in both animals and humans.

Olive oil has other components with specific beneficial effects:

Beta-sitosterol lowers high cholesterol levels.

Triterpenic acids are anti-inflammatory.

Caffeic and gallic acids stimulate the flow of bile. Gallic acid also inhibits lactic dehydrogenase in the liver, a sign of liver malfunction.

Phenolic compounds protect against peroxidation of fatty acids and cholesterol. 2-phenylethanol stimulates the production of fat-digesting enzymes in the pancreas.

Triterpenic acids (only found in olive oil) stimulate pancreatic enzymes.

Cycloartenol, stored in the liver, lowers the amount of circulating cholesterol and increases bile secretion.

One of the most significant reasons for using virgin olive oil is that virtually every other oil on the market has been damaged by heat in its preparation. In practical terms, heat and chemically damaged oils are extremely dangerous to the health.

A Little History

Olives are said to have come into cultivation around the end of 4000 B.C. in the Near East and southeast Europe. In Israel and surrounding areas, olive trees grow everywhere, and in many areas it is the only tree that can be seen. Olive oil was used lavishly by the Egyptians for the hair and the skin, as well as in all sorts of ceremonies.

An even earlier reference to the tree comes in Genesis 8:11, where the dove brings back the plucked leaf of the olive tree to Noah as a signal that the land is drained and they can now leave the Ark. Some authorities say that this olive leaf was really a tamarisk, but most scholars believe that it was olive, which had to come from a tree so common that it could be identified from a single leaf. Both the olive tree and the dove are symbols of peace and friendship, probably originating from the Noah story. The olive leaf or branch is regarded almost universally as a symbol of peace. This is true in almost every land. Early navigators found that green olive branches carried in the hands or placed in the ground were everywhere used and understood as emblems of peace among all the islanders, including those in the South Seas. The Greeks prayed for prosperity and peace with green olive boughs held in their hands, garlands around their necks and crowns upon their heads. It was also the custom of the Greeks, especially of the Athenians, to carry an olive branch to the homes of their neighbors on the day of the new year as a symbol of peaceful intentions. Among the Chinese, disputes or quarrels were settled by sending the offended person an olive wrapped in red paper.

Olive oil has always been a symbol of prosperity and divine blessing, beauty, luxury, and strength. It was so abundantly cultivated in Bible times that the expression olive yards is quite often coupled with vineyards and grain fields in descriptions of the land. Almost every Middle Eastern village has its olive grove or orchards. Even though the tree is comparatively plentiful today, it used to be even more cultivated. There are many oil presses in archaeological sites throughout the Middle East which indicate that the olive was much more important than it is now.

The tree requires years of patient labor before reaching full fruitfulness, implying a certain degree of peace. A hostile army could, in a few days, destroy the work of two generations. Perhaps this may have something to do with its being an emblem of peace. Enemies of a village or of an individual today in the Middle East often carry out revenge by cutting away a ring of bark from the trunks of the olive trees, killing them in a few months.

Olive oil is recommended for weak persons who cannot seem to gain weight. Dr. John Christopher tells of a young man who was unable to ingest food because his system would reject anything he took internally. Unwilling to undergo intravenous feeding, he was given olive oil massages daily. The olive oil fed into his system and nourished him until, with the use of other therapies, he was able to eat food again. Dr. John Christopher commented that, as far as his health was concerned, he might be better off with the olive oil nourishment than with some of the junk food he might be tempted to eat! Babies who are teething or whose digestive systems are otherwise upset can be nourished with olive oil massage in the same way. After a good, warm bath, the skin absorbs the oil very well.

Soldiers in World War 1 were treated with an emulsified olive oil to help with shell shock or nervous conditions. In Greece, where heart and artery problems are very low, olive oil is consumed freely. Blood cholesterol is said to be reduced with the use of olive oil. Studies in France indicated that the use of olive oil reduces blood cholesterol from 14 to 26 percent. Patients were given as much olive oil to drink as they wanted, but no other oil or fat.

Olive oil taken internally is also reported to protect against the bad effects of x-rays and irradiation. Laboratory studies conducted on mice, which were exposed to doses of irradiation, showed that the animals whose diets were fortified with olive oil received no damage to the liver, kidneys and lungs, as well as any adverse reactions with the skin and hair. Of course, Dr. John Christopher and his students deplore the use of animals in such experiments.

Olive oil is used as an important part of Dr. John Christopher’s treatment for gallstones and kidney stones. The oil causes strong healthy contractions of the gall bladder, greatly favoring complete emptying, which prevents the bile from backing up and clogging. Most treatments involve taking olive oil and lemon before bed, following up in the morning with hot water or apple juice.

Dr. H.C.A. Vogel, the famous herbalist of Switzerland, said that an Italian woman came to him with a case of gallstones which she was afraid of having removed surgically. As he knew that Italians can swallow oil easily, he recommended an olive oil cure. First, he said that the intestinal tract had to be thoroughly cleansed by soaked prunes or flaxseed. Then swallow 4 to 14 ounces of virgin olive oil. Lie down, turn over on the right side, and remain in that position for two hours. The lady followed these instructions and came back to him beaming; a lot of stones came away and the operation was unnecessary. The lady’s doctor could not believe it. Not everyone can take a pint of oil as that lady did, but smaller quantities taken over a few days can help remove small stones.

Olive oil taken internally will strengthen the gums and improve the hair. Italian hair was often preferred for wigs because the olive oil gave it such a marvelous healthy texture.

Olive oil can be applied to burns. It is used on skin inflammations, to protect an injured surface from air and from germs, and can be applied to any wounds, bruises, sores, stings, and so on.

Dr. John Christopher used olive oil exclusively for preparing herbal oils. Such a preparation made with St. Johns Wort is recommended for wounds, sores and abrasions. It can be used on the skin to remove crusts and scales and facilitate smooth skin. In Israel, it is used as a skin dressing and also on the hair, although most westerners prefer a less oily appearance. It can be rubbed into dry skin and cuticles to keep them soft. It can be used for massage for the feet, as an aid to reflexology. It is used with oil of rosemary to control dandruff. Many women apply the oil to the eyelashes and fingernails to strengthen them. You probably know of the familiar hot olive oil treatment to strengthen hair. Warmed olive oil is applied to hair and scalp and rubbed in well. The head is wrapped with a warm towel and the application is allowed to cool. The hair is shampooed and the resulting texture is wonderful.

Olive oil is sometimes used for engorged breasts during nursing. One part witch hazel and ten parts olive oil are mixed and applied to the breast frequently. This gives speedy relief to the pain and reduces the swelling. If you cannot bathe a bedridden person, you can dampen a cotton ball and moisten it with olive oil to clean the skin. This is soothing and cleansing at the same time.

Garlic oil is made by steeping peeled and cut garlic cloves in olive oil. Strain after a day or two and it is ready for use. This can be warmed and put into the ears for ear infections.

Knowing what we do about damaged commercial oils, we use olive oil in almost all of our food preparations. We put it in homemade salad dressing, sauté with it, and use it as a dressing on vegetables. In Israel, people dip their pita bread in olive oil. In Spain, people spread olive oil on their bread or toast, often adding minced garlic and salt.

A suggestion would be that you use either olive or flaxseed oil for all your food preparations.

Health – Parsley

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The humble Parsley is used as a popular garnish but is usually left uneaten. This is a pity since it is probably more nourishing than the concoctions which it garnishes. Often it is the only green on the plate! Parsley is also a remarkable diuretic which, among other things, heals many complaints of the urinary system.

Dr. John Christopher, a Master Herbalist, told the story of a woman, Mrs. Hanger, who came to America from England while she was in her twenties. She was very sickly and wanted children but could not conceive so she went to the medical doctor who told her that she had an untreatable kidney infection of a very progressive type and that she had six months left to live. She came home very discouraged.

Answering a knock at the front door, there stood a man who said, “I would like to talk to you. I would like to help you if you would want me to. You are from England and have brought your herbs with you. Make a tea with a pint of boiling water and a handful of parsley each day, cover and steep it and drink it in regular doses during the day; it will heal this condition.” Dr. Christopher spoke at her funeral, not just six months after she was supposed to die, but she lived to be eighty-six years old and during her life she raised a number of wonderful children.

Dr. Christopher developed a routine to help in cases of dropsy (edema). He was especially sensitive to the horrors of this condition. Before his mother died, her condition was well advanced and her body swelled enormously. When she died, the door had to be removed from the hinges to get her body out to the ambulance which took her to the morgue. Her pain had been so severe during the final months but nothing could be done to give her relief. As a young man Dr. Christopher was praying for a way to help her and felt frustrated that the doctors could do nothing at all.

Dr. Christopher’s routine is best told in this story:

A lady came into the weekly herb lecture late, just a few minutes after they had gotten started. She asked if she could interrupt and tell something that had just happened to her. Dr. Christopher invited her to tell her story. Just after the last week’s lecture she received a call from her brother-in-law in Chicago who told her that if she wanted to see her twin sister alive she must fly back there immediately because the doctors had given her only a day or two to live. The student took a few days off work and arrived in Chicago on the following Friday. She went in to see her sister and would not have recognized her if she had not been told who she was. Her sister was so badly swollen from edema (dropsy) that she seemed to be only a bloated, unrecognizable mass of flesh. She had been under doctor’s care for several months and they had been unable to give her anything but temporary aid from the water accumulation. Now they were utterly baffled and had, at the family’s request, sent her from the hospital to die.

The sick twin was in a coma, not recognizing anyone. The herb student wept to see her favorite sister lying there so helpless. With little school children needing their mother so much, she asked the husband if he would allow her to use an herbal routine she had heard about at a recent lecture. The doctor was just waiting for the sister to die so she was given the go ahead!

The herb student found a little health food store nearby and bought some parsley root and glycerin. Herbalists now generally use vegetable glycerin which is superior but at that time only animal glycerin was available. Parsley root tea was made using one teaspoon of herb to one cup of water (or one ounce of the herb to one pint of water). Making up about one gallon of the tea, one quart was used straight to give the patient orally and three quarts of the tea was mixed with equal parts of glycerin, making a total of six quarts of the combination for fomentations.

One cup of parsley tea was administered each half hour to the patient to drink and the heated combination of glycerin and tea was used as a fomentation to the badly swollen legs, arms and abdomen. This was done by soaking white flannel cloths in the mixture and laying them over the area, not allowing them to become cold but replacing whenever the cloth cooled down. A hot water bottle over the fomentations can be used if the area to be treated is not large.

After the fomentation had been on for a short time, the corner of the cloth was lifted to see if the pores were starting to take the water from the swollen areas, and as she looked it appeared as if hundreds of little springs were coming from the body. She had never used this routine before and was walking by faith, and it was a miracle to see it working. She had to fly back to work on Monday, so she left all the instructions with her brother-in-law to continue the program that had been started.

After work Tuesday rushing home to get ready for the regular Tuesday night lecture, her phone rang. It was her brother-in-law from Chicago who said, “There is someone here who would like to talk with you.” He put his wife on the phone and she was so happy that she was crying! The swelling had gone down and she was recovering rapidly. In fact, she had been well enough to get the children’s breakfast and fix their school lunches that day. She was so grateful to be a mother again and not a dying patient. There were not many dry eyes in the lecture room when the student finished the story. This is a great remedy to remember and one should store vegetable glycerin which is freely available and parsley root or grow plenty of it so it is available for an emergency.

Uses of Parsley

This amazing common herb is also quite potent. Dr. Christopher taught that parsley works on the gall bladder, helping to remove gallstones. He claims that it is a specific for the adrenal glands, is powerfully therapeutic for the optic nerves, brain nerves, and the whole sympathetic nervous system. Parsley is a remarkable remedy for expelling watery poisons, excess mucus, flatulence, and reducing swollen and enlarged glands, etc.

Parsley has long been used as a healer for the urinary tract. Bladder infections that can make you so sick that you can barely walk are particularly troublesome because they are rarely cleared up except with the use of antibiotics. If taken with equal parts of Echinacea and marshmallow root, parsley works very well. Parsley root tea will help remove stones including gallstones and kidney stones, if they are not too large.

One doctor who made a trip to Holland was surprised to see medical doctors prescribing parsley tea for kidney stones and other kidney and related complaints, including pressure of the prostate. He returned to his practice at home and began prescribing the same remedy with the same good results. Parsley taken with boiled onions is said to be good to remove gallstones, although some writers prescribe juniper berries instead of the onions, which would also be a great specific for the urinary tract.

The parsley root is the part used to relieve painful suppressed urination and attacks of gravel. If the stones are not too large to pass, the decoction will help remove them and relieve the pain. Parsley tea was useful during the Second World War when the men in the trenches suffered kidney complications while suffering from dysentery.

The root is also important for treating diseases of the liver and gallbladder. It can be used with a small amount of licorice or marshmallow root for the treatment of jaundice, asthma, water retention, and coughs. It is said to be excellent to remove obstructions of the liver and spleen.

In Sweden the tea is drunk as a brain tonic and preventative medicine.

A hot lotion of the seeds will relieve the irritation of all kinds of insect stings. The seeds made into decoction can be cooled and steeped about seven hours and then rubbed into the hair to clear away head lice and any other such vermin. You can massage the head scalp with the lotion of seeds and leaves to stimulate the growth of hair, check baldness (as long as the hair follicles are still alive) and remove dandruff.

The juice can be applied to the skin in the summer time for use as a nontoxic insect repellent. The whole herb is effective against bad breath, and people who take garlic often, also take parsley to avoid offending.

Chinese use of the herb includes the relief of kidneys and bladder. It is said to remove irritation, congestion, inflammation or weakness of these organs.

Parsley can be used in almost any kind of food and is therefore a good herb to include in the daily diet. It is thought to be a good disease preventative. Parsley contains much calcium, potassium, iron, copper and chlorophyll. It is also a good source of vitamins A, C and E. It contains niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium and silicon.

Dried parsley can be used as freely as you would fresh minced parsley.

There are several varieties of parsley, the curly-leaved variety being generally preferred. Plain-leaved parsley winters better than the curly-leaved variety but care should be taken for it not to be mistaken for fool’s parsley which looks a lot like plain-leaved parsley but is extremely poisonous. Fool’s parsley, however, neither smells nor tastes like genuine parsley should a person dare to try it. We, here in Wichita, live in a rather severe climate, yet our parsley plants, sheltered in a moist place by the side of our house, put out new shoots during warm spells in the wintertime!

Health – Seasonings and Spices

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Many people have been unsure of the words spice and seasoning and therefore a misunderstanding has occurred causing many to not understand how to healthfully season their food. In Genesis 1:29 it says, “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”

Ellen White states, “At one time Doctor ___ tried to teach our family to cook according to health reform, as he viewed it, without salt or anything else to season the food. Well, I determined to try it, but I became so reduced in strength that I had to make a change; and a different policy was entered upon with great success. I tell you this because I know that you are in positive danger. Food should be prepared in such a way that it will be nourishing. It should not be robbed of that which the system needs.

“I use some salt, and always have, because from the light given me by God, this article, in the place of being deleterious, is actually essential for the blood. The whys and wherefores of this I know not, but I give you the instruction as it is given me.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 344.

This statement tells me that it is possible to be a little fanatical and go a little too far, therefore harming our own bodies.

There are many herbs and greens that our body needs for nourishment and there has been a mistaken idea that these are spices and not to be eaten or used in preparation of our foods. In the past, spices have been categorized as fragrant, aromatic plant products like cinnamon, cloves and pepper. Now there is a tendency to categorize even the herbs, etc., as spices as the word spice is understood in its historical meaning and which include cinnamon, cloves, and pepper.

Many have misunderstood Mrs. White’s statements, i.e., “By the laws of the home everything that renders the blood impure should be discarded from the table. Especially should little children be given wholesome food. They should be given no tea or coffee. Their food should not contain spices or any kind of seasoning. The plainest food is the most wholesome and keeps the temple of God in the most healthy condition.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, 215.

The word spice in Mrs. White’s time included items like cinnamon, cloves and pepper, which caused problems with the health. The word spice in our day has included all the good as well as the bad. To season, means to add flavor. The two words, season and spice, are actually used interchangeably now and this is the reason that much confusion exists on how to season our food. People have become hesitant to use dried herbs because they may be labeled as a spice.

Each of us needs to study this out for ourselves. I have done a little research and have been much blessed. Many of the seasonings and/or spices that are being condemned now (because they are labeled as a spice) are herbs and have a much needed place in our foods and in our bodies. It may be that some think that since some have been dried, they are now spices and cause harm. People are mislabeling God’s garden. God has placed within our reach plenty of these herbs, which are natural vitamins and minerals, for our benefit. Just because they might season or enhance the flavor of the dish we are serving should not be reason to stop using it because it seasons the food and therefore is a spice. The majority of the herbs, many of which are now called spices, are a gift to us from God to enhance the flavor of our food.

We also preserve our food by canning or drying. Because an herb is dried does not make it unhealthy for us to use, to be sprinkled on our foods as a seasoning/spice.

“God has caused to grow out of the ground, herbs for the use of man, and if we understand the nature of those roots and herbs, and make a right use of them, there would not be a necessity of running for the doctor so frequently, and people would be in much better health than they are today. I believe in calling upon the Great Physician when we have used the remedies I have mentioned.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 297, 298.

“Again and again I have been shown that God is trying to lead us back, step by step, to His original design—that man should subsist upon the natural products of the earth.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 380. The natural products of the earth include the herbs and greens.

“In this fast age, the less exciting the food, the better. Condiments are injurious in their nature. Mustard, pepper, spices, pickles, and other things of a like character, irritate the stomach and make the blood feverish and impure. The inflamed condition of the drunkard’s stomach is often pictured as illustrating the effect of alcoholic liquors. A similarly inflamed condition is produced by the use of irritating condiments. Soon ordinary food does not satisfy the appetite. The system feels a want, a craving, for something more stimulating.” The Ministry of Healing, 325.

She states that mustard, pepper, spices, pickles, and other things of a like character, irritate the stomach. The herbs, i.e. sweet basil, dill, oregano, chives, cilantro, parsley, marjoram, mint, mustard, etc., are not in like character as what she has listed and should not be considered within the words irritable spices.

“In regard to our using spice, I plead not guilty. We have not had spice in our house for ten years, except a little ginger, which we have always used to some extent.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 245. Some consider ginger as an irritating spice. Ginger is quite useful and healing in many health problems. Also some have problems with the word mustard. There are mustard greens which are excellent for our bodies and were also used by Mrs. White. There are certain preparations called mustard which contain ingredients which are not health orientated, but those should not be confused with mustard greens and the excellent mustards which are made from very healthy ingredients and are excellent for consumption.

“God has furnished man with abundant means for the gratification of an unperverted appetite. He has spread before him the products of the earth—a bountiful variety of food that is palatable to the taste and nutritious to the system. Of these our benevolent heavenly Father says we may freely eat. Fruits, grains, and vegetables, prepared in a simple way, free from spice and grease of all kinds, make, with milk or cream, the most healthful diet. They impart nourishment to the body and give a power of endurance and a vigor of intellect that are not produced by a stimulating diet.

“Let the table be made inviting and attractive, as it is supplied with the good things which God has so bountifully bestowed. Let mealtime be a cheerful, happy time. As we enjoy the gifts of God, let us respond by grateful praise to the Giver.” My Life Today, 132.

“You speak in regard to my diet. I have not become so wedded to one thing as not to be able to eat anything else. But as far as material for greens is concerned, you need have no concern; for to my certain knowledge there are in the section of country where you live many kinds of vegetable productions which I can use as greens. I shall be able to obtain the leaves of the yellow dock, the young dandelion, and mustard. There will be a far more bountiful supply there, and of a superior quality, than we could obtain in Australia. And if there was nothing else, there are the grain productions.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 323, 324.

“We rode out a few miles and took dinner near the beach in a little clump of brush. There was a nice stream flowing close by where we ate our dinner. Then we gathered greens and after going down on the beach we returned to our home.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, 97. We dry many of these things to use to season or flavor our food.

“The dish of greens was usually especially for Ellen White. One day as Sara McEnterfer passed the bowl of dandelion greens to Ellen White, she said, ‘Mother, here is your horse feed.’ The latter looked over the table at the other dishes and quietly replied, ‘Well, I don’t know as my horse feed is any worse than your cow’s peas.’ ” Ellen G. White, vol. 6, The Later Elmshaven Years, 1905–1915, 395. (By Arthur L. White, 1892.)

From all of the above statements, I am sure there were many other kinds of greens that she ate. In fact, if you will notice, the majority of what she called greens are now called herbs, and not greens.

Whether these herbs or greens are eaten fresh or dried, they season the food in a good, nourishing way. Some of the herbs/greens have been called spices and therefore have caused controversy. We cannot call all greens harmful because this is not so.

Some herbs/greens that make excellent flavor enhancers/seasonings and which our bodies require for good health include: sweet basil (basil); dill; thyme; oregano; rosemary; sage; cilantro; parsley; mint, etc. There are many more. Each of us must understand our own bodies and what it requires for good health. Each of these greens has health increasing constituents. In fact, onions and garlic are also dried and labeled seasonings/spices. What is good for one is not good for another. Yes, Mrs. White names specifics and each of us may agree with what she has shared, but that does not mean that we begin to label everything spice because it may not agree with us, or because someone else has labeled it so.

There are many recipes which call for ingredients that I do not use or do not care to use so I will replace those ingredients with more healthful ones or ones that fit my taste buds. I do not expect everybody’s personal recipes to be perfect according to what I like. I am just so thankful when people share recipes with me and I can adjust them to my taste and praise the Lord for someone who wanted to share with me. Praise God for the gift of choice and for all of the different foods He has provided so that we may have an abundance of variety to meet our different tastes and needs.

Health – Medicinal Oats

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Oats are a soothing, demulcent, nourishing food. They are taken as an important restorative in nervous disorders, as they seem to support the heart muscles and urinary organs. The gruel, sometimes with lemons, or raisins added as flavoring, is a mild nutritious food of easy digestion in inflammatory cases and fevers. An oat and slippery elm gruel is sometimes useful in cases of croup, where overeating or eating of the wrong kinds of foods sometimes brings on the spasms.

In homeopathy, the tincture is used in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, paralysis, liver infections, and skin diseases. Oats are well-known for their external uses. Most of us have heard of oatmeal soap, which is used to stimulate the skin and cleanse the pores. Many people moisten oats and rub the skin with them for the same purpose. Oatmeal is sometimes used as a poultice or as a base for other medicinal poultices. Oatmeal baths are often used for kidney infections.

In India, oats are described as a perfect food, and an unrivaled fodder for horses. The tincture of the green oats is recommended for nervous strain. It is also taken as an antidote for drug addiction, alcoholism, diphtheria, paralysis, and dysentery.

In China, oats are not domestically grown, although the wild oats are gathered and eaten during times of dearth.

Nutrients

Most of us are familiar with oatmeal for breakfast. They are high in protein, though they must be combined with beans, nuts, or other protein products to produce a complete balance of the amino acids. Some people have lived for extended periods on oats alone. They are an extremely rich and satisfying food. For centuries they have been the staple food of the Scots; coarse or whole oats were cooked in water and eaten with a sprinkle of salt. They also form the basis of cakes and biscuits peculiar to that country.

Dr. Max Bircher-Benner, an early pioneer of food science and a vegetarian, devised a perfect food which he called muesli, containing all the ingredients needed for health and growth. It was made by mixing raw oats, honey, hot water, nut milk, the juice of half a lemon, two medium- sized apples, grated, and one tablespoonful of grated hazel nuts. This was fed to patients twice a day and nothing else; convalescing patients improved dramatically from the first day. Commercial muesli can be purchased but sometimes it can be rancid. Since it is so easy to prepare fresh, and so much nicer, no one need spend the extravagant amount that Muesli costs.

Recipe

Overnight, soak the desired amount of oats in water to barely cover. In the morning add nut milk (or nut cream), honey, grated apple, ground nuts, and either lemon or orange juice. You can warm the cereal if desired. Most people enjoy Muesli and it is easily digested.

Many people eat preparations of granola which are largely based on oats, roasted in a honey-oil syrup with nuts, seeds, bran, etc. This preparation requires a lot of chewing, and most people don’t chew very well. Also, the cooked honey and oil can cause health problems, especially since the honey, when cooked, loses its enzymatic activity and the cooked oil has been proven to have carcinogenic properties. Better to roast the desired ingredients separately until lightly golden and, while still hot, mix in the honey and oil as well as the dried fruit desired. If the granola is soaked overnight before eating, it is more digestible.

When the oats are cut, they are then called groats. Some people think that groats are superior in nutrition to the rolled oats. Oatmeal is the ground grain, and oats flakes are the flaked grains, which are heated and pressed. Jethro Kloss assures us that there is not a hair’s breadth difference between the steel-cut or the finely-flaked oats. The finely-flaked product is preferred because it is prepared much more quickly and is more quickly digested. He asked the Quaker Oats Company to describe their method of preparing the oats, and they complied, as follows:

“We are very glad to enclose a description of the manufacturing process for … oats. The glumes of the oat grain are wrapped a bit more securely (than wheat) around the kernel, and remain on the oat until they are removed at the rolled oats mill. After removing the hull from the kernel from which rolled oats are made, the oats possess the entire bran, middlings, endosperm, and germ portion natural to the grain. Whole oat kernels (oat groats), steel cut oats, large or standard type rolled oats flakes, and small or ‘quick’ type rolled oat flakes are all whole grain products. In the sense that refined is sometimes used as an antonym for whole grain, there are no refined oat foods. The oats go through an extensive cleaning process in which corn, wheat, barley chaff, and weed seeds are removed. The oats are then carefully sized to uniform diameter by grading. Only the plump sound-oats of good size go into (our) products. The clean graded oats are roasted and partially dried, after which they are cooled and passed to a large burr stone where the hulls are torn from the groats. The oats mixture is next bolted to remove any flour, and the hulls are then removed in special air separators. Any unhulled oats are removed in cell machines and the cleaning process is continued until the groats are free from hulls and then steel-cut. The clean groats pass to the steaming chamber where they are partially cooked with live steam and from which they pass to the rolls where the groats are formed into flakes. The rolled oats flakes are cooled in a current of air to about 110 degrees F., following which the product is immediately weighed and packed by automatic mechanical equipment.” Back to Eden (Original book), 83–85.

Oat kernels look very much like wheat in structure. They have an outer covering of bran which protects the starchy endosperm and the germ that sits at the bottom of the grain. Because the oat kernel is soft, the nutritious bran is not removed. Whole grain oats contain seven B vitamins, vitamin E, and nine minerals, including iron and calcium. The quality and quantity of the protein in oats is far superior to that of wheat and most other grains. One ounce of oats has twice the protein of wheat or corn flakes. But the most important nutritional advantages are the soluble fiber and the GLA (gamma linoleic acid).

Oat Varieties and Suggestions

Oat Flour—This can be made yourself by grinding rolled oats in a food processor or blender. Oat flour adds lovely flavor to breads and because of certain natural preservatives in the oats themselves, it improves their shelf life. Oats contain no gluten, which is needed for bread to rise, so it must be mixed with a flour containing gluten, such as wheat. Substitute one of every five parts of wheat flour with oat flour. If your recipe is for a quick bread, no addition of other flours is necessary.

Oat Sprouts—Oat groats are very easy to sprout! Sprouting increases their nutritive values. Add them to sandwiches, salads, stir-fry and soups. Chop them and add them to your bread dough.

Steel Cut Oats or Scottish Oats or Irish Oats—These are groats which have been cut into two or three pieces. Cooking time is considerably longer than for rolled oats. Bring them to a boil for five minutes; then turn off the heat and cover them for an additional ten minutes. These also cook well in a crockpot on low, overnight. Add liquid three parts to one.

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats—Use two parts liquid to one part oats, and simmer for about five minutes.

Oat Groats—Use two cups liquid—water, nut milk, broth, stock—and bring to a boil. Add one cup of oat groats (the whole kernel) and lower heat; simmer for about 45 minutes. This may also be done quite successfully using a rice cooker. These cook well in a crockpot on low overnight, but you may want to increase the liquid three parts to one, liquid to oats.

Eat Raw Oats? They will not be as sweet as cooked oats, because heat breaks down the starch in oats into a sugar, but if you like them that way, they still have the same nutritional value. The fact is that you can add rolled oats into water that is no hotter than 110 degrees and they will still be considered “raw,” i.e. a live food with all its enzymes intact to aid in digestion and nutritional assimilation.

Are you feeling your oats today?

Health – The Apricot

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Apricots are beautifully colored orange fruits full of beta carotene and fiber that are one of the first signs of summer.

This fruit was long thought to have originated in Armenia—note the Latin name—but now is known to have originated in China, the Himalayas, and other parts of temperate Asia. The people of Hunza who live in the Himalayas, with their very limited diet, rely a great deal on dried apricots and edible apricot kernels. These people are world renowned for their unusual longevity. Apricot trees are cultivated all around the world, mostly for their fruit but also for their kernels, which are edible in several varieties.

Apricots are very delicate during their brief season, so most of the time they are eaten dried. The fruit is dried easily and retains nutrients well, including goodly amounts of vitamins A and B2, niacin, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iron.

The kernel of the apricot is the part that most interests herbalists and cosmetic manufacturers. Oil, called Persic Oil, is pressed from the kernels for use in cosmetic preparations and is similar to Oil of Almonds, though not as expensive, and is very softening to the skin, being a smooth, light, richly emollient oil. It can be purchased in health food stores and used for making homemade cosmetic preparations.

Of the most interest to herbalists, however, is the use of apricot kernels to provide a cancer drug called Laetrile which is now available only in Mexico because of restrictions in the United States. It is distributed worldwide, and there are many reports of success in treating cancer with it. Laetrile is said to have antitumor properties and is claimed to be effective in preventing as well as treating cancer. As early as A.D. 502, apricot seeds were used to treat tumors, and in the 17th century, apricot oil was used in England against tumors and ulcers.

Laetrile is present in the seeds of various fruits, such as almonds, cherries and plums, but is most abundant in certain varieties of apricots. Laetrile consists of amygdalin, the bitter-tasting factor in the seeds, chemically known as mandelic nitrile beta-gluruconide, a cyanogenic glycoside. This means that the seeds contain cyanide. The theory goes that small amounts given over a long period will accumulate in cancer tissue and prevent oxygen from reaching the unhealthy tissue. Since cancer tissue is said to have greater beta-glucosidase activity, it cannot detoxify the cyanide in Laetrile very easily. Cyanide is extremely toxic to human beings, and can cause death by asphyxiation even in very small doses, so taking a concentrated extract such as Laetrile even if from a natural substance like apricot seeds seems unwise. Many natural practitioners recommend eating apricot kernels from tree varieties that produce edible kernels as a cancer preventative. This seems to be a safer course than taking the extract, which is reported to have caused hydrocyanic acid poisoning, with symptoms of severe headaches, stupor, convulsions, collapse and respiratory paralysis.

In Chinese medicine, apricot fruits are thought to relate to the heart and are therefore utilized in heart disease. The kernels are crushed and combined with licorice and ginger to act as a cough medicine and expectorant. They are also used particularly as an asthma remedy. The crushed kernels are taken as a remedy for tumors, as we suggest above. Apricot flowers are considered a tonic women’s remedy, used to help in fertility.

The Japanese folk remedy bainiku-ekisu (concentrated Japanese apricot juice) has been used for the treatment of gastritis (stomach inflammation) and enteritis (bowel inflammation) since ancient times, and has recently been studied as a bacteriostatic (stops the growth/reproduction of bacteria) agent.

Apricot kernels are used to treat asthma in various localities around the world; research shows that chemicals in the kernels possess the anti-asthma activity.

In Turkey and Iraq, the oil is pressed and used to soften skin. The seeds are used in various countries against parasites, taken as a vermifuge.

If you are growing apricot trees, select varieties that are suitable for your area. For those in northern areas with short growing seasons, imported varieties from China or the Himalayas can produce well. Do not grow oats near apricots; the root excretions inhibit the growth of young apricot trees.

Right now 97% of the commercial apricot crop is grown in California. Only about 21% of those grown commercially are sold as fresh fruit. The majority are canned, dried or frozen.

For the best flavor, eat tree-ripened fruit. These are rarely available in stores, even those close to the orchard. The next best thing to a well matured apricot is one that is orange-yellow in color, and plump and juicy. Immature apricots never attain the right sweetness or flavor. There are far too many immature apricots on the market. They are greenish-yellow; the flesh is firm with a sour taste. Avoid green and shriveled apricots.

More Benefits of Apricot

Apricots may be eaten raw in a soft diet. Ripe apricots are especially good for very young children and for older people. This fruit is quite laxative, and rates high in alkalinity. Apricots also contain cobalt, which is necessary in the treatment of anemic conditions.

Apricots may be pureed for children who are just beginning to eat solid foods. Blend some apricots for a wonderful desert. They make good afternoon and evening snacks.

The sugar content in dried apricots is six times higher than that of the fresh fruit. Therefore, persons with diabetic conditions must be careful not to eat too many dried apricots. On the other hand, because of its sugar content it is good when an energy boost is needed.

Dried fruit should be put in cold water and brought to a boil the night before, or permitted to soak all night, before eating. Bringing the water to a boil kills any germ life that may be on the fruit. Sweeten only with honey, maple syrup, or natural sugars.

Health – Grains

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Wheat and other grains are widely used to make bread, pancakes, soups, etc., but not many know that there are also medicinal uses for these grains.

Barley flour made into a poultice can be used for the treatment of inflamed skin. A nutritive and demulcent (soothing for irritated mucous membranes) drink is made from barley by making a mixture of one part barley to 10 parts water, boil for 20 minutes and then strain. This can be used on feverish patients and where there is inflammation and mucous in the respiratory and urinary organs. The drink is soothing to the stomach and intestines and can be very effective in helping long-standing constipation. It acts as a general nerve tonic bringing back vitality to a weakened system making one feel more cheerful. It is useful in cases of diarrhea, pulmonary disease, inflammation of kidneys, liver disease, and mineral deficiency. Barley water can be diluted with milk to prevent the formation of hard masses of curd in the stomach of young infants. Another way to make a drink is to boil 2 ounces of barley in four pints of water until reduced to two pints; then add lemon juice or licorice root or raisins for flavoring ten minutes before taking off the stove.

As a tonic, barley water can be drunk regularly.

Oats may be made into a drink by boiling an ounce of the grain to a quart of water for half an hour. This drink can be taken where a laxative is needed or used for a diuretic. A nourishing broth for nursing infants may be made by mixing equal parts of oats, wheat and barley; grind the mixture and add four tablespoonfuls of the flour to one and a half quarts of water and boil until reduced to one quart; then strain and sweeten and give daily. Oats are considered helpful in cases of uremic poisoning and diabetes and to help where there is a thyroid deficiency. The oat drink or gruel is good in cases of fever and has been used in cases of poisoning from acid substances. The drink will usually be accepted by patients of weak digestion when other foods are rejected. It is considered to be good to restore the nervous system and as a tonic after debilitating sicknesses. It seems to aid the heart muscles and the urinary organs. It is recommended as an all-around drink for the sick, weak and healthy. Oatmeal or rolled oats is good for regulating normal and healthful blood sugar in the early morning hours. Oats are one of our few food sources used for obtaining iodine.

Brown rice, which contains an easily digested starch, is beneficial for stomach or intestinal ulcers and for the relief of diarrhea. A poultice of rice flour can be used to relieve skin inflammations of various kinds. We have seen serious cases of diarrhea respond most effectively to rice water made by boiling one ounce of rice to one quart of water for 20 minutes, straining and drinking. This drink is also used in cases of congestion, acute head pain, nausea, fainting, difficult breathing, stomach cramps, colic, worms and as a sedative.

Rye is recommended for individuals engaged in sedentary activities. It is believed to combat arteriosclerosis, and high blood pressure. Boiling three ounces of rye to a quart of water for 20 minutes produces a refreshing, soothing and mildly laxative solution.

Millet is an easily digested food good for constipation and beneficial for weight gain and general emaciation. It is considered good where mental or physical weakness exists and also for pregnancy.

Corn is considered good in cases of emaciation, anemia, constipation and as an overall body building food. The balance of unsaturated versus saturated fatty acids in corn oil helps lower the blood lipid levels. The suggested dose of corn oil is two tablespoons taken upon arising and before the evening meal for a few weeks or months. Some Indians would steep corn in lye to be used as an intestinal anti-spasmodic. Blue corn meal mush was applied hourly to bullet wounds. Others have used a corn meal poultice for skin ulcers, swellings and rheumatic pains. A cup of parched corn to two quarts of water lightly boiled for 20 minutes, then strained and drunk has been found useful in cases of nausea and vomiting in many diseases. Cornmeal gruel is excellent for convalescents. Cornbread is thought to be of benefit for those suffering from kidney or liver diseases.

Wheat has been recommended in cases of arthritis, rheumatic fever, and in some types of cancer, pulmonary disease including tuberculosis, anemia, and physical and emotional weakness. It is felt that the vitamin D in wheat helps in rickets and other vitamin D diseases. One recipe for a good heart remedy is to soak a half of a cup of coarse ground wheat in a thermos of hot water overnight. Eat this each morning for three months.

We can make a mild grain drink as indicated above with any of the grains by lightly roasting the grain; then gently boil one cup of the grain to two quarts of water for about 20 minutes, strain and add honey and a little cream or milk.

Another way to make a mild grain drink is to soak one cup of seed in two cups of water for 16 hours (24 hours in colder weather). Strain off the water and let the soak water ferment in a warm place for another 36 to 72 hours. It is then ready to drink. Another method is to soak the grain for two or three days after which the soak water may be drunk and then refill the container with water for another soak with the grain. After each drink refill the container; this can be repeated for up to two weeks. This mild grain drink should taste somewhat like whey. The best soaking temperature seems to be between 68 degrees and 77 degrees F. The drink is rich in protein, carbohydrates, dextrines, saccharine, phosphate, lactobacilli, saccharomyces, and Aspergillus oryzae. Many find this drink beneficial to the digestion. It is nonalcoholic and rich in B vitamins. It has been observed that acidophilus bacilli or lactobacilli create an acid medium in the intestine, destroying any unfriendly, disease-producing putrefactive bacteria. Many who use this drink feel that this enzyme-rich drink has helped them with minor to the most serious health problems. Likewise the regular drinking of the roasted grain drink has produced in others a feeling of well-being and vitality.

Excerpts from School of Natural Health

Health – Fruits and Nuts Our Medicine

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The walnut tree is believed to be a native of Persia and was well-known among the Jews. The ancient Romans placed this tree under the protection of the most powerful of their gods. The conquerors of the world eventually introduced this tree to the different countries of Europe.

The fruit was considered to be an astringent, strengthening and giving tone to the stomach and thus facilitating digestion.

More recently some have found the walnut to be effective against intestinal parasites by taking two to three ounces of walnut oil each evening for three days. This same dosage enhances digestion when taken daily. The walnut oil applied directly to skin diseases has been found to be effective in healing. The juice of fresh walnuts is used to heal cold sores. Walnut leaf tea has been used to lower blood sugar, cleanse the blood, eliminate intestinal parasites, and can be used as an astringent. There is, according to some authorities, an antibiotic element in the walnut leaves. The bark along with the leaves can be used in the treatment of skin troubles such as herpes and eczema or indolent ulcers. The walnut meat is used in cases of constipation and liver ailments.

Almonds

The almond tree was much valued among the nations of the East. Today we find that the nut helps promote normal bowel function; some find the almond more easily digested if lightly roasted. Milk made from almonds is useful for inflamed stomach and intestines. It makes a fine tonic for children and convalescents. As a mild laxative almond oil may be taken in a dosage of about two ounces for adults and half an ounce for children. Ten almonds three times per day enhance the healing of broken bones.

Hazelnuts

The hazelnut is considered by the ancients to be the most wholesome and nourishing of any other shell fruit. The hazelnut is the best digested of all oil-bearing fruits. It is used to destroy intestinal parasites by taking one tablespoonful of the oil in the morning for two weeks.

Cashews

Cashew nuts are used in cases of emaciation, teeth and gum problems, and for low vitality. They are more easily digested when eaten raw. The cashew oil, which must be used with great caution, is used as an application to warts, corns, ringworms and cancerous ulcers. If the nuts are roasted caution must be used not to let the fumes cover the face or hands, as they could cause inflammation.

Pecans

Pecans have been used where there is a problem with low blood pressure, low vitality, and as nourishment for the teeth.

Pine Nuts

Pine nuts have saved the life of many an Indian baby when made into a nut soup and used as milk for the baby when the mother had no milk. The nut is considered to be effective where there are problems with the lungs such as tuberculosis, and for impotence, paralysis, low blood pressure, and emaciation. The pine nut is one of the best sources of protein in the nut family.

Apricots

The apricot, perhaps because of its high iron and other mineral content, is helpful in cases of anemia, tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, and blood impurities. Many have been helped in cases of constipation or diarrhea and intestinal worms with this fruit. It is also useful in cases of weakness, physical or emotional depression and anxiety.

Blackberries

Blackberries made into syrup and given to infants have been used in cases of diarrhea, sore throat or lung disease. The usual dosage is four tablespoons daily. Blackberries have been helpful in cases of weak kidneys, rheumatism or arthritis, gout, constipation; any condition where there is an excess of mucus, such as in the sinuses or intestines.

Blueberries

The blueberry has a substance, myrtillin, which combats the bad bacteria in the intestinal tract. Because of this, the berry is useful in bowel diseases and diarrhea. A tea made from the berries has been used in cases of thrush or other mouth and throat infections. Abnormal menstrual flow, hemorrhage due to capillary fragility and hemorrhoids have responded when blueberries are eaten. The blueberry seems to be helpful in any condition requiring an antiseptic or astringent. The early settlers’ wives adopted the custom from the Indians of drinking blueberry tea at the birth of their babies, and also for lung problems. Some Indians used the blueberry tea to control excessive menstruation. Some who have hypoglycemia have reported blueberry leaf tea as very helpful.

Cherries

Eating a half of a pound or more of cherries daily has helped in cases of gout. There are many reported medicinal benefits from the use of fresh cherries, such as arthritis, arteriosclerosis, liver disorders, gallstones, kidney stones, intestinal disorders, constipation, conditions where infection or toxins in the bloodstream are involved and obesity. Cherries stimulate the secretion of digestive juices and of urine. Uncontrollable urination has been helped in some by drinking cherry juice or cherry juice concentrate.

Apples

Apples have been and are used in many ways for medicinal purposes. Those suffering from gout have been helped by drinking a tea made from the powdered apple peelings. Make the tea by boiling one tablespoonful of powdered peelings to a quart of water for about 15 minutes. Drink four or five cups of this tea each day. Grated apple has helped in infantile diarrhea. Other afflictions that have responded to the eating of apples are anemia, arthritis, urinary stones due to uric acid, liver disorders, arteriosclerosis, intestinal infection, and various lung and asthma problems. The peel of the apple contains pectin, which helps remove noxious substances from the system. This pectin also helps prevent protein matter in the intestines from spoiling. Raw apples are a great help in combating intestinal disorders, as they have properties which aid the digestive juices in killing germs in the stomach. Some have called the apple Nature’s Toothbrush as it cleans the teeth and massages the gums. Research has proven that eating one apple removes over 30% more bacteria from the mouth than two to three minute brushing plus a gargle. Studies have shown that persons eating apples regularly have fewer headaches and other illnesses associated with nervous tension. Also, research has proven that daily apple-eaters show a reduced incidence of colds and other minor upper respiratory ailments. The apple is an excellent fruit for the hypoglycemic because it contains a higher percentage of fructose than other fruits, which do not call upon insulin from the pancreas. Fructose is fairly quickly absorbed into the system, goes through the liver and is then available as glucose and may be burned or utilized by the body for energy. A pleasant tea may be made by boiling two or three apples cut in thin slices with their peels in a quart of water for about 15 minutes. A little licorice root may be added for flavor.

Currants

Currants have an antiseptic effect and for this reason have been used as a gargle prepared by boiling about three ounces of black currants per quart of water for about 15 minutes. Currants eaten after a meal have been used as an effective aid to stimulate digestion. Helpful in liver diseases, cold sores, fluid retention, arthritis, gout and constipation.

Gooseberries

Gooseberries have been suggested for liver ailments, gallbladder congestion, constipation, arthritis, inflammation of the kidneys and dyspepsia (indigestion usually due to excess acid). Gooseberries were plentiful in the Rocky Mountain area, and the Indians found them helpful when cooked into porridge for fever.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit rinds can be dried and later used for colds. A tea is made by steeping a teaspoonful of the dried grated rind in a cup of water and drinking a cup each hour until relief is obtained. Grapefruit is a natural antiseptic for wounds when used externally. It is considered valuable in the removal of inorganic calcium which may have formed in the cartilage of the joints, as in arthritis. It is helpful in cases of a sluggish liver, gallstones, fevers, poor digestion, pneumonia, and inflammation of the respiratory tract.

Lemons

Some of the many medicinal problems treated with the lemon are as follows: Cuts or other areas of infection are helped when lemon juice, a natural antiseptic, is applied. Skin problems such as acne, eczema and erysipelas will often respond to a treatment of lemon juice. For blackheads rub lemon juice over them each night. For pyorrhea cut the lemon rind into slices and place against the infected gum. Dandruff has been helped by applying lemon juice to the scalp and afterwards shampooing. After the shampoo, wash again and apply lemon juice to remove soap from the hair and scalp. Sore and reddened hands are helped by massaging with lemon juice. Rinse the juice off, then apply olive oil. Use lemon juice to relieve the itch from insect bites or poison oak or ivy. The symptoms of flu may be relieved by drinking lemon juice in warm water several times daily. A runny nose, secretions in the throat or head can usually be stopped by taking a tablespoonful of lemon juice several times a day. Some report that taking lemon juice in warm water before breakfast will assist the body in the digestion of food and help prevent the accumulation of fatty deposits. Taken in large quantities, lemon juice has been found to be helpful in liver ailments, asthma, headaches, pneumonia, rheumatism, arthritis and neuritis. Fresh lemon juice is considered by some to be the most potent or effective single liver rebuilder known to man. There seem to be only a very few people who cannot handle lemon juice.

Peaches

Peaches are considered valuable in cases of constipation, high blood pressure, inflammation of the stomach, kidneys and bronchial tubes, and for asthma, difficult digestion, bladder and kidney stones and worms in the intestinal tract.

Pineapples

Pineapples contain papain, which aids digestion and chlorine, which is valuable for digestion of proteins. Pineapple is considered good for constipation, as a regulator of the glands, goiter, chronic digestive disturbances, secretions from mucous membranes, inflammation of the bronchial tubes, high blood pressure, arthritis and tumors. Intestinal worms have been expelled by drinking fresh pineapple juice.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins have been used where there is an abnormal accumulation of fluids in the cavities of the body (edema), infected or inflamed intestines, stomach ulcers and hemorrhoids. Pumpkin seeds have been known to give much relief to prostate problems and tea made from pumpkin seeds is recommended for tape and other worm elimination.

Strawberries

Strawberries are used as a blood purifier, diuretic and for healing mucous membranes. They are recommended for a sluggish liver, gout, rheumatism, constipation, high blood pressure, inflammation of mucus membranes, skin cancer and syphilis. Strawberry juice combats bacterial infection. Taken at the beginning of a meal strawberries are used to stimulate the appetite. Strawberries are a common cause of allergy, and should not be taken by individuals subject to allergic skin rashes.

Fruits, grains and nuts constituted the original diet for man in the Garden of Eden. God has continued to provide many varieties of fruits and nuts for our use as food and for the healing of our bodies. We have so much to be thankful for. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Health – Flax, a Marvelous Little Seed

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Flax is one of the oldest known textile fibers. Both flaxseed and linen cloth have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. It has been cultivated in all temperate and tropical regions for so many centuries that it is found semi-wild in almost all countries in which it is cultivated.

Cotton is only mentioned in the Bible once and wool has limited use in the hot climates of Bible countries; linen was used most of all for domestic purposes and it was a very important crop of Egypt. The most ancient mummies of Egypt were wrapped in linen shrouds, and Greek and Hebrew burials also included winding sheets made of it.

The priests serving in the temple were commanded to wear strictly linen clothes, and part of the Law of Moses forbade the mixing of linen and wool.

When Joseph was promoted to second-in-command in Egypt, he wore robes of linen. Among the offerings of the tabernacle were articles made of linen. Esther wore robes of linen when she became queen, and the robes of kings, rich men and the temple choir were made of this fabric. The veil of the Temple itself was made of linen. There are many more references to this fine-twined linen, which, however, compared to the fine fabrics of today, was still rather a coarse article. However, it is a high-vibrating fabric, much to be preferred to the synthetic fibers of today, and more people would feel healthier and less nervous if they were to wear linen or other natural fabrics.

The custom of blanching the flax fibers by exposing them to the sun and air, often on the flat roofs of houses, is practiced to this day in many parts of Europe as well as in the Holy Land. Read the story of Rahab hiding the two spies among the flax on her roof-top. See Joshua 2:6. The failure of the flax crop is considered one of God’s punishments in Hosea 2:9. The manufacture of linen from the flax fibers was a domestic industry of Jewish women. It was made by them into the robes and aprons worn by the priests and temple attendants.

Linen was for centuries the only universal textile fabric, and in Biblical days one of the most important crops in Palestine. Only in modern times has it been superseded by cotton.

The flax capsules are often called bolls, and the expression, the flax was bolled, as in Exodus 9:31, means that it had arrived at a state of maturity. When the bolls are ripe, the flax plants are harvested and tied in bundles or sheaves. These are immersed in water for several weeks, which causes them to ret, that is, causes the fibers to separate from the non-fibrous portions of the stems. The bundles are then opened and the retted stems spread out to dry, as in Joshua 2:6, after which they are combined or hackled to remove the fibers. These processes are represented in Egyptian tombs and papyri, yet likely the cultivation of flax for its fiber did not start in Egypt; some consider that it began in Mesopotamia and India and then, very anciently, spreading over the world. Its fiber has been found in the ancient lake-dwellings of Switzerland.

Flax is grown today around the world, Holland, Russia, the United States, Canada, Argentina and India furnishing the principal supplies. The Russian or Dutch-grown of Russian origin is preferred for flax-growing, as it is hardier than the large southern seed from the warmer countries.

It is sad that most people wear little linen, probably because clothing made from it must be ironed. It is extremely durable and is very comfortable in most every climate.

Much of the flax consumed today is made into oil, and most of the medicine either originates with the seed itself or its expressed oil.

The flax seed can be made into an infusion, a tea. This is used for soothing the mucous membranes of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts, etc. It is often employed as an addition to cough medicines and as a domestic remedy for coughs and colds. By adding a little honey and lemon, where allowed, the tea is much more agreeable. Many herbalists prescribe equal portions of flax, chia, and psyllium seed, ground freshly, soaked overnight in double the amount of water, stirred and drunk the next morning, for a bulky laxative.

A poultice made from flaxseed is probably one of the most famous applications of the herb. The ground seed is mixed with boiling water until it is a thick mush. Other herbs may be added to it for specific conditions, such as hops, mullein, etc. This is one of the best poultices for old sores, boils, carbuncles, inflammations, and tumors. It is excellent for enlarged glands, joints, swellings, pneumonia, pleurisy, sprains, bruises, contusions, or inflammations of any part of the body. Apply as hot as possible; cover with waxed paper or plastic, and keep warm, reapplying hot poultices as needed. It allays irritation and pain and promotes discharging of pus; lobelia will help cure boils. It is commonly used for abscesses.

Flaxseed Nutrition

This seed is tiny but mighty. The flax seed carries one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet. And while it’s not technically a grain, it has a similar vitamin and mineral profile to grains, while the amount of fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in flax leaves grains in the dust. Additionally, flaxseed is very low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for people who limit their intake of starches and sugars. And its combination of healthy fat and high fiber content make it a great food for weight loss and maintenance—many dieters have found that flaxseed has been a key to keeping them feeling satisfied.

Flaxseed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese, but this little seed is just getting started. There are three additional nutrient groups which flaxseed has in abundance, and each has many benefits.

Flaxseed is rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which are a key force against inflammation in our bodies. Mounting evidence shows that inflammation plays a part in many chronic diseases, including heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and even some cancers.

Flaxseed is high in fiber and it would be hard to find a food higher in fiber, both soluble and insoluble, than flax. This fiber is probably mainly responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effects of flax. Fiber in the diet also helps stabilize blood sugar, and, of course, promotes proper functioning of the intestines.

Flaxseed is high in phytochemicals, many antioxidants. It is perhaps our best source of lignans, which convert in our intestines to substances which tend to balance female hormones. There is evidence that lignans may promote fertility, reduce peri-menopausal symptoms, and possibly help prevent breast cancer.

Since flax has such a high fiber content, it’s best to start with a small amount and increase slowly, otherwise cramping and a laxative effect can result. People with irritable bowel syndrome may have an especially strong reaction to it, and should be extra careful.

Drink plenty of water. There is so much soluble fiber in flax that it is important to drink plenty of water when eating flax products; otherwise constipation may result. Remember to start slowly if you are not used to a high fiber diet.

The oil in flax is highly unsaturated. This means that it is very prone to oxidation (rancidity) unless it is stored correctly. The very best way is nature’s own storage system—within the seed. Flax seeds not exposed to large amounts of heat stay safe to eat for at least a year. However, flax meals, and especially flax oil, are a different story. The meal, stored away from heat and light, will keep fresh for a few months, and the oil must be protected by refrigeration in dark containers, preferably being consumed within a few weeks of opening.

Actually, the surprising thing about flax is not that the oils go rancid, but that they don’t go rancid as quickly as we would think considering how unsaturated they are. The oils are quite stable when the seeds are used in baked foods, for example. Researchers theorize that this is due to the high levels of antioxidants in the seeds.

A good point to remember is that flax seeds need to be ground to make the nutrients available; otherwise they just pass through. Also, when flaxseed oil alone is used, it contains neither the fiber nor the phytochemicals of whole flaxseed meal.

Health – Aloe Vera

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Aloe Vera is one of the ancient plants enjoying a tremendous revival in the modern world. Many homes have a pot of the plant sitting on the windowsill to use in cases of kitchen burns. It has become the subject of much modern research. A general practitioner in Minnesota treated a patient who had stepped into a vat of boiling water at a canning factory. The man had severe burns from his feet to his knees. An Aloe vera ointment was prepared, placed on gauze and wrapped around the man’s legs. Pain was kept to a minimum, there was no infection, and no scar tissue formed because of this treatment. After three weeks, the man was able to return to work.

A study published in The International Journal of Dermatology reported great success in treating chronic leg ulcers with Aloe vera. These long-term ulcers are often resistant to treatment, despite the many modern preparations available. This study told of a man who, for fifteen years, had a leg ulcer that would not respond to treatment with a wide range of drugs and ointments. After only ten weeks of this treatment, the ulcer began to shrink and new, healthy skin tissue began to appear. In a similar case, a man with a seven year old ulcer was treated with Aloe vera pulp. Six weeks after treatment began, the pain had subsided and the ulcer began to heal.

Other studies have shown equally impressive results in treatment of X-ray burns. Two American researchers described the results of Aloe vera treatment for a patient suffering from severe X-ray burns on the forehead. After five weeks, the forehead had not only healed, but the texture of the treated skin was even softer and smoother than that of the untreated skin. X-ray and other radiation burns do not begin to heal like other wounds and often do not respond to customary burn treatment. But according to the hospitals that used it, the ointment was fifty percent better for burn treatment than other remedies previously considered effective.

The clear gel inside the plant’s leaves has been regarded as powerful medicine for centuries. According to legend, Nefertiti and Cleopatra used it to enhance their beauty, and Alexander the Great conquered Socotra because he wanted the island’s Aloes to heal his troops’ wounds. Marco Polo reported that the Chinese used it to treat stomach ailments, rashes, and other disorders. The Egyptians used the plant medicinally; in 1500 B.C. the Papyrus Ebers listed many healing properties of the Aloes, which were known long before this document.

Dioscorides listed this plant as an important medicine. He said that it could be used for wounds, stomach pain and digestive disorders, constipation, headache, itching, baldness, mouth and gum diseases, kidney ailments, blistering, sunburn and blemishes.

You will recall that Aloes are mentioned in the Bible. Although the Aloes of the Old Testament were probably other plants, those brought by Nicodemus to embalm the body of Jesus were doubtless the true Aloes. This juice was used by the Egyptians, who were accomplished in the art of embalming. This herb was imported to Palestine at the time and was very expensive; that Nicodemus brought a hundred pounds of it, with myrrh, indicates that he was very wealthy.

Columbus’ ship log refers to medicinal uses of the plant for sailors. Indian tribes relied upon it for healing of burns and other ailments. They called it wands of heaven. Spanish missionaries brought Aloes with them to America and carried them from place to place to help the sick.

The Healing Aloe

Aloe vera is much prescribed externally nowadays, although the internal uses are many as well. For the majority of people its most common use is as a burn medicine. Although ointments are now widely available for burns which feature Aloe vera, probably the most common use of the plant is to cut off a leaf, trim it of its prickles, split it in two, laying the wet interior on the burn itself. The pain subsides within minutes and often blistering and scarring are totally eliminated. Some consider that the gel stops and reverses the burning process and regenerates the skin tissue. When there is a painful burn on the finger, a split leaf can be applied directly to the burn, binding it in place with a bandage. If the burn is somewhat severe, it may take some time for the pain to subside, but our experience shows that it surely works to relieve pain and heal the burn.

Other external uses for the herb include treatment for all kinds of wounds—scrapes, cuts, etc. The gel seems to mildly kill the germs on the surface and promote healing. The herb is high in calcium, which reduces bleeding with its coagulating action while at the same time helping to stimulate circulation of blood in the surrounding areas to bring oxygen to the surface.

Aloe vera penetrates the skin quickly and deeply. This allows water and other moisturizers to sink deeply into the skin, restoring lost fluids and replacing the fatty layer. It permits the uronic acids, which strip toxic materials of their harmful effects, to penetrate deeply and allows the cleansing astringent qualities of the gel to work better. By increasing the circulation of the blood to an area, it sloughs off dead cells and fosters the growth of new ones. This helps foster the regeneration of scarred or blemished skin tissue and provides a protective coating on the skin to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. This antiseptic action also stops skin infections (acne) in oil-clogged pores. It heals blemishes with little or no scarring. This accounts for the multitude of cosmetic preparations these days that contain Aloe vera.

For those who do not like commercial deodorant preparations—the absorption of the aluminum in almost every commercial preparation is a cause of bad health for many people—the fresh Aloe vera gel, applied directly, works as an excellent deodorant. A piece of the plant, held in the mouth and allowed to release its juice, clears the throat for singers and speakers. It can stop itching, and as an anti-inflammatory agent has an action like that of steroids. One study reported that Aloe vera inhibited the growth of several kinds of bacteria, including staphylococcus and salmonella, although more research has yet to be done on the plant’s bacteriological properties. It has been used to reduce the itch of insect bites, the itching and burning of poison ivy, and to help remove warts, the juice of the fresh leaf being applied daily over a period of weeks until the wart is reduced or removed.

Some people use the gel on their hair, and many commercial shampoo and conditioner formulas contain the gel. For many years one beauty shop operator has used the gel straight as a hair set. She said that it improves hair sheen and helps scalp abrasions. Indians in Mexico apply the straight juice from the plant to their wet hair. After letting it dry all night before rinsing the following morning it is claimed to add luster, richness, and manageability to the hair. Aloe vera has almost the same pH factor as skin and hair, which can account for its cosmetic effect.

Dried to a powder—the usual way for preserving the gel for medicinal uses—the gel can be mixed with a little water and applied to the nipples when a mother wishes to wean her infant. The bitter taste will inhibit nursing! The dried powder can also be applied to running ulcers on the skin, absorbing the old, putrid matter and encouraging the growth of new skin.

Aloe vera has had one main internal use, as a very powerful laxative, more active than senna or cascara. It is rarely used alone because it causes griping, and is not recommended for people with hemorrhoids, as its prompt and urgent action irritates piles. A tea of ginger and licorice root can help alleviate the griping of the action. It can activate digestion and even expel pinworms from the system, but because it is so active, it should not be used by a pregnant woman or during the menstrual period. A nursing mother will transmit the purgative action through her milk to the infant, and so should avoid its use as well.

The herb has been used for women’s problems and is said to be an excellent cleansing douche for discharge problems. Some women have taken it to bring on suppressed menstruation.

Recently, Aloe vera has been tested to confirm the empirical application for stomach and digestive ulcers. After reading about the Soviet Union’s studies of Aloe vera and peptic ulcers, doctors in Florida tested it for themselves. Twelve patients of varying ages who had ulcers were treated with the gel. In every case, after the juice or gel was ingested, the ulcers healed and no relapse occurred within a year of treatment. Aloe vera is also thought to perhaps prevent the development of peptic ulcers because it is able to inhibit the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, too much of which irritates the stomach’s lining and leads to ulcers. A normal person’s digestion would not be affected, however, other than leading to better assimilation and therefore better health.

Taken internally it is said to help maintain good blood vessel tone and healthy circulation. The potassium in the plant is said to aid the heart’s rhythm and stimulate the kidney to dispose of body wastes. The herb is said to help the action of digestive enzymes and deter kidney stones and assists in carrying oxygen throughout the system.

Aloe vera has been used to treat chronic nose congestion. Patients treated with it were able to breathe and smell with greater ease and also with a significant decrease in nasal secretion.

It is said to replace lost hair and eliminate liver spots.

Historical Uses

Used for severe burns, chronic leg ulcers, X-ray burns, sunburn, radiation burns from the treatment of cancer, to reduce scarring, for wounds, scrapes, and cuts, as a deodorant, to clear the throat, for itching and insect bites, as a cleaning douche, for digestive ulcers in the stomach, for peptic ulcers, to remove warts, to wean infants and for nose congestion.

Cultivation, Collection, Preparation

Aloe vera is extremely easy to grow. In hot climates it can be maintained in the garden just as any other succulent and it multiplies prolifically. For indoor use, just plant in a pot, preferably clay for good drainage, with a standard potting mix, perhaps just on the sandy side to approximate desert conditions. Dry soil indicates the need for water. Repot when the plant outgrows the pot and when many little baby plants start forming. These babies can be repotted. When needed, just pinch off an adequate section of leaf, trim off the prickles and squeeze out the gel or apply directly to the wound.

Commercially, the juice is drained from a cut plant and placed in a copper vessel. There it evaporates and when the proper consistency is obtained, it is poured into metal containers and allowed to harden.

Chemical Composition

The gel from the leaf contains a miraculous number of substances, including polysaccharides which are said to be the basis for healing in burns.

Recent Findings

Aloe vera was successfully used in peptic ulcer therapy, as mentioned above (Journal of American Osteopathic Assoc., 62:731–735). The research on its use in radiation-caused ulcers spans quite a period of time, but current research confirms its superiority in treating such ulcers and burns (Journal of Reontgenogy, 33, No. 1, pages 396, 397).

Aloe vera was proven to be anti-bacteriostatic against streptococcus, staphylococcus and other bacteria (Journal of Pharm. Science, Vol. 53, page 287).

Shared by Judy Hallingstad,

Excerpts from School of Natural Healing

Health – Breakfast – Great Benefits

by

There are many people who are not breakfast eaters. I listen to some of their excuses for not eating breakfast which include: “I do not have time” or “It’s easier to combine it with lunch,” and so on. Our bodies suffer the consequences. An interesting article in The New York Times shares the following:

“Many of us grab coffee and a quick bite in the morning and eat more as the day goes on, with a medium-size lunch and the largest meal of the day in the evening. But a growing body of research on weight and health suggests we may be doing it all backward.

“A recent review of the dietary patterns of 50,000 adults who are Seventh Day [sic] Adventists over seven years provides the latest evidence suggesting that we should front-load our calories early in the day to jump-start our metabolisms and prevent obesity, starting with a robust breakfast and tapering off to a smaller lunch and light supper, or no supper at all.

“More research is needed, but a series of experiments in animals and some small trials in humans have pointed in the same direction, suggesting that watching the clock, and not just the calories, may play a more important role in weight control than previously acknowledged. …

“Perhaps not surprisingly, the latest study found that those who supplemented three meals a day with snacks tended to gain weight over time, while those who ate only one or two meals a day tended to lose weight, even compared with those who just ate three meals a day.

“But the researchers also found that those who ate their largest meal early in the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. Breakfast eaters tended to keep their weight down generally, compared with breakfast skippers. The lowest B.M.I.s were recorded in the fraction of people — about 8 percent of the total sample — who finished lunch by early afternoon and did not eat again until the next morning, fasting for 18 to 19 hours.” www.nytimes.com/2017/08/21/well/eat/the-case-for-a-breakfast-feast.html

More assets provided through eating breakfast!

“Some reason that because they were not hungry in the morning, skipping breakfast would help them eat fewer calories during the day and would thus favor weight loss. This is a myth. The truth is that eating a good breakfast should be part of any weight loss program.

“Years ago Dr. Charles Cupp proposed that weight gain is the result of inappropriate timing of food intake in relation to the evening sleep time. During a medical practice that spanned a remarkable seven decades, Cupp instructed hundreds of patients on his novel approach to weight control. Overweight patients were instructed to change their meal pattern from a heavy meal and snacks in the evening to a heavy morning meal, moderate lunch, and a light supper. They were to eat their last meal ideally at noon but by no means later than 3:00 p.m., and they were instructed not to go to sleep for at least eight and a half hours after the last intake of food. Of significance, they were not asked to change their food choices nor the amount of calories they ate. Intrigued researchers in the Department of Nutrition at Tulane University’s School of Public Health analyzed the records of 595 of Cupp’s overweight patients. The results of their study are: (All patients who followed his instructions lost weight.)

  • Those who ate only breakfast averaged 10 lbs. weight loss a month.
  • Those who ate breakfast, lunch, and snacks averaged 5 to 6 lbs. a month.
  • Those who lost from 20-30 lbs. showed an increase in hemoglobin level.
  • Blood sugar levels of diabetic patients who lost 30 lbs. or more were normalized.
  • Hypothyroid patients showed a reduction in daily thyroid maintenance requirements.

“Note that some additional benefits accrued from eating breakfast: improved blood hemoglobin level, reduced blood sugar, and improved thyroid function.

Breakfast and Heart Attacks

“Adults may be able to reduce their risk of heart attacks by eating breakfast regularly. Platelets, the body’s blood clotting cells, become ‘stickier’ in the morning before breakfast. This increases the tendency for a blood clot to form during the morning hours. If such a clot occurs in a heart blood vessel, a heart attack can result. As expected from this physiology, most heart attacks occur between 7 a.m. and 12 noon. Eating breakfast can help the platelets to become less sticky and thus decrease the risk of morning heart attacks.

Breakfast and Mental Capacity

“There are additional benefits from eating a good breakfast beyond longevity. In August of 1995, the Pediatrics Department at the University of California at Davis hosted a number of physiologists, neuro-scientists, nutritionists, and physiologists to review the scientific studies on breakfast. The researchers concluded that the ‘eating of breakfast is important to learning, memory, and physical well-being in both children and adults.’ Good breakfast habits are essential for maximum efficiency, both mental and physical, particularly during the late morning hours. Breakfast eaters demonstrate better attitudes and improved scholastic performance.”

Excerpts from Proof Positive, How to Reliably Combat Disease and Achieve Optimal Health through Nutrition and Lifestyle, Neil Nedley, M.D., pages 5, 6.

Amazing what happens to our bodies and its response to the times we eat. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and we need to preserve what God has given to us. Most of the time it is our own mindset, including our habits, that prevents us from doing what is best.