The first known use of flax as a fiber for making clothing is specimens that were found in a cave in Israel dating from 6,500 BC. An alkaline bog of Switzerland preserved specimens of finely woven and brightly colored linen at about 3,000BC. A piece of linen cloth, wrapped around a tool handle, was dated back to 7,000 BC, making it the oldest fabric ever found. Flaxseed dating back to 1900 BC was found in ancient Greek villages.
During the 8th century; Charlemagne passed laws that required the consumption of flax as food. Hypocrites advocated the use of flax oil as a relief for abdominal pains.
Flax (linseed) oil and turpentine produce the familiar smell of house paint as it has been used for this purpose for millennia. The flax seed is very hard, protecting the fragile oil from the oxidation that causes paint to turn into a hard plastic film. It is because of this characteristic, called ‘the iodine number,’ causing flax oil to have a short shelf life, and making it relatively expensive. This is due to the careful the processing required and packaging in black bottles. This problem is readily overcome by cracking open the hard shell of the seed with an inexpensive coffee grinder and the whole seed consumed. Flax (linseed) oil is rich in omega 3 oils.
There is some argument regarding the value of flax oil for its omega 3 oil content, when it is compared to fish oil. Flax oil has been widely and aggressively promoted as an effective treatment for arthritis pain and other medicinal applications. Flax oil does seem to be very effective in treating some cancers when used is association with the “Budwig flax oil/cottage cheese diet” Spilled flax oil must be very carefully handled. The fire hazard ascribed to the improper storage of oily rags relates to this property. As we know, oxidation is a heat producing process, and such materials can and do cause spontaneous combustion in improperly handled materials.
