2. Flax (Linum usitatissimum)
—Leviticus 6:10
Used for: Arthritis, bronchitis, cancer, dermatitis, heart disease, inflammation, rheumatism
Linen is one of the world’s oldest textiles; the earliest fragment of identified cloth (considered to be of linen) is from eastern Turkey, carbon-dated to 9,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptian murals and papyri depict the growth of flax, the spinning of flax thread, and the weaving of that thread into linen. Mummified remains of the pharaohs are bound in fine and delicate linen, woven with an expertise that is still difficult to replicate today, 3,000 to 4,000 years later. Linen also was used to make mummy cases, and flaxseed oil was used in the embalming process.