The Sunflower: Marigold Of Peru
Other names for the Sunflower are: Sola indianus, and Chrysanthemum peruvianum. The Sunflower has been used for thousands of years as a food and as a medicine in South America.
Sunflower oil has cleansing properties: It is both a diuretic and an expectorant, which are both cleansing functions.
Sunflower seeds are very rich in protein and in essential fatty acids. These nutrients are essential for the good health of the nerves, brain and eyes, and for the general health. More than half a sunflower seed is made up of the valuable and highly nutritive Sunflower oil.
Other important health-giving substances in Sunflower oil are: Helianthitanic acid, inulin, levulin, and Vitamin E. This makes Sunflower oil a valuable ingredient in the diet as well as a useful and nourishing oil to use on the skin. It is used in many face creams, lotions, soaps, and as a massage oil base.
In folk medicine, an infusion of Sunflower seeds has been used as a remedy for whooping cough. According to Aubrey Hampton, in “What’s In Your Cosmetics?”, Organica Press, Florida, 1995, sunflower seeds have been successfully used in Russia to treat cases of malaria.
The nutritious oil in sunflower seeds has a comforting and soothing effect on the nerves, and this soothing and relaxing effect gives sunflower seed oil a somewhat mild aphrodisiac effect. Sunflower seeds are also helpful in increasing fertility.
Sunflower seeds are rich in protein, and calcium, as are sesame seeds. Calcium, protein and fatty acids are helpful in calming the brain before sleep. Eat a handful or two at bed-time to ensure a comfortable, easy sleep. To get the maximum value from the sunflower seed, it is best to grind up a cupful in your blender. Grind the seeds without water, until they have formed a coarse-to-fine powder. Take a good tablespoon of this at bed-time as a calcium supplement for the benefit of the brain, the nerves, and a good night’s sleep.