Psalm 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [King James translation]
BIBLICAL COMMENTS
In Psalms 23, David says "thou anointest my head with oil." J. Douglas MacMillan argues that when David talks about GOD anointing his head with oil, David is referring to a shepherd practice called "backliner." Backliner is the pouring of medicine externally on a freshly shorn sheep to control lice or other parasites. See, J. Douglas MacMillan, The Lord Our Shepherd (Bryntirion Press, 2003) and "Psalm 23," www.wikipedia.org.
Psalms 23:5 is not the only reference to oil used medicinally and externally. For example, the Good Samaritan poured wine and oil on the wounded man along the Jericho road. (Luke 10:34.) James 5:14 states that if anyone is sick, he/she should call the elders of the church and they should pray over him/her anointing him/her with oil in the name of the LORD.
In Psalms 23 David thanks and praises GOD for being his GOOD SHEPHERD and for blessings him in sickness and in health.
OLIVE OIL
Researchers have noted that the use of light olive oil, for example in salads or for cooking on non-eat raw days, has been linked to reduced risk of stroke. In a recent study, it was noted that:
[S]eniors who regularly used this healthy monounsaturated fat had a 41% lower risk of stroke compared to their counterparts who never used olive oil.
See, "Olive Oil Linked to Reduced Stroke Risk: More Olive Oil in Your Diet May Help Lower Risk of Stroke," by Denise Mann, Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD, WebMD Health News, June 15, 2011, www.webmd.com.
In the study researchers looked at the medical records of 7,625 people aged 65 and older from three French cities. The study participants mainly chose extra virgin olive oil, which is widely available in France. According to Suzanne Steinbarum, MD, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York:
Olive oil is a healthy fat and it can reduce cholesterol and inflammation, and has been shown to help reduce the incidence of heart disease," she says. "Now, we see it may reduce stroke risk in people older than 65."
Keeping blood pressure controlled, not smoking, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet that is low in salt and rich in fruits and vegetables can also help reduce stroke risk.....
Emphasis added. Id.
Most recently, there have been articles about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, a diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables. Recent finding published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the Mediterranean diet was powerful in reducing heart disease risk. See, "Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet," by Ramon Estruch, M.D., Ph.D., Emilio Ros, M.D.,Ph.D. et. al., New England Journal of Medicine, February 25, 2013.
Many of the articles discussing the health benefits of using olive oil note that it should be used in moderation and that monounsaturated fat olive oil should be used instead of other fatty foods like butter and stick margarine and not used in addition to fatty butter and margarine.
Selection of an olive oil can be confusing. Here are some distinctions that may help:
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – is the unrefined, light oil that comes from first pressing of the olives in the virgin oil production. It is generally lower in acidity (no more than 0.8% acidity) and has a more delicate and superior taste. It is often used on salads and for dipping. Extra-virgin olive oil is used in Mediterranean countries.
Virgin Olive Oil – also comes from the pressing of olives in the oil production but has a higher acidity level. It can contain up to 2% free acidity. It generally has a good taste.
Pure Olive Oil –usually is a blend of refined and unrefined virgin olive oil. It is generally considered lower in quality because it is refined.
Olive Oil – is also a blend of virgin and unrefined oil. It generally has an acidity level of 1.5% but loses flavor because of the refined process.
Refined Olive Oil – is refined virgin olive oil using refining methods such as charcoal, or other chemical or physical filters.
Because the U.S. has not adopted the International Olive Oil Counsel (IOOC) standards, just because you see "Extra Virgin Oil" on a U.S. bottle of olive oil will not guarantee that you are actually getting extra virgin oil or the real thing. However because, California Olive Oil Counsel (COOC) has adopted the International Olive Oil Counsel standards, seeing the COOC logo on an extra virgin olive oil U.S. bottle will mean that you are getting the real thing. See. www.whfoods.org.
REMEMBER
In all the rush and distractions it is so easy to forget or to become confused. We simply forget about all the times during the day, the week, the month, the year and during our lives when GOD has been with us, in sickness and health, anointing "our heads with oil." We sometimes forget that HE is OUR SHEPHERD, capable of seeing and healing every physical and spiritual infirmity. It is HE "who has brought us thus far along the way."*
So, today remember, be joyful, be healthy and Be Blessed!
*Verse from "Lift Every Voice and Sing," 'The African-American National Anthem,' by James Weldon Johnson.
