Cayenne pepper for better health
 

Check this out people! I do it and it works!


Cayenne pepper for improved blood flow
Cayenne pepper (also called Capsicum frutescens) is a stimulating herb made from the dried pods of chili peppers and is well known for its pungent taste and smell. Cayenne is a popular spice used in many different regional styles of cooking, but it has also been used medicinally for thousands of years. Cayenne is often referred to as chili, which is the Aztec name for cayenne pepper.

The main medicinal properties of cayenne are derived from a chemical called capsaicin. Capsaicin is the ingredient which gives peppers their HEAT. A pepper's capsaicin content ranges from 0-1.5%. Peppers are measured according to heat units. The degree of heat determines the peppers' usage and value. Generally, the hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it contains. In addition to adding heat to the pepper, capsaicin acts to reduce platelet stickiness and relieve pain. Other constituents of cayenne are vitamins E, vitamin C and carotenoids.

Today cayenne is used worldwide to treat a variety of health conditions, including poor circulation, weak digestion, heart disease, chronic pain, sore throats, headaches and toothache.

Ayurveda also utilizes cayenne to treat poor digestion and gas. Chinese medicine uses cayenne for digestive ailments.

When taken internally, cayenne soothes the digestive tract and stimulates the flow of stomach secretions and saliva. These secretions contain substances which help digest food.

Cayenne is the greatest herbal aid to circulation and can be used on a regular basis. Dr. Richard Schulze, the medical herbalist, says that "If you master only one herb in your life, master cayenne pepper. It is more powerful than any other."

Cayenne moves blood
There is no other herb which increases your blood flow faster than cayenne. Cayenne moves blood. When people ask Dr. Schultze, "What are the 10 most important herbs to have in the home?" He tells them, "At the top of the list is cayenne pepper, because it will make the other 9 work better."

Cayenne is the greatest blood circulation stimulant known. You can take all the milk thistle you want, but if you have bad circulation to your liver, it's not going to do you any good. Cayenne increases your blood circulation immediately within seconds, more than any other herb.

When you have a sick area, there's often a restriction of blood flow to that area. Blood flow is what takes nutrition and the healing properties of herbs to those cells. Blood flow is also what carries out and removes waste material. Cayenne pepper is like TNT. It blasts through all that blockage to get to that area which is sick, taking with it all the minerals and vitamins from the foods you eat, and all the vital chemicals from the herbs you take - all the way to the sick area.

Cayenne pepper is usually labeled 40,000, 60,000, 90,000 or more heat units. Generally, the higher the number of heat units, the more beneficial. The lower-heat cayenne peppers are a lot less efficient, and they are the ones which are most highly contaminated. These are the ones you see labeled for 30,000 heat units. These are the ones to stay away from.

People who are not used to cayenne just need to work their way up. One problem people have is that they blow their mouths with cayenne, right off the bat. For those who have never used cayenne pepper before, a good initial dosage is 1/16th of a teaspoonful in some juice. Work your way up in dosage slowly. Put a small amount in some juice, stir and drink. Delicious.

I spoke with my friend, who happens to be an MD and happens to love spicy stuff. She tells me that among all herbs/spices, it is without a doubt the best one around.

I have built up my tolerance to 1 tbs in the morning mixed with juice and have noticed the following:

BP has gone to 140/85 most of the time to 125/78.

I have very little aches and pains like I did before, related to bad knees, back, etc...

I have more energy and sleep better than I have in some time.

This is an adult forum and I can say that I no longer suffer from constipation and have lost a few lbs.

I have a peptic ulcer related to H- pylori and it has not affected me one bit.

Overall, I can honestly say that I feel 10 years younger.

I love spicy food and admit that it even took me a few days to get used to it, now it's not an issue at all. In fact, I use more throughout the day.

Check it out!

Plus, I burned-off all the hairs from around my

Hope, none of that B!

Regular consumption in India, sometimes too much which tends to ruin the taste of the food. Has been used in Ayurveda as a medicine but it also recommends moderation so do consider that.

No doubt, I don't use it in everything. Always in the morning, and depending what I am eating(curry) I will add some more.

It's not like I put it into ice cream. That's a thought!

Believe it or not, Chili which is from the Mayan goes well with any chocolate based desserts including ice cream, cakes and hot chocolate. My wife always uses a pinch in her home made ice cream, cakes and brownies. Balances the sweetness of chocolate.

ok I'll give it a try. I suffer from aches and pains, especially first thing in the morning.

What do I do?

Go to a health food store and buy some pills? powder from the grocery store?

Grocery store, spice isle. Try a pinch or more if you like spicy in a smoothie, or tomatoe juice in the morning and slowly build your tolerance up.

There are pills that are good, but the powder is better. Your tastebuds get it right away and you immediatly get the juices flowing.

My wife tried it last night on her sea lice(mixed with vaseline) and her itching subsided enough for her to sleep thru the night.

I use the same ointment on my atheletes foot and it goes away for days!

I've been using cayenne's for decades. Fresh is incomparably better.

There's a really nice book about peppers (of the genus Capsicum) written by an artist back in the '70's, IIRC. She went through history and folklore and medicine and genetics and biology. A compelling writer, too. Oh yeah, excellent pictures.

I have a copy around the house somewhere. Probably propping open a door.

B

PS Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/Peppers-Domesticated-Capsicums-Jean-Andrews/dp/0292704674

Plantman, I think you'd really enjoy the book.

I do the same thing. I LOVE it in hot chocolate.:)

The opposite is true too. Chocolate in your chili recipe is great.

Indeed and so is blue cheese in chocolate, give that a try.

I've never heard of that one before. I'll try it.:D

Pinch, blue cheese also goes heavenly in burgers.

Cayenne pepper is also a good additive for boat bottom paint. The barnacles that like to form on a boat left in salt water get a taste of that stuff and will leave.