Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutenscens) - The cayenne pepper belongs to a
Capsicum family, more commonly known as chili peppers. The pepper
derived its name from a South American town that bears the same name.
History: Cayenne pepper, as well as other chili
peppers, has been
cultivated for over 7,000 years in Central and South America . Cayenne
pepper was considered helpful for various conditions of the
gastrointestinal tract, including stomach aches, cramping pains, and
gas. It was frequently used to treat diseases of the circulatory
system. Christopher Columbus brought the peppers back from his travels
to America at the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th
centuries. At the time black pepper was extremely expensive as it had
to be imported to Europe from Asia . So, cayenne pepper started to gain
popularity as its substitute.
Rich in: Cayenne pepper contains a large amount of a
powerful
antioxidant vitamin A. It is rich in all carotenoids, including beta
carotene; vitamins C, E and B6; the mineral manganese; dietary fiber.
One of its most important constituents is a substance called capsaicin.
Internal use: Capsaicin in cayenne pepper has
powerful pain-reducing
and ulcer preventing properties and cardiovascular benefits. The hotter
the pepper, the larger the content of capsaicin. Capsaicin is an
efficient relief for nasal and lung congestions and helps to clear away
the mucus. It has also been studied as a treatment for colds, flu,
arthritis, psoriasis, diabetic neuropathy, and of various
inflammations. Cayenne pepper, when used regularly, reaches every part
of the body, improving the entire circulatory system and promoting the
elasticity of arteries, veins, and capillaries. It contains powerful
anti-infectionary properties, which promote the health of the mucous
membranes that line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract, and
urinary tract. Cayenne pepper helps kill the negative bacteria and
protect against stomach ulcers. It can help reduce the symptoms of
asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and it can help prevent
arteriosclerosis, colon cancer, blood clot formation, heart attack,
stroke, pulmonary embolism, obesity, and diabetic complications like
nerve damage and heart disease. It normalizes blood pressure and is
beneficial in case of both high and low blood pressure. Cayenne pepper
defends the body against invading pathogens.It boosts the whole immune
system.
How to prepare: At the first symptoms of cold or flu
or just as a
preventative remedy, add some powdered cayenne pepper and honey to your
tea. If you do not enjoy the spicy taste of the herb, take a little
powdered cayenne and gulp it down with cooled tea. I prefer to use it
this way. My sister loves the strong taste of the spice in her tea. For
a sore throat use it as a gargle.
Good to know: Dr. John Christopher, famous natural
healer, praised the
use of Cayenne throughout the time of his practice. He had this to say
in his Newsletter titled "Cayenne", Vol 1, Number 12:
"In 35 years of practice, and working with the people and
teaching, I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and
the reason is, whenever I go in--if they are still breathing--I pour
down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot
water, and within minutes they are up and around). This is one of the
fastest acting aids we could ever give for the heart, because it feeds
that heart immediately. Most hearts are suffering from malnutrition
because of processed food we are eating, but here it gets a good
powerful dose of real food and it's something that has brought people
in time after time. This is something that everyone should know how
great it is, because a heart attack can come to your friends or loved
ones any time. And even yourself. The warm tea is faster working than
tablets, capsules, cold tea, because the warm tea opens up the cell
structure--makes it expand and accept the cayenne that much faster, and
it goes directly to the heart, through the artery system, and feeds it
in powerful food. ...in most cases, your heart attack is a case of
malnutrition. The heart hasn't had a decent meal for so long that it is
practically starved, and we give it immediately a good meal instead of
whipping it with nitroglycerin or digitalis or some other type of drug
to force it to beat rapidly to bring more food values to the heart so
that it could find a little help to keep going. Here we give the
cayenne directly to the system, and it goes into the heart area acting
as a good full meal. Many fast responses come from this."
External use: To stop a wound from bleeding, or to
fight infection and
promote healing, pour the powdered herb straight on a wound. A topical
application of a cream, containing capsaicin, has been found very
helpful in reducing severe pain in people suffering from cluster
headaches as well as in the patients of diabetic neuropathy and
osteoarthritis .
Good to know: Always get your spices from a special
spice store because
most of the time the quality of herbs in special stores is greatly
superior to the ones sold in ordinary supermarkets. To make sure the
spices you use are not irradiated, choose organically grown herbs.
