Cayenne - Pepper and Wonder Drug

Cayenne pepper, Capsicum frutescens, is a stimulating herb made from the dried chili peppers. Cayenne is also called chili, it is the same thing and is well known for its spicy taste in hot dishes. Not only is it excellent in food such as cornbread, fried chicken, chili, and tacos, it is used medicinally as well. Cayenne can regulate blood pressure, prevent strokes, help circulation, assist in digestion, treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stop hemorrhage, and even jump start a newborn baby who is having trouble breathing, and more that maybe hasn't even been discovered yet!

Cook with it

A healthy and yummy way to start using cayenne is to add it to things you all ready make. I make corn bread and add a few tablespoons of medicinal-quality cayenne to the mix. Combined with honey, this spicy and sweet mixture is appetizing as it is healthy.

Grow it yourself

It is the fruit of a tropical, shrubby perennial, cayenne pepper is now grown in India, Africa, Mexico, China, Japan and Louisiana, and you can even grow it yourself in your garden or in a pot on the patio. From the small red pepper, you can dry it in a dehydrator and grind it up to use later.

Treat blood pressure

Both low blood pressure and high blood pressure, or hypertension, can be treated with cayenne pepper. The pepper 'wakes up' and stimulates the circulatory system, which delivers nutrient-rich blood all over the body, promoting healing and energy.

Prevent stroke

Cayenne can have an emergency benefit if administered at the onset of a stroke, thinning the clot as aspirin does to potentially save brain function and even lives.

Digestion

Again, like the blood pressure, cayenne stimulates good circulation, which ensures that the digestive tract receives adequate blood flow to process nutrients from food.

Treat GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is treated with cayenne by helping the body to stop producing an excess of acid.

Stop hemorrhage

The blood regulating properties of cayenne stimulate the body to stop bleeding and send platelets to the area where a hemorrhage is occurring.

Resuscitate a newborn

In our home birth, we had cayenne on hand as it has been known to help in 'jump starting' a baby who is slow to start after birth.

Take it in a capsule

If you don't want to grow your own cayenne, you can take it in a capsule. Some people don't think that is as good for you, as your body gets no warning of the heat that is coming until the capsule releases in your stomach, but the option is there if that is the only way you can take this medicinal wonder. Capsules are sold by 'heats'. The most common medicinal quality herb is sold 40,000 heat units per capsule of 450mg. A typical dose is 1 to 2 capsules once a day.
Try it and see!

If you are currently dependent on blood pressure medication such as hydrochlorothiazide, GERD medicine such as Nexium or a stroke regimen with aspirin, try cooking with some extra pepper and see how you feel!