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It is recommended that you speak with a knowledgeable health professional
before using any herbal remedy.

Cayenne is an old herbal standby with many healing properties when used internally or externally.  In modern medicine it is used in many over-the-counter ointments for muscles aches and arthritis. You will see it listed as capsicum or capsaicin on the ingredients label.   For external application, cayenne is best used in cream form.  The powdered form is used for cooking or internal use.  Here are a few of cayenne’s many medicinal uses.

As an Internal Stimulant
In natural medicine, cayenne is known as the purest and most reliable stimulant.¹ It is also great for the circulatory system.  Cayenne feeds elements that may be lacking in the cell structure of arteries, veins and capillaries to give them youthful elasticity. It also helps blood pressure adjust itself to normal.  That’s because when your arterial system becomes loaded with sticky mucus (plaque), blood has a harder time circulating; therefore, higher pressure forces the liquid through.

Cayenne can help regulate the flow of blood from the head to the feet, so that it is equalized.  As a result, cayenne influences the heart (as a stimulant) by gradually extending its effects to the arteries, capillaries, and nerves.  It will not increase the frequency of the pulse, but rather give it more power.

As a Digestive Aid
In equalizing blood circulation, cayenne produces natural warmth, helping to stimulate natural peristaltic action in the intestines, and thereby aiding in the assimilation of food and the elimination of toxic waste.  Cayenne can help rebuild tissue in the stomach and heal stomach and intestinal ulcers.¹

As a Natural Cooling Agent
Hot peppers have been used for centuries to confer heat resistance on people who consume them.  The capsaicin in the peppers causes the dilation of blood vessels, allowing a slight cooling of the blood and stimulating perspiration.

As a Pain Reliever
For sports injuries and arthritic pain, the capsicum in cayenne acts as a counter irritant, causing temporary pain to the skin that depletes the chemical messengers of pain for the joint.  Capsicum permeates the skin, enters the nerve, and eliminates substance P, stopping the pain message from reaching the brain.² However, you don’t want to leave a concentrated form on the skin for a long time as it can become an irritant.

As an Immediate First-Aid Treatment
The most effective use of cayenne for first-aid is to add a teaspoon to hot water and drink it.  This treatment is effective in the event of a heart attack¹ and to quickly stop bleeding in the lungs, stomach, uterus or nose.  Cayenne helps in this quick clotting by equalizing the pressure of the blood.  You can even use cayenne for a toothache by placing a cotton ball saturated with cayenne oil into the cavity.

Make sure you do not apply cayenne to broken skin and avoid contact with the eyes.  Although cayenne is a unique species, any of the 150 species of pepper that contains capsaicin can be used medicinally.  The varieties of this “fruit” vary greatly in size, color and pungency.  The part of the plant that provides therapeutic action is the seed oil.

References

1. Christopher, Dr. John R., School of Natural Healing, (11th printing), Christopher Publ., Utah, 1999, pp. 447-449.
2. Balch, P, Prescription for Herbal Healing, Avery Publ., New York, 2002.

[Ed. Note: Candace Booth, ND, PhD, CNC has a natural health practice in Tavares, Florida, where she offers consultations in nutrition and overcoming disease symptoms with natural healing remedies.  Her new book:  HOW MUCH FAT ARE YOU CARRYING? – The Ultimate Fat Loss Guide for People Who Are Sick of Diets is available by clicking here.]