If cayenne pepper
(Capsicum minimum or Capsicum fastigiatum) is not the
king of medicinal herbs it is certainly a prince among them. Its
health benefits are many and varied and are truly astonishing.
Many people from around the world recount amazing results from
using cayenne pepper (or capsicum as it's sometimes
called) for simple healing as well in the battling and
elimination of challenging health problems.
Cayenne pepper powder comes from red hot chili peppers that
are not only good to eat but are great for your health. Where
does cayenne come from? The fruit or body of the peppers are
dried then ground down, pulped and baked into cakes, which are
then sifted to make the spice known as cayenne pepper. In
case you may be slightly confused, red hot chili peppers are
sometimes referred to as "cayenne peppers" as well.
(For more info on why I call it a medicinal herb instead of its
proper classification as a spice, go to the Cayenne
Pepper: Herb or Spice page.)
Continuing, cayenne pepper has been used for
centuries as a medicinal and culinary herb and
undoubtedly most just think of them as "those hot red peppers" to
be used for spicing up food or to be used primarily in cooking
Asian cuisine, but it is so much more.
Cayenne is said to have originated within Cayenne in French
Guiana and is now produced or farmed in many parts of the world. It
was one of the major foods of the Hunzas who are reported by many
to have extraordinarily long lifespans, although this is
debatable.
It was also used quite extensively by the Aztecs and Mayans. In
fact, historians assert it was a staple of the Aztec diet.
Cayenne is also revered in the alternative health community and
chiefly by medicinal herbalists for its remarkable array of health
benefits.
Cayenne Pepper and Heart Health
So, why is cayenne pepper so great for your health? What are its
great health benefits? The health benefits of cayenne
pepper are far reaching and astounding. So much so
that many think its benefits are exaggerated.
Consider this: cayenne pepper, through the instrumentality of
its secondary metabolite capsacin (pronounced cap-say-sin), is
scientifically proven to kill prostate cancer cells, among
other fantastic health benefits, and that is just the
beginning as to the benefits of this humble,
nondescript herb.
Much scientific research has been initiated to validate what
naturopathic practitioners have known for years: It can stop heart
attacks, nourish the heart with vital nutrients, remove plaque from
the arteries, help rebuild flesh destroyed or harmed by frosbite,
heal hemorrhoids, re-build stomach tissue, heal stomach
ulcers, and can mitigate the most wrenching of
diseases.
Continuing, it is great
for circulation, can rebuild blood cells, lowers cholesterol,
emulsifies triglycerides, removes toxins from the bloodstream
and improves overall heart health. It's even a great
insect repellent.
As mentioned, it can also heal ulcers, which seems
contradictory considering its native calidity or heat. It
immediately equalizes blood pressure in your system,
shrinks hemorrhoids, and heals the gall bladder.
It can be used as a diuretic as well helping in elimination both
with urine and with the built-up fecal matter in the intestines. It
has wonderful, scientifically-proven antifungal properties as
well.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. So, why haven't you
heard of it? Because of money. I'm convinced Big Pharma knows about
the remarkable healing properties of cayenne pepper but they are
not in the business of healing people but in making money.
In 2008 in the U.S. alone, Big Pharma sold $160 billion dollars
of drugs -- $160 billion!!!
Why sell a cholesterol-reducing drug when you can just take
cayenne pepper and it will do the same while also removing plaque
from your arterial walls? Because cholesterol drugs like Lipitor
make billions of dollars for their
makers.
That's billions with a "b" my
friends. Now you know why. I'd love to be wrong but I don't
think I am. A few days ago, I was in a local supermarket where
cayenne was selling for $1.67 a pound! "This is probably the
greatest herb known to man and is readily affordable to all but
many pass it by because of ignorance. How sad nobody that
almost no one knows about it," I thought.
Just the cayenne pepper and heart health linkage is enough to
make this a truly remarkable medicinal herb, but its uses and
benefits go far beyond that remedy.
Capsicum, or cayenne pepper, truly is a king among the herbal
family and is one of the greatest health secrets of all
time. It is hot, yes, and tough to swallow, but that
inconvenience is most tolerable when one considers that you can
literally save your life and a bundle of money by taking it
religiously.
The information in this site may be small but it's packed with
information on the incredible health benefits of cayenne pepper,
health benefits that can be yours. That said...
I'm
not a medical doctor so any sharing of health educational
information in this website should be taken as just that: the
sharing of educational information. Please see the disclaimer link
on the navbar to your left for more information. If you
have any concerns about taking cayenne pepper, consult your
doctor.
In closing, let me say this: Please do your own homework,
research and objective thinking. Don't let anyone tell you how to
think.
If you are open minded, you will find some pearls of great price
that will bless your health. I truly believe you've found one of
them here for I and many before me have found for ourselves through
our own usage the incredible health blessing of cayenne.
I hope you will explore this site. My best to you.