The Goodness Of Cayenne Pepper

Writing this article is for me somehow challenging, at least as challenging as it has been to integrate cayenne pepper in my eating regimen.
Why? Because I’m not a big fan of hot/spicy food. I know, my taste buds have some limitations. I tried to overcome them but it proved to be a very difficult task.
Still, I now make use of cayenne pepper because its health benefits are almost unbelievable.
It can do almost everything from kill cancer cells in the prostate, lungs, and pancreas to immediately stop a heart attack within 30 seconds. Amazing right?
Cayenne’s reputation keeps growing among medical researchers as well as alternative health afficionados.
So let’s explore a little bit more what this is all about...

Heart Health

Cayenne pepper increases metabolism by immediately influencing the venous structure. Its effects on the circulatory system are pretty amazing as it feeds the vital elements into the cell structure of capillaries, veins, arteries and helps adjust blood pressure to normal levels.
Dr. John Christopher, a renowed natural herbalist, claimed he could instantly stop a heart attack if he could get the patient to drink a glass of warm cayenne water: "A teaspoon of cayenne should bring the patient out of the heart attack" he said.
While this is not directly related to cayenne pepper and heart health, with internal hemorrhaging, if the patient can drink a glass of extra warm cayenne water, Dr. Christopher wrote, "...by the count of ten the bleeding will stop. Instead of all the pressure being centralized, it is equalized and the clotting becomes more rapid."
Unfortunately, many of Dr. Christopher researches are subject to controversy but more recently some new data is finally backing them.

Fighting Cancer

In an article reported on March 16, 2006 by Reuters, the main ingredient in cayenne, capsaicin, was found to destroy prostate cancer cells: "Capsaicin led 80 percent of human prostate cancer cells growing in mice to commit suicide in a process known as apoptosis, the researchers said. Prostate cancer tumors in mice fed capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of tumors in untreated mice, they reported in the journal Cancer Research. 'Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture,' said Dr. Soren Lehmann of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine.”
Awesome, right?

Vitamin A

In addition to high capsaicin content, cayenne pepper is also an excellent source of vitamin A, through its concentration of pro-vitamin A carotenoids including beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is not only a potent antioxidant in its own right, but can be converted in the body to vitamin A, a nutrient essential for the health of all epithelial tissues (i.e., the tissues that line all body cavities including the respiratory, gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts).
Beta-carotene may therefore be helpful in reducing the symptoms of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, its antioxidant activity make it useful in preventing the free radical damage that can lead to atherosclerosis, colon cancer, and diabetic complications, like nerve damage and heart disease.

Other Benefits

Cayenne cleans the arteries as well, helping to rid the body of the bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Cayenne is also great for the stomach and the intestinal tract. It stimulates the peristaltic motion of the intestines and aids in assimilation and elimination. When taken internally, it warms the body and has even been used by some herbalist doctors to help heal and rebuild flesh due to frostbite.
Notwithstanding its hot taste, paradoxically it is actually superb for rebuilding the tissue in the stomach, facilitating healing with stomach and intestinal ulcers. Cayenne pepper for ulcers is not something most would have considered but some researches have proved that remarkability capability of cayenne.

It is also a great food for the circulatory system in that it feeds the necessary elements into the cell structure of the arteries, veins and capillaries so that these regain the elasticity of youth again, and the blood pressure adjusts itself to normal. It rebuilds the tissue in the stomach and heals the stomach and intestinal ulcers; in equalizing the blood circulation, cayenne produces natural warmth in your body; and in stimulating the peristaltic motion of the intestines, it aids in assimilation and elimination.
Cayenne regulates the flow of blood from the head to the feet so that the pressure is equalized; it influences the heart immediately, then gradually extends its effects to the arteries, capillaries, and nerves (the frequency of the pulse is not increased, but is given more vigor).
It is also useful in alleviating allergies, muscle cramp, improving digestion, gives more pep and energy, and helps wound healing with minimal scar tissue.
Cayenne is a counter-irritant; it brings blood to the surface and allows the toxins to be taken away.
There are others benefits of cayenne but those mentioned above are by far the most known and relevant.

How to take cayenne?

Ideally orally in a drink...I know, it’s a lil’ gross.
The cayenne pepper drink, when taken faithfully, will dramatically improve your heart health as well as your venous structure.
Start by mixing about a quarter of a teaspoon in a glass of warm water. Then, down the hatch. This is what I call the hardcore way to take cayenne but I have done only once and not planning on doing it again. I prefer to add it to more “classic” recipes.
Cayenne is sure to heat up any vegetable healthy sauté.
If you keep a container of cayenne on the table you can add a pinch of extra spice to any of your meals.
Give your hot cocoa a traditional Mexican flair by adding a tiny bit of cayenne pepper.
My favorite way is to add cayenne mixed  lemon to cooked bitter greens such as collards, kale and mustard greens.

The Iron You