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The Healing Powers of Hot Peppers
by Melissa T. Stock and Kellye Hunter
Part 1: Cayenne As a Curative
"And the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine" (Ezekiel 47:12)
An entry from the journal of Priddy Meeks, a doctor in mid-nineteenth century Utah, sets the scene for our special report on the medicinal uses of chile peppers:
"He reached Parowan with both feet frozen above his ankles. He was left with me to have both feet amputated as it was thought there was no possible chance to save his life without amputation. I was at my wits end to know what to do. I saw no possible chance for amputation. An impulse seemed to strike my mind as tho by inspiration that I would give him cayenne pepper inwardly and see what effect that would have on the frozen feet.
"I commenced by giving him rather small doses at first, about three times a day. It increased the warmth and power of action in the blood to such a degree that it gave him such pain and misery in his legs that he could not bear it. He lay down on his back and elevated his feet up against the wall for three or four days and then he would sit in a chair...
"That was all the medical treatment he had and to my astonishment and to every one else that knew of the circumstances, the sixteenth day after I gave him the first dose of pepper he walked nine miles...and said he could have walked as far again."
The warm glow from eating chile is more than ecstasy--it's energy, it's enlivenment, it's...an expectorant. Chile enthusiasts know the playful side of their favorite condiment, but many do not know it has a working side as well.
Chile, therapeutically available as cayenne, has an impressive history as an herbal remedy and a general health aid, and we thought readers would be interested to know more about the health benefits of one of their favorite foods. What follows is an overview of scientific research and historical testimony, combined with the stories of people who have experienced the healing powers of hot peppers for themselves. It is important to remember that cayenne is not a miracle cure and should be used in addition to, rather than instead of, conventional medication. Always consult your physician before initiating or changing any medical treatment.
First, a Little Background
Cayenne is available in herb shops and health food stores as bulk powder, capsules, and tincture. It contains vitamins A and C, as well as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3). Over the last quarter century, it has been the subject of scientific studies in the areas of pain, digestion, and circulation, and there have been some interesting results. Long thought to be an irritant, capsaicin (the chemical that makes chile hot) is actually a counter-irritant--an irritation to an irritation--that reduces pain and swelling, and so is useful as a topical analgesic. It also stimulates circulation, aids in digestion, and breaks up congestion. Chile is a diaphoretic (perspiration producer), which helps people who live in hot climates regulate their body temperatures, and it serves as an antiseptic when directly applied to an affected area. It also has some limited blood thinning capabilities which are helpful in the treatment of high blood pressure and heart disease.
"I'm not saying that every person who takes capsicum is going to prevent atherosclerosis, but it (the herb) is taken that way," said Robin Dipasquale, who is in the final months of her study and training at Bastyr University in Seattle, a post-graduate four-year degree program for naturopathic physicians. She said that every person has a different threshold for capsaicin, and everyone who takes it experiences individual results.
Things Heat Up In Manitowoc County
When you think of the food associated with Wisconsin, thoughts drift to beer and brats, lots of cheese and...cayenne pepper. That's right, cayenne pepper.
Paul and Barbara Stitt definitely believe in the healing powers of hot peppers. When they decided they wanted to give something back to their community, no one would have ever guessed it would come in the form of cayenne pepper capsules.
"Our bakery, Natural Ovens, has done very well, so we wanted to give something back," said Stitt. That "something," they decided, would be to help improve the health of Manitowoc County. After discovering and researching the properties of cayenne pepper, Stitt, a biochemist by training, decided to design a program that would give away free cayenne capsules to anyone in their county interested in improving their health.
Since January, 1995 more than a thousand families have signed up for the program, which includes recommended diet changes, a medical history, and follow-up meetings at the bakery with program facilitator Paula Wagner.
Wagner, a long-time bakery employee says she loves working with the people on the program, and has seen incredible results from the participants.
"Each day brings news of people who are feeling a lot better because of the cayenne," she said. "They tell me of improved ulcers, heart disease, circulation, arthritis, and the list goes on." Each person in the program takes from one to four cayenne capsules a day, depending on their health problems. Since cayenne is an herb, not a drug, the bakery can dispense the capsules without any legal problems. Plus, according to Stitt, the cayenne is free (for up to six weeks), and each person is articipating voluntarily--anyone may quit at any time. "We've given away more than 150,000 capsules for free, and people keep coming back for more," he said. Stitt says that they'd like to give away more, and has been interviewed on local radio shows in his area and in the paper about his offer for free cayenne.
Digestive De-tox and Ulcer Afterburners
It was once believed that chile would burn out the lining of the stomach, but this has been disproved by doctors who have used cayenne, ironically, to relieve digestive distress, and more recently, by a medical study conducted in 1988 at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, which found that chile increases gastric secretions in the stomach but does no harm. Rob McCaleb, an ethnobotanist and president of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, Colorado, observes that various kinds of chile actually helps digestion and reduces flatulence by increasing the circulation in the stomach and intestines so that food is processed and absorbed more efficiently. Indeed, one of the reasons cayenne is often included in herbal blends is so that all the ingredients will be assimilated more productively.
Lee Klatt, 59, of Twin Rivers, Wisconsin, suffered with duodenal ulcers for twenty years, but after less than two weeks of taking cayenne, his symptoms were noticeably relieved.
"It always felt like I had a bobber in the base of my throat; it was like trying to swallow a cork," he said of the pent-up gas that was always in his stomach. "But now I can eat the rust off of nails again."
Klatt said he has tried other remedies, such as using dairy products in an attempt to coat his stomach, but none ever worked. It was Paul Stitts' offer on the radio that convinced Klatt to try cayenne. He began in mid-December by taking four 500-milligram capsules three times a day, and has now cut back to two capsules three times a day. Klatt said he receives no pay for his participation in the program, only the free cayenne, and his only cost is for extra cayenne which he buys from Stitts at a price of $15 for three hundred capsules.
In addition to the cayenne, Klatt said he tries to make healthy food choices by eating less red meat, drinking distilled water, avoiding dairy products, and eating a lot of fresh vegetables. Even so, he does not consider himself to be a strict dieter. "I don't go overboard and worry about cheating when I eat," he said. "If you're going to cheat make sure you can enjoy it because guilt will hurt your stomach and hurt you."
Since his treatment has been so successful, Klatt said he might reduce his cayenne intake, and then gradually stop treatment altogether; however, if this should this prove detrimental, he is not afraid of taking cayenne indefinitely to maintain good health. Not only has his stomach condition improved, he said, but his circulation is more efficient, making his feet and hands warmer than before. "I'm feeling in the pink, emphatically," he said.
Some people have even reported that their ulcers were healed through the use of cayenne. Although there is no scientific evidence to verify this, a 1991 study conducted at Kyoto Pharmaceutical University in Japan reported that capsaicin given orally decreased muscle contractions in the stomach and increased the flow of protective mucus. It seems that the body initially perceives chile as an invader, and in defense, secretes mucus in the digestive and respiratory tracts to flush it out. As a result, the stomach is coated and soothed and the nose begins to run, which is why chile is also effective in breaking up the congestion of a cold.
Dipasquale said the dosage of cayenne must be monitored carefully when treating ulcers. A proper dose, she said, will produce the protective mucosal coating, but if a patient ingests too much, the capsaicin will work its way through the mucosal surface and irritate the mucosal membranes in the digestive tract. "There's a very fine line between proper dosing and overdosing," she said.
A moderate overdose of cayenne is not harmful or damaging in the same way that excessive chemical drugs are, but untherapeutically high amounts can cause unnecessary pain and diminish healing properties. Many people have probably experienced the consequences of a mild overdose when a laxative effect kicks in the day after eating too much chile. This is the result of digestive tract irritation. Dipasquale also said that cayenne should only be taken when an ulcer is in a healing or calm phase, but never when it is acute or inflamed.
Additional digestive benefits of chile include the prevention of arterial blockage and the increase of fat metabolism. McCaleb said that chile can the lower blood level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), which contributes to atherosclerosis, without affecting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), which retards atherosclerosis. A 1982 study done at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University in Bangkok found that chile triggers a short-term blood thinning, or clot- resisting response, but this is not one its main therapeutic uses. McCaleb said that a cayenne-garlic combination is much more effective for preventing stroke.
Furthermore, a 1986 study at the American Institute of Nutrition showed that capsaicin reduces the amount of triglycerides (stored fat) in the blood cells, as well as reducing fat deposits in the liver. And, a good piece of news for the weight-conscious: studies at the Oxford Polytechnic Institute found that eating hot chiles can raise the metabolism enough to burn 45 calories of a 700-calorie meal!
Author Anecdotes
The Mysterious Case of the Vari-Ghost Vein
It materialized one day when I was only eight years old, and has haunted me ever since. A varicose vein is like having a permanent bruise; it always hurts when pressed on or bumped, and sometimes it swells up and feels like it's going to burst.
The testimonies I read when researching this article were fascinating, but I must admit that I was a little skeptical--it was hard to believe that something so simple as cayenne could bring about such sudden changes to persistent problems. I really wanted to believe in the things I was writing, so I decided to try the stuff myself.
After only two days of taking cayenne capsules, I noticed, quite by accident, that my leg no longer felt bruised. I gingerly pressed my fingers on the familiar weak place, and to my astonishment, there was no pain. When I looked for the familiar swollen blue worm, I found instead, a thin blue line.
No, it's not completely healed, but neither is it the ugly vulnerable spot that it used
to be. I'm reconsidering my forsaken career as a leg model, and even if that doesn't work
out, hey, I'm only 33, I'm too young to have varicose veins. But best of all, it's a great
relief not to be afraid anymore of legs that go bump in the night. --Kellye Hunter
The Toastie Tootsie Tale
When I first thought of writing an article story on the healing powers of peppers, it did not occur to me that I might benefit from them also. But the more I read about what cayenne could do, the more curious I became. And, well, I did have a slight problem that could use some improvement. Actually, a lot of improvement. The truth of the matter is that I have extraordinarily poor circulation. Not a big deal, unless those frigid footsies happen to touch you in the night. My loving husband still agreed to marry me despite the fact that I would probably wear wool socks to bed, winter and summer alike, for the next 106 years or so.
And then there was cayenne pepper. For the last month I have been taking the capsules and am happy to report that I have been virtually sockless since. My hands and feet really have warmed up. And I seem to have more energy, too. And since we don't have any children yet, I'm a little worried to take any more cayenne--you never know what might happen! --Melissa T. Stock
In Part 2 of "The Healing Powers of Peppers," Melissa T. Stock and Kellye Hunter investigate the use of capsaicin in combating pain, treating colds, and alleviating the conditions of certain cancer patients. Also, a bibliography of resources for the two-part series is included.
Melissa T. Stock and Kellye Hunter are former editors of Chile Pepper Magazine, and are now working for Fiery Foods, the official magazine of the National Fiery Foods Show, and Sunbelt Shows. This article was nominated for a 1996 James Beard journalism award for magazine writing on health and nutrition. Together with Dave DeWitt, they are currently working on a book titled The Healing Powers of Peppers, which will be published by Clarkson/Potter.
The following are cayenne pepper recipes for an assortment of ailments. Please consult a physician before you discontinue any medicines you are currently using, or have any serious health concerns or conditions.
A Spicy Remedy for Bruises
From Michael Castleman's The Healing Herbs, this is an alternative to menthol or other warming oils designed to help bruising.
1 cup vegetable oil, warmed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
Mix the cayenne into the oil. One day after the initial injury, (the first day apply ice), gently rub the oil onto the affected area several times a day until the bruise clears. However, make sure you do not apply this to an area with broken skin.
Capsicum Cold Remedy and Tonic
Dr. J. Michael Queen swears by this remedy's astringent, mucous-reducing and general stimulating qualities. Use this regularly as a tonic for general health, or specifically to treat cold symptoms. Increase the amount of cayenne as your tolerance increases--use enough to feel the heat, but not be in pain.
1 inch-long piece of ginger root
1 1/4 cups very hot (not boiling) water
1 round tablespoon lavender flower
Frozen lemonade concentrate, to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Mash the ginger root in a garlic press, then place the juice and pulp into a small glass bowl. Add the hot water and lavender, and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the liquid into a cup, then add the lemonade concentrate and cayenne. Drink the entire mixture.
Hot Cayenne Tea
Andy Householder, the Owner of Hi-Co Western Products prescribes the following hot tea for a cold that won't go away.
1 quart of water
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 regular bouillon cubes
Place the water into a medium-sized sauce pan. Heat the water until boiling, then stir in the cayenne and bouillon cubes. Mix until thoroughly dissolved then cool until the broth is not too hot to drink. Drink as much as you can and repeat until all of the broth, or your cold symptoms are gone.