CHILI PEPPER

Fresh chili peppers are an excellent source of calcium & vitamin C.
They help protect from scurvy, boost immunity & scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
The beta-carotene found in chili peppers works as a good antioxidant that prevents or repairs the damage caused by free radicals.
It prevents atherosclerosis & colon cancer.
The Vitamin A, also known as beta-carotene in cayenne pepper gives protection against invading pathogens by helping the development of healthy mucus membranes in the nasal passage, lungs & urinary tracts, thereby providing immunity against infections.
Most chili peppers are valued for their soothing effects on the digestive system, relief from symptoms of colds, sore throats & fevers, circulation, especially for cold hands & feet & as a hangover remedy.
Chilies carry a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron & magnesium.
Potassium is an important component of cell & body fluids that helps controlling heart rate & blood pressure.
Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
Chili peppers have anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic & anti-diabetic properties.

Capsaicin, the pungent component of chili peppers helps relieve stomachache, heavy stomach & nausea.
The capsaicin is attributed to stimulate appetite & the secretion of gastric juices, also increasing the gastric & intestinal motility, because of this is used to fight anorexia, dyspepsia & flatulence.
It has bactericidal activity that helps prevent food poisoning.
Cayenne added to food helps you lose weight with proper digestion.
It is also highly effective in preventing gastritis, by promoting the secretion of gastric mucus.
Chili pepper helps boost your metabolism by having a confining effect to the body temperature & increasing heat.
Chili has antiseptic properties & helps to protect against gastrointestinal infection.
Used in small quantities, chili will help to strengthen a weak digestive system & stimulate appetite, particularly in older people.
Chili can be an effective remedy for treating diarrhea.
A pinch of chili powder added to chamomile tea or tincture will help to relieve nausea & feelings of fullness.

Cayenne pepper is helpful in reducing symptoms of asthma.

Capsaicin stimulates secretions, which helps to clear the mucus from the nose & lungs by clearing the sinuses & causing sweating.
Tea mixed with cayenne pepper is good for treating conditions of cold & flu.
Water mixed with cayenne pepper can be used to gargle when you have a sore throat.

Peppers can act as a heart stimulant which regulates blood flow & strengthens the arteries, possibly reducing heart attacks.
Cayenne helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood & helps to dissolve fibrin, which causes the formation of blood clots.
Planned & systematic consumption of Cayenne & Hawthorn berries over a period of time strengthens the heart & reduces the chances of heart attack.
Cayenne extract or tincture is considered to be an effective first aid in emergencies like heart attack & hemorrhage.
A teaspoon of this mixed in a glass of warm water should be given every 15 minutes until the crisis is surmounted.

Topical application of Capsaicin may also soothe skin problems like itching & psoriasis.

Capsaicin & its co-compounds found in chili peppers are employed in the preparation of ointments, rubs & tinctures for their astringent, counter-irritant & analgesic properties.
These formulations have been in use in the treatment of arthritic pain, post-herpetic neuropathic pain, sore muscles, etc.
Its main external use is in frictions for lumbago, pharyngitis, alopecia areata, osteoarticular inflammations, neuralgia & rheumatic pains.
The topical application of cayenne pepper causes irritation in the applied area, thus helping to distract the nerves from joint pains due to arthritis.
Chili peppers, especially hotter varieties such as Cayenne & Habanero, can also be used externally as a remedy for painful joints, for frostbite & applied directly to stop bleeding.
Nerve pain. Capsaicin initially increases the awareness of pain & inflammation, but then desensitizes the local nerve endings, leading to reduced levels of pain.
This action is utilized in capsaicin creams for conditions such as shingles, nerve pain linked to diabetes & also for severe itchiness.
When it is applied to the skin as a counterirritant, chili, like other hot, pungent remedies such as mustard (Sinapsis alba), causes irritation & swelling & an increase in circulation to the area.
Use a Cayenne poultice to get relief from back pains.
They stimulate blood flow to the affected area, thus reducing inflammation & discomfort.
Sprinkle a little powder into gloves or shoes to help stimulate circulation & keep the hands & feet warm.

Cayenne is used to treat fibromyalgia.

Smelling cayenne helps to cure headaches.
For toothaches, make Cayenne Oil & make a plug from the cotton saturated with the oil. Press into the affected tooth cavity.
Topical applications are used to reduce inflammation & pain.

The leaves are used to treat lymph node swelling & boils, as reliever for flu & asthma.

The roots have common use as digestive.

PRECAUTIONS:

Chili peppers contain capsaicin, which gives strong spicy pungent character. Capsaicin when eaten causes severe irritation & hot sensation to mouth, tongue & throat.
Prolonged use of the plant is not recommended.
Oral administration is contraindicated in cases of gastritis or gastric ulcers.
For internal use, carefully observe the indicated doses since higher doses can cause vomiting, diarrhea, gastritis & inflammation of the urinary tract.
Capsaicin in chilies initially elicits local inflammation when it comes in contact with mucosa of oral cavity, throat & stomach & soon causes severe burning sensation that is perceived as hot through free nerve endings in the mucosa. Eating cold yogurt helps reduce the burning pain by diluting capsaicin concentration & preventing its contact with mucosal walls.
Chilies may aggravate existing gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) condition.
Certain chemical compounds like aflatoxin found in spoiled chilies have been known to cause stomach, liver & colon cancers.
Occasionally, people will develop a cough after using higher strength preparations, presumably from the spicy substance that gets inhaled.
Avoid contact with mucous membranes after application.
In topical application, it is very irritating & can cause contact dermatitis.
For topical use, it must be used with care because the capsaicin in ripe fruits can cause skin irritation.
Avoid touching eyes with chili-contaminated fingers. Rinse eyes thoroughly in cold water to reduce irritation.
Application of cayenne preparations to the skin can cause a rash as well as burning, stinging & redness.
The rash, often an irritation rather than an allergic reaction, is usually worse on first applications of the preparation & then gets better with repeated use. However, if the rash gets worse with time, treatment should be discontinued & improvement should occur quickly.
Do not apply to broken skin.
When handled directly, compounds in the chili can burn the skin, especially for those who have fair or sensitive skin.

RECIPES:

Make a chili tincture by drying the peppers & grounding into a powder.
Use 1-2 tbsp in warm water for relief of may symptoms.

Liniment for external use:
Gently boil 1 tbsp of hot pepper in 500 ml of cider vinegar.
Do not strain & bottle while hot.

Creaky Bones Cayenne Rub:

½ cup olive or peanut oil
1 tbsp cayenne powder or flakes
⅛ cup beeswax
A few drops wintergreen essential oil
Make an herbal oil with the oil & cayenne.
Let cayenne powder settle to the bottom & try to leave it there.
Use the herbal oil & the beeswax to make a salve.
After removing the salve from the heat, add enough wintergreen essential oil to scent the salve sufficiently; it should have a strong but not overbearing smell. Pour into jars.
Rub a fingerful or so over aches & pains to soothe & relieve.
This salve is excellent for soothing achy joints & creaky bones.

Tincture of Cayenne & Whiskey:

2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp powdered ginger
500 ml Scotch whiskey
Combine the cayenne, ginger & the Scotch in a jar & stir well.
Allow to steep for an hour.
This is a treatment for frostbite that is rubbed on the afflicted area several times daily.

Decoction:

Boil for 5 minutes 5 -10 g of fresh & ripe fruits in 0,5 liter of water.
Apply 2-3 times daily on the affected area.

MAGIC:

Make use of jalapeño, cayenne, habanero or bell peppers to guard against negative energies.
As a talisman or amulet; aphrodisiac, protection, counter-magic, warding off evil spirits or spells.
Cayenne pepper scattered around your house will break bad spells.

The Aztecs used chili peppers as an aid & often as a central ingredient in the rites of exorcism.

Burn the core of a red bell pepper on Friday nights to ward off evil from harmful humans.

Adding it to love powders will ensure that your love will be spicy & can inflame the loved one with passion.

If you feel your mate is looking for greener pastures, buy 2 large dried chili peppers.
Cross them & tie together with a pink or red ribbon.
Place this beneath your pillow & this should help keep fidelity in the relationship.

The different colors chili peppers come in often have different associations:
Red: energy, vitality, strength
Green: growth, prosperity
Yellow: creativity
Black: cleansing, purification, banishing, protection