I was doing some research on Cayenne pepper (also called Capsicum frutescens) and I was absolutely amazed at how powerful of an herb Cayenne is.

Cayenne is a stimulating herb made from the dried pods of chili peppers. Cayenne is a popular spice used in cooking, but it has also been used medicinally for thousands of years.

The main medicinal properties of cayenne are derived from a chemical called Capsicum . Capsicum is also the ingredient which gives the peppers their heat. The capsicum content will range from 0-1.5%. Generally, the hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it contains. In addition to adding heat to the pepper, capsicum acts to reduce platelet stickiness and relieve pain.

There is more to cayenne than just heat. There are flavonoids in cayenne that will heal heart cells and protect your heart. There are vitamins in cayenne pepper that will destroy bacteria and increase your immune system. Other constituents of cayenne include vitamins E, vitamin C and carotenoids. Of course, as with every herb, fruit and vegetable, there still remains substances (presumably good for you) that scientist have not yet classified.

Today cayenne is used worldwide to treat a variety of health conditions, including poor circulation, weak digestion, heart disease, chronic pain, lowering cholesterol, sore throats, headaches, blood pressure, weight loss (increases metabolism) and even for toothaches. Ayurveda utilizes cayenne to treat poor digestion and gas. Chinese medicine uses cayenne for a wide variety of digestive ailments.

When taken internally, cayenne soothes the digestive tract and stimulates the flow of stomach secretions and saliva. These secretions contain substances which help digest food. As cayenne touches your tongue, the cayenne absorbs in seconds and nerve endings send signals throughout the body – sending waves of fresh blood to wherever you are sick. New healing begins in seconds as the blood carries oxygen and nutrients to every part of your body. These surges of fresh blood do not occur when you bypass the mouth by taking capsules. Therefore it is recommended that cayenne powder be used, as opposed to capsules.
Cayenne Pepper, Red, Ground 90,000 HU, 1.6 oz.

If you swallow a capsule, your tongue tastes nothing. A capsule goes down in your stomach, and your stomach notices nothing, at first. Then, five minutes later the gelatin bursts, and you have a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in your stomach and your body is shocked. It’s like no warm-up or stretch before you do vigorous physical exercise. It is believed that you are only getting a small part of the potential effect of cayenne pepper by taking it in capsules.

When Dr Schulze was asked “What about people who don’t like the taste of cayenne in their mouth?” He replied, “Just stay sick. The most minor medical treatments are much more debilitating than a little hot pepper in your mouth.”

Cayenne is the greatest herbal aid to circulation and can be used on a regular basis. There is no other herb which increases your blood flow faster than cayenne. Cayenne moves blood. When people ask Dr. Schultze, “What are the 10 most important herbs to have in the home?” He tells them, “At the top of the list is cayenne pepper, because it will make the other 9 work better.”

“Cayenne is the greatest blood circulation stimulant known. You can take all the milk thistle you want, but if you have bad circulation to your liver, it’s not going to do you any good. Cayenne increases your blood circulation immediately within seconds, more than any other herb.”

Cayenne pepper is usually labeled 40,000, 60,000, 90,000 or more heat units. Generally, the higher the number of heat units, the more beneficial. The lower-heat cayenne peppers are a lot less efficient, and they are the ones which are most highly contaminated.

For people not used to cayenne, it is recommended that you work your way up. For some who have never used cayenne pepper, a good initial dosage is 1/16th of a teaspoonful mixed into some juice. I started out using 40,000 cayenne and I just made the jump to 90,000 today. I can certainly tell the difference. Oh my.

Most of people are sensitive at first, but you will quickly adapt to the heat. You build up an ability to use it, just like with anything else.

If you want to learn more about Cayennes many health benefits, I reccomend: The Healing Power of Cayenne Pepper: Complete Handbook of Cayenne Home Remedies