much more than a spice in your bowl of chili...

We are officially arriving into the time of the year where all I ever want to eat are warm, spicy foods.  When it gets colder outside I find it extremely hard to sit down with a big salad for a meal (sorry raw foodies).   It's only natural that when the weather gets colder we begin to crave hot rich food.  One of my favorite dishes of this sort is a big pot of vegetarian chili.  While making my last batch of chili a couple weeks ago for some friends that were visiting I noticed how much Cayenne pepper went into the recipe--it was a lot!  Cayenne is definitely one of those spices I like to start adding to all my dishes in the winter months.  So I decided to do a little research and was pleasantly surprised by just how healthy my little spicy friend is.

Capsicum annuum or Cayenne pepper comes from red hot chili peppers.  While chili peppers are good to chop up and throw into a salsa or stirfry, the most health benefits come from their powder form as it is the most potent.  Cayenne has been used for thousands of years as a natural pain killer and anti-inflammatory substance.  It's benefits are seemingly endless.  According to herbwisdom.com,

"Cayenne is used as a natural fat burner and pain killer, to treat ulcers, increase metabolism, improve circulation, boost the immune system and aid digestion. It is used as a tonic for the heart, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, spleen and stomach and to treat herpes, shingles and rheumatism. It is also known to combat chills and has been used to treat bunions, psoriasis, pleuritis and pericarditis and has been indicated for preventing heart disease."

The fat burning and increased metabolism studies have been done in people going on The Master Cleanse.  This is a very intense full body cleanse where you only drink water with lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper for 10 days.  I have tried this and only made it about 4 hours, sadly.  I have, however, talked to many people who have successfully completed the cleanse and they all rave about it.  I have digressed...more on The Master Cleanse at another time.

Cayenne contains tons of vitamins you need to stay happy and healthy as well including, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and C.

Cayenne also contains Capsaicin which is an active ingredient in all chili peppers.  Capsaicin is what makes Cayenne pepper so spicy.  It is great for digestion, it aids your cardiovascular system and it helps to break down mucus in the body.  So when that winter cold comes around and you find yourself carrying a box of tissues with you everywhere you go--just think Cayenne pepper.  It will help to dislodge the mucus in your respiratory system and your sinus passages.  This is why when you eat super spicy food often your nose will run.  

With that said, go home (or stay where you are if you are already at home) and make a big pot of chili or a red sauce for some spaghetti, just make sure to use some Cayenne pepper.  And if you are fighting off a nasty cold, maybe spice it up a little more.  

For more information check out these websites:

www.herbwisdom.com 

www.whfoods.com 

www.cayennepepper.info

If you have a great spicy recipe of this sort feel free to post it! 

stay well and be well 

sweaters and head colds

It only makes sense that I would be writing the first post of this, my new blog endeavor, from my bed recovering from a nasty head cold.  I have been putting off this project for a while claiming I have not had enough time for it, but it seems now that a nice seasonal cold was all I needed to get the ball rolling.  With that said, I am left with no choice but to make my first post about the most wonderful homeopathic cold remedy that I have found thus far--Sambucus.

Black Elderberry, technically called Sambucus nigra, has been used medicinally for hundreds of years.  It's most common form is a syrup.  It can be used for all sorts of ailments including high cholesterol, poor vision, and low immune system.  It's strong antioxidant activity is also good for heart health, coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections, and even tonsilitis. 

 

 "Elderberries contain organic pigments, tannin, amino acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, sugar, rutin, viburnic acid, vitamin A and a large amount of vitamin C."  (herbwisdom.com)   

"Elderberries were listed in the CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs as early as 1985, and are listed in the 2000 Mosby's Nursing Drug reference for colds, flu, yeast infections, nasal and chest congestion, and hay fever." (herbwisdom.com)

To break this down a little bit, the proteins that are found in black elderberries help to defend the body against disease, cold, and flu by acting as messengers in the immune system.  Recent studies have shown that ingesting Sambucus nigra can help the body defend itself against the H1N1 flu virus.  While further research needs to be conducted, a small study published in 2004 showed that 93% of flu patients given elderberry extract were completely symptom-free within two days; those taking a placebo recovered in about six days. (The Journal of International Medical Research)

So, If you are trying to stay off the over-the-counter drugs this cold and flu season, or trying to save a little money, I definitely recommend adopting an elderberry syrup regimen.  I would say take a tsp a day while the weather is still in transition and then 2-3 tblsp a day when you are feeling under the weather. In my own personal use, I have found it to be a pretty strong diuretic and to be anti-inflammatory so drink a lot of water with it.   You can find it in your closest health food store, online or, for all you thrifty people, you can make it yourself (instructions coming soon!).

 For more information check out these websites:

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-elderberry.html 

The Journal of International Medical Research

Herb Reseach Foundation

If you have a cold and flu remedy of your own or just have questions feel free to leave a comment.  The more information the merrier! :)  stay well and be well