Help with Cayenne Pepper questions.

[JeffAngie]

I would like to start taking some Cayenne Pepper I have heard it works very well with weight loss as well as having many more benefits.  The problem is I do not like eating anything hot at all.  I was thinking about getting some capsules and filling them myself.  Does anyone have any advise with this.  How much would I put in a capsule?  Would this make my stomach burn from the inside and make me uncomfortable?  I have heard you can put a little mint in with the cayenne as a cooling agent. 

I would so much appreciate any advice anyone would be willing to share.

God Bless to all.
Angie (daughter of the King)

[Helpmeetmom]

Cayenne is very VERY good for you as you've heard, and it is really good for your heart.  Also I've heard of when people sliced themselves open with a chain saw or something like an axe or an accidental hunting accident they took a teaspoon of cayenne oil or hot cayenne(there is a huge difference) oil and it made the bleeding stop to the point where the docs almost didn't have to do anything to help them at all.  They either (ouch!) poured it on the wound, or swallowed it.  Eesh!  I had some (used it up need some more) that I would take a drop of the hot cayenne (which is the super strength) in an 8-ounce cup of anything.  I had carrot juice, but you can use anything you want or take it straight under your tongue.  You build up to the heat after a while.  I think I was taking 5 drops to 8 oz of lizquid. 
     I've even heard that if you sprinkle some cayenne powder in some Apple cider vinegar and apply it to your head 20 min or so before washing your hair that it will stimulate hair growth.  I think it did help my hair to stop falling out after I had my baby.  You can find more info at
http://www.drchristophers.com   I think that url is right. I apologize if it's not, and will get the right one for you.  That's the brand of cayenne oil my natural doctor (awesome, actually an md, but wouldn't do all of the stuff they taught him in medical school because it's so harmful, so only uses natural stuff that works way better than any prescription drug and with no side affects)  told us about, and lots of people in our church use it. 
     I don't know anything about it helping with weight loss, but it sure might.  pm me or post on here if there is anything else I can help you with.  Oh also it helped me with horrible breast pain with this preg.  I applied one drop to a hot wet wash cloth and used it as a compress, and the pain was gone in 24 hours.  It had been excrutiating for a long time before then.  Okay, hope this helps!

[YoopreMama]

I was thinking about getting some capsules and filling them myself.  Does anyone have any advise with this.  How much would I put in a capsule?  Would this make my stomach burn from the inside and make me uncomfortable?  I have heard you can put a little mint in with the cayenne as a cooling agent. 

Hi, Angie!    I'll try and link the information on why putting cayenne in capsules isn't a good idea: 

[LoveSunflowers]

I've tried taking Cayenne in capsules and it killed my belly! Worse than pregnancy heartburn! Anyway, I've been told that it isn't good because digestion starts in the mouth and when you take in capsules it starts in your stomach. I don't have any sources, just information I've learned along the way. Cayenne is good for circulation. Maybe you can start with small amounts on your food or just certain food. We love hot stuff here! My 8 mos. will eat enchilada sauce that has cayenne in it. I also believe that any hot pepper has the same benefits. You could try a more mild pepper, like a jalepeno and see how that goes.
Hope that helps.
Jessica

[1ofeach]

Cayenne is very VERY good for you as you've heard, and it is really good for your heart.  Also I've heard of when people sliced themselves open with a chain saw or something like an axe or an accidental hunting accident they took a teaspoon of cayenne oil or hot cayenne(there is a huge difference) oil and it made the bleeding stop to the point where the docs almost didn't have to do anything to help them at all.  They either (ouch!) poured it on the wound, or swallowed it.

We have used it to stop bleeding, even avoiding stitches 3 times in the last year. Once for me and twice for my son. The 2nd time w/ my son, we probably SHOULD have gotten stitches, but it healed up perfectly. We use the cayenne to stop the bleeding. Once you're sure the bleeding has stopped, soak the wound in warm water w/ Epsom salts. After that, pour some hydrogen peroxide over the wound. Pat dry. Then apply (even pack it if you can) more cayenne pepper, and bandage up. We did this twice a day until it healed. The wound heals from the inside out. We live farther away from the hospital than we ever have, so I decided I needed to learn a few tricks for wound care at home. OF COURSE, we'd seek medical attention if we needed it, but this has been so helpful.

Oh, and it did sting a bit, but not as badly as you'd think. Really!

I know the original post was for weight loss (a topic which interests me GREATLY) but I wanted to share our success stories w/ cayenne and wound care. No chain saws here, but we avoided stitches. I now carry some in each first aid kit in our vehicles!

HTH!

[YoopreMama]

Hi, Angie!    I'll try and link the information on why putting cayenne in capsules isn't a good idea: 

Here is what I was referring to:

Re: The Master Cleanse
« Reply #695 on: April 14, 2007, 04:59:32 PM » by YooperMama

Here it is (modified)...from Making Tinctures: Recipes, Tricks, Tips thread:

Cayenne Wonders....
« Reply #37 on: October 07, 2006, 08:11:45 AM » by jammy

According to Sam Biser, "Curing with Cayenne", Featuring Dr. Richard Schulze, Medical Herbalist, pg.9-36, 1997:

""Students always ask Dr. Schulze, 'What are the ten 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 nine work better.'"

"If you take cayenne pepper in capsules, you may be wasting your time and never getting the cures I got with my patients."

"BISER: How can you say cayenne capsules are bad? I've heard from readers who took cayenne in capsules and got great results!"

"SCHULZE: Well, fine. But I had thousands of patients who did the same and who did not get well - until they took my cayenne orally. I had many patients come in, and I loved to test them."

"BISER: What does 'test' mean?"

"SCHULZE: I used to do 'herbal experiments' with their approval. I had hundreds of patients who would say, 'Oh, I've been using cayenne pepper for years. I take this; I take that. I've been using it every day for 14 years.'"

"So I would sit them down and would either give them some cayenne tincture or some cayenne powder directly in the mouth."

"They would tell me that it was like they had never used cayenne pepper before. They would say, 'I heard my ears pop; I felt a rush of blood to my head. I can feel tingling in my feet and toes.' They would give me responses that they never had from taking cayenne pepper for 10, 12, 14, 15 years."

"One thing really became evident to me in the clinic: There is only one way to take cayenne, and that is right in the mouth."

"What was going on is that much of cayenne's healing action occurs right in your mouth. 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. These surges of fresh blood do not occur when you bypass the mouth by taking capsules."

"For people not used to it, they just need to work their way up. One problem people have is that they blow their mind or their mouth - right off the bat. For some who have never used cayenne pepper, a good initial dosage is 1/16th of a teaspoonful in some juice."

"Most of my patients were sensitive at first. Those same people, in three or four months, would be taking two dropperfuls of my most potent tonic. Some people end up taking six or more dropperfuls a day of cayenne tincture. You build up an ability to use it, just like with anything else. It's not like you need to start off with a whole teaspoon in the mouth - and then hold on to the arms of you chair."

"BISER: If all this is so, then why do herb companies promote cayenne in capsules?"

"SCHULZE: They want to sell more. It's for their benefit - not yours. The companies say, 'How do we get a broader market? Let's make our herbal customers real comfortable.' But then the capsules don't work and the patient has to go and get their leg sawed off."

"If you want to take herbs, and not notice anything going on with your body, and not be made uncomfortable in any way, and not have any cleansing occur - then take drugs."

"It's a shame, because a hundred years ago, cayenne was considered to be one of the most powerful herbs on the planet. Nowadays, it has become more of a fad, and people are not getting the healing response that they are due by taking this herb."

"BISER: But all herbalism today is based on herbal capsules!"

"SCHULZE: This wasn't the way the old-time herbalists practiced. It wasn't the way my teacher, the late Dr. John Christopher, practiced. He got his results with teas and tinctures."

"When you put cayenne in your mouth, your stomach secretes digestive juices before the cayenne ever gets there. So when the cayenne gets down there, your stomach is all ready for it."

"But 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 goes into shock. You surprised it. 'Where did this come from?'"

"BISER: So using a lower potency cayenne in capsules in not an answer for people who want to go the mild route?"

"SCHULZE: Why bother? The cayenne in capsules is low quality, in spite of fancy labels and 'high potency' claims. Most cayenne sold comes from third-world countries and is highly sprayed with pesticides. It doesn't work. Patients who used it stayed sick - until I blew their health problems open with the 'right stuff.'"

"The lower-heat cayennes are a lot less efficient, and they are the ones that are most highly contaminated. These are the ones you see labeled for 40,000 heat units. They are the ones imported from God knows where: Egypt, China, and so on. These are the ones to stay away from."

"The companies pay around $2 per pound for this kind of cayenne. Compare that to the up-to-$48 per pound I have paid for the great, organically-grown stuff."

"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. The lower quality the cayenne, the less healing occurs."

"A lot of the cayenne I've seen has a smoky smell and a dark color to it. It's been heated very high during the powdering process, so a lot of the other nutrients that were in there, enzymes and so on, are gone."

[Helpmeetmom]

From Dr Christopher's site:

This herb was Dr John R Christopher's favorite. Cayenne is a medicinal and nutritional herb. It is the purest and most certain stimulant This herb is 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 stomach and intestinal ulcers; in equalizing the blood circulation, cayenne produces natural warmth; and in stimulating the peristaltic motion of the intestines, it aids in assimilation and elimination. When the venous structure becomes loaded with sticky mucus, the blood has a harder time circulating; therefore, higher pressure is needed to force the liquid through. Cayenne regulates the flow of blood from the head to the feet so that it 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 power with each beat. 100% vegetarian capsules.

Dr Christopher's pills are 40mhu. That will make a differnece in the heat level you feel. The Bulk Herb Store sells 90hu. Taking with food helps the stomach. Some don't agree with cayenne capsules some do. Research and find what works for you.

Here's the description of the cayenne we took --from the site:
Description: A favorite dietary herb of Dr. John R. Christopher. We have two Cayenne extract. This formula is made from the Hottest Cayenne Pepper with 200,000 heat units in a base of pure grain alcohol. Because of the way this formula is prepared it appears to be much hotter than other 200,000 heat unit cayenne pepper in the marketplace. We believe you will not find a hotter cayenne pepper anywhere.

Ingredients: Cayenne Pepper(200,000 h.u.).

[YoopreMama]

herbfever-

Thank you for showing the other side of the argument of
cayenne/capsules.

Balance, balance, balance...

[JeffAngie]

I am very impressed at all the replies Thanks so much.  Everyone is always so helpful here with all the info you provide.  I am so glad that I came upon this site. 

I have another question.  Does anyone know is heat destroys the properties of Cayenne Pepper and make it not at potent.

Like for example if I cook with it will it be as effective as taking it in water.

Thanks again.

[lotsagirls]

I have another question.  Does anyone know is heat destroys the properties of Cayenne Pepper and make it not at potent.

I don't think that heat destroys the properties of cayenne.  In the book "Making Plant Medicine" by Richo Cech it says that "Used during meals, cayenne stimulates gastric secretions and assists in digestion."

I add it to my chicken soup whenever someone has a cold or the stomach flu.  It works wonders!

[lotsagirls]

OK no cayenne in a capsule.Soooo can I make a glycerin tincture?If so how do I do it?I really want to start doing this.I am also willing to go get vodka for a tincture if that is better.I would just like it to be paletable.

Em

Em,

I think you could use glycerin or vodka or even a combination of them both.  The book "Making Plant Medicine" by Richo Cech also talks about using ACV.

HTH!

Dawn

[healthybratt]

This thread is about human consumption of cayenne.  The question and answers regarding feeding cayenne to poultry have been moved here.

Urban Exodus >> Animal Husbandry >>

[Smiling Dawn]

Good thread on cayenne. 
I take it in a tincture form orally.
On the onset of a cold every 15 minutes for an hour or longer I take one dropperful in a small glass of water. 
I have learned about cayenne from Dr. Shulze and Steven H. Horne mentions it in his book The ABC Herbal.
Just a note, in my opinion it doesn't matter if a dropperful of cayenne is in a small amount of water or a large glass of water, it is still HOT! 
It is good for the circulation.
I tell my kids the germs are scared of it...

[makingchanges]

Good thread on cayenne. 
I take it in a tincture form orally.
On the onset of a cold every 15 minutes for an hour or longer I take one dropperful in a small glass of water. 
I have learned about cayenne from Dr. Shulze and Steven H. Horne mentions it in his book The ABC Herbal.
Just a note, in my opinion it doesn't matter if a dropperful of cayenne is in a small amount of water or a large glass of water, it is still HOT! 
It is good for the circulation.
I tell my kids the germs are scared of it...

How do you make the tincture?

[Smiling Dawn]

How do you make the tincture?

I don't make the tincture myself. 

I have purchased some in the past from the local health food store.  I believe the brand was Dr. Christopher's...?

The tincture I am using now was made by a friend. 
Her mother has made it for years with her father (my friend's grandpa).  The father grows his own habeneros, chilis, jalepenos, etc.  Anyway, she wanted to try her hand at it.  She made it with a grain alcohol and I know she had to shake the mixture.  Other than that I don't know exactly how she made it.  I do know she did a great job.  She did not like it at all to consume on a regular basis, so she gave it to me.   

Are you looking to make your own, makingchanges?

[Mrs. B]

I follow Dr. Shultzes' method:
http://www.curezone.com/schulze/tinctures.asp

[YoopreMama]

Thanks, Mrs. B!  I've been watching his Top 10 Herb videos...VERY interesting      I haven't gotten to the tincture-making yet, so thanks for this link--I was curious to see what I needed...I'll have to post some of the good things on cayenne in his accompanying booklet. 

I follow Dr. Shultzes' method:
http://www.curezone.com/schulze/tinctures.asp

[LoveSunflowers]

I made the cayenne tincture last fall with green peppers that didn't ripen before frost. Whoa! HOT! I was surprised at how strong it was even over the alcohol taste. It will clean you out. My FIL says it helps when his throat is a bit sore too.
Yooper, we like the video. Lots of information for sure.

[daisey]

Where are you watching the videos?  Is there a link?  Thanks

[YoopreMama]

The videos I am referring to are video cassettes that I've borrowed from my neighbor...I think I saw someone mention on another thread about watching Dr. Schulze on youtube...maybe re: his tincture-making technique?

[daisey]

Thank Yooper.  I did watch his tincture videos on You Tube last year but they must have taken them off because I can't find them this year to watch them again.

[YoopreMama]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMl4Bw4NeYo

Is this one?

[daisey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMl4Bw4NeYo

Is this one?

Nope!  The ones I watched had Dr. Schulze actually making the tinctures.  They were very good.  Wish I had saved them.   

[YoopreMama]

What about here, Daisey?
http://www.myhealthblog.org/2007/11/02/my-cayenne-tincture-is-a-big-hit/

[FindingMe]

Does anyone know if it's safe to take cayenne while breastfeeding? And if I do, is it going to make my baby really unhappy? 

[carolina girl]

I took cayenne pepper for a couple of months (1/4-1/2 t daily) to actually help my baby.  She was having a lot of problems with constipation, etc, and it really seemed to help her for a time.  She was about 4-6 mo while doing this.  I noticed a boost in my energy levels and it only helped her. HTH

[YoopreMama]

I've been drinking the brew (Master Tonic), and my 11 week old seems fine.

I don't ever recall hearing cayenne was unsafe during nursing.  Here's a thread on it:  Cayenne Safe while Nursing?

Have you seen the thread on herb safety and nursing? Herb Safety in PG and Nursing

I know some babies seem bothered by spicy foods, but it seems to vary according to the individual.

I would agree w/ carolina girl...I think it could only be beneficial to you both. 

[MacyMay]

Does anyone know if it's safe to take cayenne while breastfeeding? And if I do, is it going to make my baby really unhappy? 

It's probably safe, but from my personal experience, it made my baby super fussy. Maybe some babies are just more sensitive to it than others, though.

[~esposita~]

Does anyone know if it's safe to take cayenne while breastfeeding? And if I do, is it going to make my baby really unhappy? 

I have taken cayenne to fight colds/sore throat while nursing with no noticeable side effect in my baby.  And, it actually kicked the sickness in the  rear!  I also use it in our food semi-frequently, also with no noticeable problems in my baby.

My advice would be to start out with just a little and watch for reactions.  Then increase amount used as needed!

HTH

[Mrs. Carter]

I've been taking 1/8 tsp. cayenne a day it's rated 90 for potency.  It puts me into mild shock for 30 min to an hour.  How do I know how much to take and how can I build up without this side effect?