The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Strep Throat
Posted by Penny (USA) on 02/01/2006
★★★★★
If it is too late, as in strep, it takes gargling with cayenne in water every fifteen minutes until it goes, and be patient, because it GOES.
I haven't had a sore throat take hold in 15 years or more, though many have tried to start up, which also is a way for many illnesses to sprout.
I generally will gargle cayenne in water at whatever strength I like and do it as much as I can until I tire of it, and then repeat every fifteen minutes, each time swallowing a tiny bit real slowly (not necessary).
It only stings the tongue a little when spitting out, otherwise, no discomfort, you can get used to even the swallowing part when you see how well it works.
I use the cheap Mex. stuff, but also keep on hand in refir the pesticide free stuff from health store.
Cayenne is a miracle cure for ulcers and so many other conditions, plus aids assimilation of nutrients and vitamins. I will keep cayenne in water in the bathroom in case I get up in the night, so I can gargle once in the night if I am very sick, but if it is in water, it will go bad quickly and needs to be put back in refridge in morning.
Afterwards suck on a clove (see below). I have never seen a sore throat that won't succumb to it.
Cayenne Tips
Posted by Cindy (Illinois. USA) on 09/10/2019 533 posts
★★★★★
Holy moly! OK, I switched to a shot glass to get it over with faster. 1/4 to 1/2 tsp in just that little bit of warm water and toss it back. If you're up to a whole teaspoon, I would suggest tossing back two shots of 1/2 each but I haven't gotten that far yet. The shot glass is so, so, SOOO much easier than tea and a straw with the hotter versions of cayenne. I could toss back these shots all day and I'm a monumental WUSS when it comes to hot stuff and this cayenne is rated 130,000. WAY hotter than the wussy 30k I used to use as tea. I was afraid I couldn't get this stuff down more than a tiny bit at a time but no MORE! WOOHOO!! I would liken it to using a straw because all the hot is at the back of the throat and dissipates very quickly. Particularly on one little sore spot that I have and that didn't burn near as much as it did yesterday. Also, you can fix up a shot and dip your finger in it, put it in your nose and sniff it off and up into your nose several times. Works very well. And if you tilt your head back and to the sides, it will get all up in the various sinus cavities. You should definitely google the "sinus cavity" images because, all together, they're HUGE! And all over the place in your head.
Best Type of Cayenne
Posted by Gina (Austin, Texas) on 03/16/2021
★★★★★
Cayenne Contraindications
Posted by Timh (Ky, Usa) on 03/28/2014 2042 posts
Jeanne: I see no problems w/ the BSM & Cayanne. Two herbs which to avoid during this drug treatment is Gingko biloba and White Willow as they are considerd "blood thinners".
Cayanne & Ginger work together very well to assist in improving circulation which reduces the risk of blood clotting stroke.
Omega 3 fats like Fish & Flax oil are recommended for keeping the blood thin but are considered "mild" anticoagulants and very much indicated in cardiovascular conditions.
Cayenne Tips
Posted by Mtusa007 (Missoula, Mt Usa) on 11/14/2011
★★★★★
I read where everyone is mixing with drinks etc, trying to kill the heat and taste or taking pills. I just cover my food with cayenne and love it. You get used to the heat very quickly and I use it at every meal, at least a teaspoon if not tablespoon, it's great in latte, red beer etc. If anything I over use it but I feel great, I always have a shaker of this pepper handy in my car, my suitcase, at work and camping.
Cayenne Tips
Posted by Pat (Florida) on 09/20/2020
If you find your stomach upset, quickly take a charcoal capsule (or two) and it will probably subside very quickly. I ate way too much curry one day, my stomach went berserk - I took 2 charcoal tablets - discomfort gone in minutes!
Migraines
Posted by Deb (Melbourne , Australia) on 12/29/2010
★★★★★
I take a tspn of cayenne twice a day in hot water with my green tea, ACV and bicarb soda. You can't taste the ACV. I can feel the cayenne moving through my body and feel wonderful afterwards. I am trying to get rid of some varicous veins. Recently the cayenne stopped a migraine which I normally get for days in its tracks. Stop Bleeding Fast! One of natures best remedies for cuts (even deep punctures) is believe it or not: Cayenne Pepper! This wonderful plant can be grown and therefore no "factory" will be necessary. To use - apply liberally on wound. The wound will form a scab and heal much quicker than with even sutures and with no scarring.
From the book: Cayenne Pepper medicinal uses:
Major benefits - Stops Bleeding (internal or external), Heart attack, stroke, or Shock, Dissolves clots.
Minor Benefits - Reviving, Fainting, Dizziness, Weakness, Confusion.
PROPERTIES & ACTIONS: Stimulant (improves blood circulation), diaphoretic (increases perspiration), carminative (improves digestion), tonic (strengthens and energizes a particular body organ or the entire body system), sialogue (stimulates secretion of saliva), rubefacient (increases superficial circulation, which often lessens localized pain from arthritis, inflammation, etc. , antiseptic (kills or controls the growth of bacteria).
Here is an excerpt from the book for an internal use:
Cayenne can be applied to open wounds or taken orally to stop bleeding. Nosebleeds, deep cuts, even arterial gushing will stop within seconds. Blood pressure is equalised throughout the body so there is no excessive pressure on the haemorrhage area and it can clot naturally.
Cayenne Tips
Posted by Cristy (Dallas, Tx) on 07/07/2010
★★★★★
I have had much success with taking two teaspoons of cayenne pepper in a small cup of juice or beer (beer works really well--just about 3 ounces of it! ) but I have had unbearably bad side effects with cayenne *capsules*.
About 15-20 minutes after taking the capsules I get terrible, sharp stomach pains, cramps, and gas that last for a good 30 minutes and have me doubled over in pain. It feels like I swallowed a bomb!
I have read that cayenne should always be taken straight because digestion begins in the mouth, and the sharp spicy taste prepares the stomach to receive the pepper. For those fearful of the spicy taste, I vouch that I have a low "spicy-tolerance" and that when shooting the cayenne in a couple of ounces of liquid, the spiciness only lasts for 20-30 seconds and disappears completely. Not at all that lingering, intolerable burning we all know from eating Mexican food! Plus, drinking it straight gives you a pleasant head-rush and wave of energy. Cheers!
Cayenne Tips
Posted by Simone33 (Burlington, Nc) on 08/08/2009
★★★★★
I just wanted to comment that I know a great way of getting the cayenne down; pour it on cottage cheese. It goes down very easily with very little burn at all! I also add chopped eggs to it sometimes just to oomph it up a bit. I guess you could also chase it with water since this seems to be the rule here.
Mood Enhancer
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 09/16/2024 533 posts
★★★★★
This is what I love about being human! Getting all distracted and out-of-sorts to the point of totally forgetting you have something like cayenne. Then, REMEMBERING and riding that seemingly supernatural wave all the way back to the awesomeness of being human!!
Broad Benefits
Posted by Katherine Lobendahn (Honolulu, HI) on 11/21/2008
★★★★★
Aloha! It doesn't seem to matter what ailment my body is going through (arthritic pain, 'acid reflux,' idegestion, stomach ache, back ache, fatigue, etc.), a shot of Cayenne Pepper in some water never ceases to relieve me of the pain, discomfort, etc. You name it, Cayenne does the work. When I was consistent earlier this year, my blood sugar and blood pressure were normalized. I am now purposed to take my daily dosage of Cayenne tea more consistently now to keep the annoying and hindering sypmtoms of sickness & disease away. It also got rid of psoriasis I had in my scalp and thigh.
Heart Issues
Posted by London (Sandusky, Ohio) on 09/02/2009
★★★★★
My Mother was up for a bypass about 20 years ago. She's been taking cayenne pepper for years, and she swears it's kept her alive this whole time. She has hardening of the arteries, aswell. You can use EXTRA hot or african bird pepper too, although it may kill your stomach you need to take milk or cheese with it, to coat your stomach. She eats alot of dairy and butter in her diet, and she doesn't have the healthiest diet in the world but the cayenne pepper has done wonders for her.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Rani (Brookville, Ohio) on 11/29/2007
★★★★★
I will have to try the ACV, but I have found cayenne to be fantastic for many things. Energy definitely. And also good for colds and sinus. For really bad colds and sinus, I like to mix, garlic, cayenne, lemon juice, a little honey and a little orange juice with some boiling water and it does miracles!!
Broad Benefits
Posted by Dustin (Niigata, Japan) on 06/24/2010
★★★★★
Thank you for posting the recipee..I felt very invigorated after drinking it. I plan to do it once a month.I added some freshly squeezed lemons(2) also..very powerful..
Thanks again.
Chest Pain
Posted by Nashirah (Mahboula, Kuwait) on 04/27/2007
★★★★★
Cayenne Pepper is a real cure for pains on the chest. Each time I get the tired pains that spread across my chest into my neck, jaw and shoulders I immediately head for the Cayenne Pepper, take 1 teaspoon in any liquid preferably in juice or milk. It instantly feeds the heart muscle of Vit C. I would honestly recommend this to heart sufferers. It works for me and should for you! Thanks to Earth Clinic for all their advice and remedies. God bless you all!
Weight Loss
Posted by Carol (OKC, U. S. A.) on 04/15/2007
★★★★★
...Cayenne pepper is awesome! My husband used it to reduce his weight. 1 tspn cayenne pepper in a 1/2 cup of hot water, 3 times a day. It speeds up the metabolism.
Wounds
Posted by LJ (Virginia) on 05/03/2024
★★★★★
Cayenne pepper is amazing for wounds (and other health benefits, too)! While living on a remote mountain, I constantly utilized natural healing.
One of my pet-like chickens somehow became injured in the upper leg with extreme bleeding. I knew I had to get it stopped quickly and grabbed a seasoning bottle of organic CP. I shook it over the wound while holding the chicken over a sink. After I heavily covered the area, it only took about twenty seconds for it to stop! The chicken lived and was fine.
Sometime later I was moving an old toilet and my hand was cut by a hidden crack on the underside. It was one of the worse cuts I've ever had and the way it was bleeding scared me. There was no stopping it, and I remembered how CP worked on my chicken. So, I again grabbed the bottle and poured it over the cut until the bleeding stopped within about 20 to 30 seconds. Then I put a drip or two of peroxide on it and covered with a bandaid. The cut healed up quickly and cleanly and today I can't even find a scar!
I always have CP on hand for myself, pets and friends and I take some daily as well as mixing it into my 17 year old dog's juice for a healthy heart.
Cayenne Contraindications
Posted by sandrasteam (florida) on 02/07/2021
Question - will the cayenne pepper thin a persons blood? My husband takes a baby aspirin a day.
Cayenne Side Effects
Posted by Pat (Florida) on 09/20/2020
Winnie, You want mucous to come out - that's a very good thing. Sounds like the cayenne is working to me.
Cayenne Side Effects
Posted by Mr. Ree (Usa) on 02/21/2014
Try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with a squirt of lemon twice a day...It will alkalize you and lower your BP..You may even do it three times a day if you feel you need it...
Broad Benefits
Posted by Donna (Santa Monica, CA) on 04/23/2015
Becky, I checked out your recommendation for cayenne on Earth Clinic's remedies. Amazing! Who knew there were so many applications for cayenne and it was so good for ones heart.The testimonial by Dr. Christopher is eye opening. Thank you.
Cayenne Tips
Posted by Amy (Southbury, Ct) on 08/10/2013
★★★★★
I found that drinking cayenne pepper using a straw makes it go down faster with less burn and it keeps the lips from burning afterwards. I also bite down on a lemon wedge right after. I suck the juices and eat the pulp of the lemon. This helps a ton if you have heat issues.
Cayenne Side Effects
Posted by Liz (Boston, Massachusetts) on 04/11/2013
Pick up some empty gelatin capsules (very easy to find both online or at your local Vitamin Shoppe), fill them with the cayenne powder, then take the capsule(s) with water after a meal.
There are companies that sell cayenne capsules but I have always preferred making my own so that I know what's in them.
Cayenne Side Effects
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 02/06/2012
Cameron: pls take MUCH less! I take only a few grains and it's still helpful.
Fresh Cayenne Tips
Posted by Blanche (Iberia Parish, Louisiana, Usa) on 02/16/2011
★★★★★
This pepper is easily grown from seed where the weather is warm. I grow my own.
When it is a bright red color, I pick it from the plant, then, wearing gloves, I cut it open to scrape out the seeds. Then slice the pepper in thin slices and dry on paper towels. In less than a week, they are completely dry and can be stored in a jar. Then whenever I want to add it to whatever hot drink I am making, I just add a half teaspoon or so and let it steep a few minutes. You may like to use more or less. I like this better because I get the essence of the pepper without choking on the dried grounds.
Cayenne Tips
Posted by Kim (Houston, Tx) on 05/16/2012
Cristy, you crack me up with your 3 oz of beer! From one Texas chick to another - YOU GO GIRL!!!
Wounds
Posted by Bee (Mo, Usa) on 09/28/2009
★★★★★
Last nite I cut my foot on a nail sticking out of my carpet and came straight to this website. The cayenne had lots of Yeas so it caught my attention. I cleaned the wound which was bleeding profusely with some ACV, but it still bled. So I figured why not? Stuck some cayenne and it worked like styptic powder to stop the bleeding. It was impressive to watch and I was surprised that it did not hurt/burn like I expected. It stings a bit, but very tolerable. My only mistake was removing it too early. I would say make sure you keep it on even after the bleeding stops and bandage it.
