Cayenne (Capsicum minimum)
Cayenne peppers grow on a shrubby plant with long, red fruit and little, flat seeds.
HEALING
Cold and Flu: You can make a gargle from a few grains of cayenne powder added to a cup of water to help fight symptoms of winter sicknesses, especially a sore throat. Here is a wonderful recipe for preventing the fly and staving off symptoms in people who've already caught it:
Antiflu Preparation
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons sea salt or common salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
Grind together the cayenne pepper and salt to form a paste. Add boiling water (or some strong, strained chamomile tea). Steep and cool. Add the vinegar to the water. Most adults can take between a teaspoon to a tablespoon every half hour. If it seems too strong, dilute it.
(From Herbal Medicine by Dian Dincin Buchman)
Aches and Pains: The medicinal properties of cayenne can be effective in relieving pain from gout and arthritis. The herb has been shown to effectively reduce even the most chronic pain. It can be applied in a direct herb or ointment form to the achy joints. It may burn at first, but it it bearable and will kill much of the pain. Such an ointment may also be a favorable pain reliever for chronic rheumatism.
Blood: If you suffer from cold feet due to poor circulation, try putting a bit of cayenne powder in a pair of old socks (it will stain) to warm your feet up and get the blood flowing.
Cayenne is also a strong astringent. A few grains dropped into a wound will stop even very profuse bleeding. A small amount of cayenne in hot water may also be drunk to halt internal bleeding. This should only be used in an emergency, but it can be very effective when the situation demands it.
Stomach Discomfort: A little bit of cayenne can actually help ease (not worsen) a churning stomach. A pinch added to foods, whether raw or cooked, will act as a digestive aid.
FOLKLORE and HISTORY
Roman armies rubbed cayenne pepper, combined with vinegar and rosemary, over meat to prevent spoiling. It has also been used to purify milk. A pepper is placed in the milk for 15 minutes, then removed. The milk will be hot, but all the germs will be dead!