Headache Relief With Cayenne

When a headache is getting you down reach up to the "Queen of Spices" to remedy your trouble.

Using cayenne pepper should always be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional. 

Next time a headache is getting the best of your day, by-pass your medicine cabinet and head straight to the spice rack. Headache relief can be found in the healing properties of the cayenne plant. My husband and I both use this remedy with great success. I hope it works for you too. Before we begin let's get to know a little bit more about this red hot spice.

Cayenne pepper is a widely respected and studied medicinal spice. Used by indigenous people for thousands of years, for both culinary and medicinal purposes, cayenne is known as one of the best medicinal spices in the world. This heat producing, bright red pepper has been known to help with so many ailments it could easily be mistaken as a snake oil in the plant kingdom. It is best not to toss the idea of cayenne aside too quickly, however, as it has earned its title as the "Queen of Spices".

Cayenne is best known for its ability to instantly control blood pressure, lower the chance of heart disease, improve digestion, help lose weight, improve circulation and as a topical cream or ointment for various conditions. Known for removing toxins in the blood, urine, skin and intestines, cayenne pepper is great for detoxing and cleansing the entire body. A well-known aphrodisiac, cayenne has a big effect on the libido. Cayenne causes the brain to secrete endorphins when ingested. Endorphins resemble opiates. They are a feel-good chemical released during consumption of spicy foods, at orgasm, during times of excitement or pain, when feeling love and during exercise. Convinced to give it a try yet? A proven anti-fungal, cayenne pepper is terrific for those with candida and yeast troubles. Not to mention that cayenne is very nutritious, containing significant amounts of the complete B complexes, vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium. It would take an entire book to shed light on all the wonderful things that cayenne pepper is used for. Remedying a headache with cayenne, however, is very simple and most likely you will only have to read this article once to know what to do. So let's get started.

The active ingredient in cayenne pepper is capsaicin. Cayenne helps to relieve pain because of both its endorphin enhancing properties and also because, when diluted and used topically, it helps to block the transmission of substance P. Substance P transports pain messages to the brain.

Internal Consumption: Sprinkle cayenne pepper on your meals as often as possible. Not only has this been known to alleviate migraines and headaches in general, but your health will thank you in many other ways.

Topical Application: Apply cayenne pepper diluted in water nasally to treat headache. In a small bowl mix 4 ounces of water to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Dip a cotton swab into the diluted cayenne pepper. Apply to the inter walls of the nostrils. Be careful not go too far into the nasal passage. This could be very dangerous. It will most likely burn which means that it is working. The burning sensation will help to take your mind off your headache while the cayenne is remedying the problem.

Exercise Caution:

• Cayenne pepper can cause a burning sensation. Use proper care when handling.
• Always work with the supervision of a healthcare professional.
• Wash hands thoroughly after using cayenne pepper. Use gloves if necessary
• Avoid getting cayenne pepper in eyes or other sensitive parts of the body.
• Heat and hot water will intensify the heating effect of cayenne.
• Cayenne pepper could interact with certain drugs such as cocaine, anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs, aspirin and other medications. For more information please visit WebMD

Sources:

• http://www.cayennepepper.info/
• http://www.ehow.com
• www.webmd.com