DR. CHRISTOPHER ON HEALING WITH CAYENNE

Dr. John Christopher's wisdom and experience will be mainly drawn upon. Dr. Christopher was a Master Herbalist and Naturopathic Doctor of great renown here in America and even abroad. His teachings were learned by so many and his influence was so great, that most would agree that he stood out amongst the three largest promoters of natural healing in the latter half of the 20th Century.

CAYENNE

1. HEART ATTACKS: In 35 years of practice, and working with the people and teaching, I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and the reason is, whenever I go in--if they are still breathing--I pour down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water, and within minutes they are up and around). This is one of the fastest acting aids we could ever give for the heart, because it feeds that heart immediately. Most hearts are suffering from malnutrition because of processed food we are eating, but here it gets a good powerful dose of real food and it's something that has brought people in time after time. This is something that everyone should know how great it is, because a heart attack can come to your friends or loved ones any time. And even yourself. The warm tea is faster working than tablets, capsules, cold tea, because the warm tea opens up the cell structure--makes it expand and accept the cayenne that much faster, and it goes directly to the heart, through the artery system, and feeds it in powerful food. [Dr. Christopher¹s Newsletter 1-12]

2. STERILIZE AND STOP BLEEDING: The old herbalists claimed that cayenne pepper (Capsicum or red pepper) should be poured directly into a fresh wound, to sterilize and stop the bleeding.

3. MENSTRUAL CRAMPS: If a young woman has menstrual problems, she can suspect that her female organs might not be in good condition. Although it should be needless to say, we should avoid drugs in managing our menstrual cramps. In order to treat the symptoms, some people favor red raspberry tea, peppermint tea, chamomile tea, or catnip tea. You can take a capsule of cayenne with any of these to help warm the internal organs. If the cramps are really severe, you can use cayenne ointment externally on the abdomen to act as a counter-irritant, but be sure to cover the application with gauze, as it can stain your underthings.

5. TINCTURE OF CAYENNE heals wounds, cuts through mucus, good for sore throats, and tonsillitis; milder solutions can be used in the nose, eyes, and ears for cleaning up microscopic "lounge lizards" in infections. Has been successfully used for resuscitation of newborn infants; a few drops administered orally. The best and safest stimulant known to man.

6. CAYENNE SALVE: It is excellent for stiff necks, sore muscles, headaches, pain, stiff joints, arthritis, etc. The salve ingredients are Olive Oil, African Birdpepper (Cayenne), Oil of Wintergreen, pure distilled mint crystals and beeswax.

Dosages

1. STOP BLEEDING: A wound, external or internal, will stop bleeding if the individual will drink a cup of water (preferably hot) with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (red pepper) stirred into it. The bleeding will stop generally by the time a person can count up to ten after drinking the cayenne tea. The cayenne equalizes the blood pressure from the top of the head to the feet. This keeps the pressure from the hemorrhage area so it will clot naturally, which it cannot do with heavy blood pressure pumping the blood rapidly at the hemorrhage area.

2. NOSEBLEEDS: A teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of water (hot preferred) taken internally will stop most nosebleeds quickly. In an emergency such as this we use cayenne. As mentioned a teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a glass of water and drunk right down will stop a nosebleed in nearly every instance, by the time you can count to ten. This is not a miracle; it is the principle of the cell stimulant cayenne traveling through the entire blood stream and regulating the pressure so the pressure of the flow is the same in the feet as in the head or any other part of the body. This takes the heavy pressure off the hemorrhaging area and allowing a quick coagulation.

3. SALVE: As needed topically.

Ingredients: Pure cayenne is the only ingredient in the powdered cayenne.

Salve ingredients are Olive Oil, African Birdpepper (Cayenne), Oil of Wintergreen, pure distilled mint crystals and beeswax.

The tincture consists of cayenne and alcohol.

Testimonials

1. EYES: Cayenne is also used for eyes, however extreme that might sound. Dr. Christopher recalled a student of his standing in front of a lecture and throwing a pinch of cayenne into one eye. Dr. Christopher was sure the student had lost his senses! But in a few moments the eye stopped watering, and it became clear, bright and healthy-looking. [This is why Dr. Christopher has Cayenne in his Herbal Eyebright formula].

2. DEEP CUT: A person in our audience told how he had cut deeply with a sharp instrument the inside of his hand, fingers and palm. The blood spurted out in streams. He poured a large amount of cayenne pepper into the wound, and within seconds the blood flow slowed down to congealed dripping and the bleeding stopped entirely before many seconds had passed. With a goodly amount of cayenne covering the wound, he then wrapped it. He was so excited about the rapid results he could hardly wait for the regular herb meeting. But, as he said, the "punch line" was lost, because instead of a nasty ragged scar to show how severely he had been hurt, the area was healed and there was no scar. [Dr. Christopher¹s Newsletter 1-12]

3. ULCERS: A lady had been attending our herbal lecture series for some time. One day she told us about her husband's severe case of stomach ulcers. The recommendation from their doctor was to have part of his stomach removed, but he said he would rather suffer the pain than risk such an operation. He also refused his wife's suggestion to try cayenne, ridiculing her studies. When he would see me in town, he would bellow, "Hello, Doc! Killed anybody with cayenne, today?" He became so obnoxious, I avoided him when I could. Months went by and one day I saw him coming down the street toward me. I tried to avoid him but he came "head on." This time I was amazed because there were no cutting remarks or sarcasm. In fact, he was very apologetic and asked if he could talk to me for a minute, and then told me this story: He had come home from work one night, "sick enough to die," with stomach ulcers. His wife was not home. He was in such pain he wanted to commit suicide. He went to the medicine cabinet to find some kind of medicine poisonous and deadly enough to kill him. But he discovered his wife had thrown out all the old bottles of pharmaceutical medicine. All that was left in the medicine cabinet were some herbs and a large container of cayenne pepper. He was so angry that, upon seeing the cayenne, he figured it in a large dose would kill him by burning him up. He took a heaping tablespoon of cayenne in a glass of hot water, gulped it down and rushed into the bedroom. He fell upon the bed and covered his head with a pillow so the neighbors couldn't hear his "dying screams." The next thing he knew, his wife was shaking him awake the next morning. She told him he had slept all night (instead of being up every half-hour for anti-acid tablets). To his amazement he discovered that the pain was gone, for the first time in months. He continued using cayenne three times a day faithfully. [Dr. Christopher¹s Newsletter 1-12]

4. BLOOD PRESSURE - Dr. Christopher's Own Story: I had hardening of the arteries, during my 20 and 30 year span, to a point that it was very severe. No insurance company at this time, would even take me for a $1,000 policy. So you can tell how bad of a condition I was in. I was quite concerned about it, and started using cayenne. I worked up to a teaspoon three times a day, and I continued on from the time I was thirty-five and am still using it. It was amazing! By the time I was forty-five years of age, ten years after I had started using cayenne, a group wanted me to have a $100,000 policy to insure them on a business deal we were working out. I went for the examination. Being this large a policy, the insurance company required two medical doctors, each to give two physicals at various times (being four times to have physicals with these two doctors). I took the examination and one medical doctor when he got through, said, "Well, this is astounding. I see your age is forty-five years, but you have the venous structure of a teenage boy." He said, "This is excellent," and he gave me a clean bill of health. I went to the other doctor and on his second examination he did the blood pressure test on my arm. He pumped his equipment up five different times and my arm was getting irritated by it, and I was getting a little perturbed, and I said, "What's the matter, doesn't your equipment work?" "Oh yes, it always has up till now, but I keep looking at your chart and it says you are 45 years of age and yet your systolic over your diastolic is absolutely perfect. I cannot comprehend it." I said, "That's correct. It is perfect." And he also gave me a clean bill of health. So I passed at 45 years of age for a $100,000 policy with a good blood pressure showing, thanks to the cayenne.

I have been told by medical doctors, that because of my arthritis, hardening of arteries, stomach ulcers and some auto accidents that banged me up pretty badly, that I couldn't live past my 40th year. Yet, at 45 years I was pronounced in good condition. This, to me, was one of my biggest sales points on cayenne. If it could help me, it could help anybody. I have seen it used so many times over the years with such success, that I feel that it is one of our great herbs. [Dr. Christopher¹s Newsletter 1-12]

Plant’s History: Hot peppers have been used in the tropical areas of South and Central America and Africa for somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 years. The earliest recollection of cayenne pepper in any documented form was in 1493, when Christopher Columbus' voyage. With the booming spice and herb trade taking precedence, the discovery of this hot spice was not only important, but quite exciting to herbalist around the world.

Cayenne Pepper has many names, including hot flame, devil's tongue, red bird pepper, African pepper, cockspur pepper and goat's pepper.

Hot peppers originate in the tropics, but can be successfully grown in other areas. They need approximately 14-16 weeks of growing time. In Michigan, the plants are set as soon as danger of frost has passed, and by the end of September, the plants are about 2 ½ or 3 feet in height and loaded with both green and red peppers.

The longer the peppers remain on the plant, the more red they will become. Don’t be fooled, green pods are just as hot.

Active ingredient: Capsicum genus of the pepper family Capsaicin, found in the pepper, is used in over-the-counter and prescription topical drug cream products for the use of painful joints, stomach problems, as a gargle, for hangover, and when a fever is present. However, always consult a physician when using cayenne pepper for medicinal uses.

Cayenne pepper is extremely hot, in it's ground state it's dangerous when inhaled, and in it's whole form is danger to mucous membranes such as the nose and eyes. If preserving the pepper, keep mouth and nose covered--even the fumes carry a whollup--and wear gloves! The capsaicin is what causes your mouth and eyes to water and burn when you've bitten into a cayenne pepper. If this happens, immediately drink a glass of milk, which has a neutralizing ingredient in it. Water will heighten the burning sensation.

Medicinal uses: The cayenne pepper's fiery substance, capsaicin, is the part of the plant valued worldwide by scientists and herbalists.

Whether ingested or applied externally, capsaicin is a powerful ingredient. It's soothing and restorative effects on the digestive system are immense for occasional digestive problems and can be used to calm digestive disorders. At the same time, please be careful when using this product. Anyone with intestinal and/or colon disorders, should consult a physician before using cayenne pepper, as it may be disruptive.

In the West Indies, cayenne pepper pods are soaked in hot water, then mixed with sugar and the juice of sour oranges and used as a drink when a fever is present. The capsaicin will induce sweat, which in turn will cool the patient. Additionally, the orange will supply vitamin C and the sugar, energy.

If used in a poultice as a stimulant, cayenne also promotes blood flow. When used topically, it will be very hot the first couple of uses, but by day 14 or no longer than 30 days, the skin in the affected area will have adjusted to it and pain should be gone. However, it will cause redness, and excessive, extended contact with skin may result in severe blistering. Never put cayenne pepper on an open sore, abrasion or laceration. High does taken internally can lead to kidney damage. This product, as all medicinal products, should be administered by a physician.

Cayenne pepper is also used for toothache, and as a liniment for sprains and congestion problems. It has also been suggested that cayenne pepper is useful in the relief of cluster headaches, and cayenne pepper tea is used for the common cold.

REMEMBER, always use caution with this product. It is very powerful. Moderation is the key.

Culinary properties: Cayenne pepper is the perfect addition to chili or hot spicy foods. Again, use in moderation. I suggest setting a bottle of cayenne pepper on the table and allowing everyone to use as desired, rather than dumping it into the whole pot of chili. You may end up eating alone. (I add a dried cayenne to chili dishes for a more mild spice.) Grinding or crushing the pepper is another good way to use it. I suggest drying it, placing it in a sealed plastic bag and running a rolling pin over it several times. Start with a small pinch in recipes, and build from there.

CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE FOLLOWING ANY MEDICINAL PROGRAM THAT DID NOT COME PRESCRIBED BY A PHYSICIAN.