Guest guest Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 A History of the Healing Chili JoAnn Guest Mar 11, 2006 16:31 PST http://herballegacy.com/history.htm The Capsicums are ancient natives of the New World, the oldest known specimens coming from Mexico. From seeds found on the floors of caves that were ancient human dwellings and from ancient fossil feces, scientists have found the people were eating peppers as early as 7000 BC.. MOST CERTAIN STIMULANT—AND NEARLY A CURE-ALL One of the most important uses of (Cayenne is as a circulatory stimulant, an herb that feeds the necessary elements into the cell structure of the arteries, veins, and capillaries so that they, regain youthful elasticity and so that the blood pressure reduces itself to normal. When the venous structure becomes loaded with sticky mucus, the blood cannot circulate freely, so higher pressure is needed to force the blood through. Cayenne equalizes the blood pressure, influencing the heart immediately, and then extending its effects to the venous structure (SNH:407). It also works to cut the mucus in the venous system, and indeed in all the systems throughout the body. Cayenne is a certain remedy for heart attack; as a stimulant, it can start the heart into action again, and as it facilitates blood flow throughout the body, it will keep the heart going. Used as a heart attack preventative, along with the mucusless diet and a healthful life-style, Cayenne can do wonders in toning and rebuilding the heart and keeping it in top condition. As we will discuss later, Cayenne is one of the richest and most stable sources of Vitamin E, which is known to be a heart builder. The most common medical use of Cayenne is as a gastric stimulant and digestive aid. It rebuilds the stomach tissue and stimulates peristalsis, thus assisting in assimilation and elimination. In the West Indies, a preparation called Mandram is used for weak digestion and loss of appetite; this is made of thinly sliced, unskinned cucumbers, shallots, chives or onions, lemon or lime juice, Madeira, and a few pods of Cayenne well mashed up in the liquids. It can be used as a chutney or garnish (Gri: 176) Cayenne is used as a diaphoretic-sweat inducing-herb, especially useful when combined with other powerful diaphoretics such as yarrow, blue vervain, bayberry, etc. It should be given when a chili is coming on, to offset a cold, or to help break a fever, as it sustains the portal circulation (Klo:220) and assists in the removal of mucus, as well as inducing perspiration. If one believes in the use of emesis to cleanse the stomach, such as the Thomsonians did, large doses of Cayenne will certainly do the job without causing any harm to the patient. If combined with an emetic, such as Lobelia, Cayenne will help the emesis continue over a longer period and prevent bruising or other discomfort. If a person swallows a noxious substance or polluted food or drink, this Lobelia-Cayenne combination will work surely to bring it up. Be sure not to induce vomiting, however, if a corrosive substance has been ingested. As related above, Cayenne works powerfully to arrest bleeding. You can place Cayenne powder or tincture directly upon an open wound, even one that is gushing blood, and by the count of ten, the bleeding will cease. If there is internal hemorrhaging, in the lungs, stomach, uterus or nose, have the person take a teaspoonful of Cayenne in a glass of quite warm water; the blood pressure will be equalized, taking the pressure off from the affected part, clotting will begin, and the hemorrhage will stop. For hemorrhage of the lungs, a vapor bath with warm Cayenne can do the same thing. In an external wound, even if the cut is so deep it goes to the bone you may fill it with Cayenne pepper and the bleeding will stop and the wound will heal beautifully. A woman fell while descending stairs to the basement and struck her head on the overhang above the staircase. She fell on her elbow and hip as well, but she had hit her eye so: badly that it was oozing blood down her face. She found her way upstairs, and " dumped a pile of Cayenne into her hand and pressed it against her wounded eye " (Herbalist:March, 1978:30). She also took Cayenne internally and applied an ice pack. By this time the bleeding had stopped, and she applied Dr. Christopher's Comfrey Poultice, made with wheat-germ oil and honey, to her eye wound and other facial wounds. When she went to the doctor, he cleaned out the wound and told her that she would bruise very badly and that, if she wished, he would re-cut the wound and stitch it, as she had passed the eight-hour limit for stitches. She kept taking the Cayenne and rubbing wheat-germ oil and other oils and herbs on the wound. She also applied wet hot packs for the itching associated with healing. After a few days, the marks of the accident were nearly cleared up, although the doctor had predicted many days of discolor and discomfort. This lady - who has teenage grandchildren—credits her quick healing to Cayenne (Ibid.) Cayenne is used externally as a liniment as well, effective for wounds, bruises, scalds, bums, and sunburns, applied freely. You can rinse the mouth with the liniment for pyorrhea (Mal:84). It brings out toxic poisons and can be used to relieve lung congestion as well as external problems. It will bring relief for the sufferer of rheumatism. A simple liniment is made by simmering 1 tablespoonful of Cayenne in 1 pint of Apple cider vinegar; bottle, unstained, while still hot. You can also combine the Cayenne with other herbs, such as Golden Seal, Lobelia, etc., to obtain their beneficial effects in the liniment. A plaster of Cayenne, made with bran or hops and combined with Lobelia, is valuable in pneumonia, pleurisy, and other congestion's. Many famous commercial ointments sold by Rawleighs, Watkins, and others, are high in Cayenne. Cayenne is extremely valuable as an emmenagogue. It will act as a carrier for uterine herbs such as Blessed thistle, taking them directly to the uterus. When expectant mothers go into labor, midwives commonly give them a drink made of Cayenne, apple cider vinegar, honey, and warm water. This stimulates good contractions, gives energy—and as an added benefit, circumvents any possible hemorrhage and acts as an anti- shock remedy, as labor often brings about shock. In fact, this combination is a most efficient anti-shock remedy and should be supplied in any case of shock. Cayenne in hot water alone will also work. Cayenne will increase a persons feeling of vitality and activity—as it is a stimulant—without any bad aftereffects, such as do other stimulants. Combined with Lobelia, it is wonderful in cases of depression or low spirits. Capsicum is an excellent antiseptic. For infectious sore throat, combine it with slippery elm and lobelia. It will kill germs when applied to wounds, and can he taken to ward off diseases one has been exposed to (Herbalist 1:1:33). Since it works so effectively to eliminate mucus from the body, it is an excellent expectorant. Mixed with ginger, it does a wonderful job of cleaning out the bronchial tubes and sinus cavities and relieving immediately all problems of colds and congestion (Mal:85). Cayenne is used as an accentuator with other herbs; it increases the value and healing properties of the herbs and carries them to the afflicted part of the body. Indeed, Cayenne affects every portion of the body through its marvelous action in the venous structure. It relieves cramping or pain throughout the system. It reduces inflammation and reduces hemorrhoids, even when they are serious and painful. It can help cleanse the system of alcoholism and even reduce the discomfort of a hangover, or worse, the miseries of delirium tremens. It has been said to be a sure assist in cases of diphtheria, used internally and externally as a fomentation of the tincture. It will relieve a relaxed throat, toning it up immediately. If you soak the oil in cotton, you can apply It to an aching tooth, and the relief will last a long time. Sprinkle a little of the powder into your socks at night if you suffer from cold feet; your toes will be warm all night. Rub it on if you have a sprain or a backache. Drink the tea if you have problems with flatulence. The American Indians used to say you could get rid of a wart if you bound on a fresh pepper pod every day. Cayenne is rich in Vitamins C, A, B and G. It is an excellent source of Vitamin E. In Szent-Gyorgi's Nobel Prize winning research on Vitamin C in 1937, he had been using a substance, obtained from adrenal glands, that he suspected to be Vitamin C. When he could no longer obtain this substance, on a hunch he tried to use Paprika peppers for his work, and found them a rich source of this substance, later to be called Vitamin C. Capsicum also contains Calcium, Phosphorus, and Iron. The School of Natural Healing. ===================================================================== Post subject: Cayenne as Medicine and Current Findings --- FROM THE MEDICAL WORLD http://herballegacy.com/medical___findings.htm Most medical doctors eliminate hot foods such as capsicum from the diets of ulcer patients and others with delicate digestion; as we have shown, this is directly opposite to that which is recommended by herbalists. Their actions are influenced from medical research showing hemorrhaging occurring after introducing (mechanically) capsicum into the stomachs of persons prone to hemorrhages. Their observations are fact but tend to be inconclusive. Perhaps any substance introduced mechanically into the system could have caused hemorrhaging. From personal experience, I was very uncomfortable taking capsicum for my bleeding ulcers, but after one day of taking capsicum, in water, I never again experienced passing dark blood through my stools. Perhaps the immediate bleeding observed, by the researchers, would have been corrected through continued herb care. FOOD AS MEDICINE The most prominent non-medical use of Capsicum, of course, is culinary, a perfect example of the old maxim, " Let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food. " In kitchens all over the world, Capsicums are used to prepare hot dishes, and are even featured as a vegetable themselves. The peppers are ground and mixed with other spices to make Chili Powder, a common seasoning almost everywhere. If you are fortunate enough to grow or purchase your own chili peppers, you can preserve them yourself. You can pickle them as you would cucumbers, adding carrots, celery, onions or other vegetables as the Mexicans do. If you wish to can or freeze green chilies, you will need to roast and peel them. Roast them over an open flame or in a hot oven until the skins blister. Quickly put them into a plastic bag or damp cloth until the steam loosens the skins. You may then, with hands gloved in rubber gloves or well-oiled—to avoid blistering or buming—peel the peppers. Remove the seeds if desired, chop if desired, and freeze in plastic bags, well-sealed. If you wish to can them, follow directions included with your canning jars as to pressure needed in a pressure canner. You may use green hot peppers to make your own taco or hot sauce. To two or three quarts of tomatoes, add salt and garlic pepper to taste, and two to three cups of chopped, peeled chills. Can as usual for tomatoes. The Mexicans make a raw chili salsa, with chopped tomato, onion, garlic, and fresh chili pepper. This salsa is an excellent and garnish to any meal. By far the easiest culinary use of Cayenne is just to sprinkle it upon your food, as you would use black pepper. Use a little at first, increasing as you become accustomed to the pungency. For everyday maintenance o(good health, this is an excellent way to use Cayenne. Even children can learn to enjoy foods thus seasoned. As for other uses, the leaves are used extensively in the Philippines as a green dye. The powder can be sprinkled in primitive living sites to drive off bugs and vermin, as they detest Cayenne, and it can also be burned to fumigate against vermin. A room thus fumigated can be opened and used fight after the treatment, as the fumes are not poisonous to humans (Levy:43). CURRENT FINDINGS Recent research has focused on the extraction and isolation of the constituents of Capsicum. Lee et al. devised a mass fragmentographic method for the quantitative microanalysis of Capsaicin, the major medicinal constituent of Capsicum (Journal of Chromatography, 21 July 1976). Salzer, noting that most industrially prepared quick foods are relying on seasoning extracts rather than the more easily deteriorated spices themselves, discovered that the main flavoring constituent of Capsicum is capsaicin (Critical Reviews in Science and Nutrition, 1977). Of most interest medicinally, Frischkorn and Frischkorn researched the debilitating tropical disease, schistosomiasis, or snail fever, which is contracted through the skin by contact with snail larvae in fresh water. They estimate that up to half of the people in the third world are afflicted with this disease. Aside from chemotherapeutic treatment and water treatment, they discovered that the oil of Capsicum annuum, which is high in capsaicin, kills the larvae, and that frequent ingestion of Capsicum can help treat the disease (Naturwissenschaften, September, 1978) Of particular interest to herbalists who are interested in the reasons why Capsicum is so valuable in heart disease, Kanner et. al. analyzed Capsicum annuum for tocopherol content. They found that of all the edible plants, Capsicum annuum contained the most natural Vitamin E, which is in a peculiarly stable form. In fresh, ripe pepper fruits, they found 3-10 mg./100 grams, which shows that the vegetable could become a significant source of Vitamin E in the diet. Vitamin E is often used to treat heart conditions. Because there is also a goodly amount of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in the peppers, the two vitamins are well balanced naturally, which the authors considered a fact of great importance in nutritional and technological considerations (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, November-December, 1979, pp. 1316-. DESCRIPTION Capsicum belongs to the botanic family Solanaceae, commonly known as the Nightshade family and including potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, eggplants, the deadly nightshade, henbane, Jimson weed, petunias, and tobacco (Heiser:l). They are not true peppers, but were misnamed by early Spanish explorers who confused their hot taste with the pepper to which they were accustomed. Capsicum annuum is a shrubby perennial plant two to six feet high. Branches are angular, usually enlarged and slightly purple at the nodes; petioles medium; penducles slender, often in pairs, and longer than the fruit; calyx cup-shaped, clasping base of fruit which is red, ovate, and long; seeds small and flat, from ten to twenty nine. The cuticle of the pericarp is uniformly striated and in this particular is distinct from other species. The taste is pungent and the smell characteristic, though not disagreeable (Gri: 175-76). The peppers, when dried, vary in lengths from 3/8 inch to 2 1/4 inches and in width from 3/16 to 1/2 inch. The shape is blunt and roundish at the base, tapering to a point; oblong-acuminate. The pods are shiny, flattish and somewhat wrinkled. The seeds are small, flat, reniform, and yellow. The African varieties are smaller and more pungent than the American varieties, which are larger and more heart-shaped. The School of Natural Healing. _________________ Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:36 pm Post subject: Salsa Goes Upscale - Salsa Goes Upscale John Mariani Until recently, too many otherwise sophisticated people have regarded salsa as a dip, a sauce to stick tortilla chips into, or a nice alternative to ketchup. It's too often been associated with the combo platter and the roadside taco stand. Yet in Mexico—and increasingly in the U.S.—salsa is gaining respectability as a significant part of a serious dish– a " condiment, " if you want to get fancy. Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy writes in her seminal book, The Cuisines of Mexico, " A dish of sauce or relish is as indispensable to the Mexican table as our salt, pepper, and mustard, " and she makes a strong distinction between uncooked and cooked salsas. Indeed, the Spanish word " salsa " actually refers to any sauce–not just a side item on a plate–and this is where things get interesting: Salsa is starting to get the respect it deserves in the kitchens of upscale chefs for whom Mexican, Southwestern, or Caribbean cooking is not the main focus. This new approach to salsas by young chefs at fine-dining, " white tablecloth " restaurants is, in fact, an admission that well- seasoned, often spicy dishes of a kind rarely ever found in the past at such restaurants have become quite the rage. It's difficult not to go to an upscale restaurant–except for an ultra-conservative French dining salon–where heat and spice have not become elements on menus now far broader in scope than in the past. Look, for instance, at celebrated chef Bradley Ogden's new menu at Arterra in Del Mar, California, which features dishes like seared Hudson Valley foie gras with strawberry-rhubarb and sourdough French toast, and pan-seared Peking duck with organic cauliflower and Port-soaked cherries. But listed right next to these everyday favorites are entrées full of spice–like his Ahi and Argentinean pink prawns with a citrus chili ponzu sauce, avocado, and cilantro–as well as a beer-battered Anaheim pepper and lobster with a spicy salsa. At L.A.'s hottest new dining room, Cinch, chef Chris Behre does an entire sushi menu, along with sumptuous American and Mediterranean dishes, but he is also just as enamored with salsa-rich items like tomato and tapenade salad; Thai-style, lemongrass-scented, fried-and-grilled salmon fish cakes served with a white corn and pimento salsa; and grilled lamb chops topped with umeboshi, a Japanese pickled plum relish. You might expect such things to pop up on menus in California, where chefs cook all over the map. But how about in the more stately city of Philadelphia, where chef Francesco Martorella of the fabulous new restaurant, Bliss, lists delicious shrimp and jumbo crab spring rolls with sweet chili dipping sauce, along with his more classic Mediterranean and Asian dishes like sea scallops with unagi, cucumber, and a sweet miso glaze; Moroccan spiced lamb loin with couscous and sweet garlic jus; and olive-crusted halibut with rock shrimp risotto and purple mustard sauce? And in New Orleans, where Creole food is not nearly as highly seasoned as out-of-towners think it is (that would be Cajun food), many young chefs in upscale restaurants are adding more and more zest to their cooking. Kevin Vizard of the new Café Adelaide serves up a wonderful island-grilled chicken with a mango-jalapeño salsa that has sweetness and bite in every forkful. If there are still some people who think fish is too delicate for spiciness, they obviously haven't tasted chef Mark Lippman's crispy calamari with a smoked tomato aïoli, which he serves in the dynamic, very beautiful, seafood-based Ocean Drive restaurant in Norwalk, Connecticut. The cooking staff under the new chef, Craig Koketsu, at NYC's Manhattan Ocean Club, which opened in the mid-'80s, is also careful about how spices are used with fish. " Traditionally, American fish cookery has used very basic sauces–usually butter-or lemon-based– and that was what was on the original menus at the Manhattan Ocean Club, " he says. " Up until 10 years ago, food was not nearly as global as it is now. Now we know that spices push flavors forward, which is really pleasing to the palate, so whenever you combine them, it has to be in moderation, not to heat up your mouth, but just to get the message across. " Illustrative of his sentiments is the grilled, wild Alaskan king salmon with a tangerine-ginger lacquer, chili-garlic salsa, and a sesame brik tuile, a dish with as much cosmopolitan flavor as you'll ever find–drawing from the Pacific Northwest, Asia, the Americas, and North Africa for its flurry of flavors. By the same token, you'll find classic dishes like Dover sole à la meunière and red snapper cooked Spanish-style on a griddle called la plancha. But you'll also get a choice of four sauces to go with any of his dishes–vierge, a French sauce made with cream, butter, and artichokes; a crushed chickpea sauce; a pineapple tamarind; and the chili garlic. As Koketsu indicates, the seasonings that now characterize modern American cuisine may have started out tentatively back in the 1980s with the addition of a little more garlic, a touch of cayenne in a cream sauce, and the use of tropical fruits (remember nouvelle cuisine's faddish use of kiwi fruit on every plate?). But encouraged by inventive chefs in the so-called " New American Cuisine " movement who boldly went deeper into the regional cookery of the South and West–as opposed to the straitjacket of less spicy Eastern and European food– everybody eventually got a toe or foot on the bandwagon, and salsa was an easy way to begin. " When I first began cooking professionally, it was very French with lots of cream sauces, " says Bliss's chef Martorella. " My Italian background had some spices, especially in winter, but over the last decade the changes in American flavors and tastes have been dramatic: Hot is no longer the predominant flavor, along with sweet and sour. I go to Asian markets to get my fresh chiles, and I make my own chili powders. By 1991 I started using my classic French training and techniques along with these ingredients, and I've noticed that the current generation of Americans–who love to go out to eat–have grown up with hot and spicy flavors I never knew about when I was growing up. And they don't go to Europe as much for the food as they now do south of the border. " As with all of these upscale American chefs, Martorella warns against overpowering the honest flavors of ingredients. " I think the difference between our cooking and what you'll find in the Southwest is that we use heat and spice with more subtlety. I just want my guests to feel a little heat and bite on the tongue. I don't want to blank out their palate so they don't taste the other flavors. " It's hard to say whether the American palate will gain more and more tolerance for more and more heat, but you can be sure that the most celebrated American chefs are going to be pushing the envelope in the years to come, with salsa as their main medium. http://www.chilepepper.com/articles/view.php?articleID=124 _________________ JoAnn Guest mrsjo- www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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