Nurture by nature: Cayenne

Thursday, March 26, 2009

For a stiff neck, bruised leg or aching knees, the best remedy seems to be to hit the bottle—the bottle of pills that is. Though we are in a world where popping pills appears to be the best cure to any problem, it may be surprising that one of the better cures to pain and inflammation dwells in your spice cabinet.

Cayenne, which contains Capsaicin, can bring temporary relief to arthritis, stiff necks, muscle soreness, sprains, bruises and other aches, says Holly Stutzman, retail support for Whole Body at Whole Foods in Overland Park.

“I mix the spice with some olive oil and apply it as a topical. But be careful, too much of the cayenne can be a problem. But with the right amount, it can ease the pain of a bruise quite quickly,” Stutzman says.

Capsaicin is the true pain reliever in cayenne. Used in topical ointments such as Zostrix, the compound Capsaicin may initially cause the skin to become red and inflamed with minor pain and burning, but over time the initial reaction lessens and the inflammation is reduced in the affected area. Capsaicin alters the compound that transfers pain messages to sensors in the brain, therefore eliminating or lessening pain.

Although the initial pain may intimidate some, Stutzman says the pain relief through natural means is worth the short burning sensation. Cayenne is available in liquid extracts, creams, ointments and—for those who just can’t give up the bottle—capsules.

The Spice of Life

/news/2005/oct/06/spice_life/

What's hiding in your cabinets?

Facts about expired medicine

/news/2008/may/08/whats_hiding_your_cabinets/

Pesky pimples

What causes acne and how you can treat it

/news/2007/aug/16/pesky_pimples/

Potter Lake's murk veiled time capsule

Identities of time capsules creators are still a mystery.

/news/2010/oct/25/potter-lakes/

Skills in scent-uality

Harness the power of smell to help you relax.

/news/2010/feb/18/skills-scent-uality/

One night of fun, one day of ...

The inside scoop on hangovers

/news/2008/mar/27/one_night_fun_one_day_regret/

It's a hard knot life

Want to relax? If stress leaves you feeling stiff, consider these three ...

/news/2008/apr/24/its_hard_knot_life/

Better Options for Bad Situations: Headache Remedies

If you're going to do it, be smart.

/news/2011/may/05/better-options-bad-situations-headache-remedies/

BYOB: Brew Your Own Beer

A look at what it takes to start homebrewing.

/news/2011/nov/17/byob-brew-your-own-beer/

How to Train for Your First 5K

Becoming a runner isn't as impossible as you think...

/news/2011/apr/21/how-train-your-first-5k/

The gift of the garden

/news/2005/apr/21/jayplay_features_herbs/

Cleaning up, au naturale

Lather up with some homemade soaps

/news/2008/mar/06/naturally_clean/

University gets $8 million to find male ...

/news/2005/jun/23/malepill/

Schwartz: Home remedies offer easy relief

Feeling not-so-hot today? Try some home remedies.

/news/2011/sep/28/schwartz-home-remedies-offer-easy-relief/

Acai is popular superfood in many forms

As health benefits of acai berry become more widely known, local vendors ...

/news/2009/jan/26/acai/

Expired Medication: Dependable or Dangerous?

Yes, the dates on the bottle actually do mean something.

/news/2011/feb/10/expired-medication-dependable-or-dangerous/

Carter: Excercise cures all

Our over-medicated society frequently turns to pills to solve physical discomfort, ignoring ...

/news/2006/sep/21/carter/

Autumnal allergies abound on KU campus

Allergies, intestinal problems and cuts are students’ top reasons to visit Watkins.

/news/2009/aug/20/autumnal_allergies_abound_ku_campus/

Pred: Making Mexican food

Making Mexican food adds a lot of variety to your meals.

/news/2012/jan/26/pred-making-mexican-food/

Losing weight, losing control

Among the millions who struggle with eating disorders, the majority suffer from ...

/news/2011/apr/27/weight-loss/

For Pain or for Party

The highs and lows of prescription painkillers and sedatives

/news/2007/jan/25/pain_or_party/

Its the Great Pumpkin, Larry-town

Pumpkins are a fun and decorative Halloween tradition, but they’re also a ...

/news/2007/oct/25/its_great_pumpkin_larrytown/

Beyond the pill

Alternatives to the most popular form of birth control about and better ...

/news/2010/mar/04/beyond-pill/

The alternative for healing

A look at unconventional medicinal techniques

/news/2009/feb/19/alternative_healing/

Campus club touts benefits of marijuana

NORML wrapped up the semester with a film screening about medicinal marijuana.

/news/2010/nov/29/campus-club-offers-benefits-marijuana/

Good For You, Bad For You: Popping ...

Sometimes it's hard to tell.

/news/2011/sep/07/good-you-bad-you-popping-your-joints/

Weight off your shoulders

All gain, and no pain, when you wear a backpack the right ...

/news/2010/oct/07/weight-your-shoulders/

Jayplay says...

Sexperiment

/news/2008/feb/07/jayplay_says/

Learning about Lyme disease

Advocates and sufferers support education, early detection to prevent Lyme disease.

/news/2010/apr/23/learning-about-lyme-disease/

Curing the common zit

The secret to greak skin is not necessarily in how often you ...

/news/2006/feb/02/health/

Cook it

Hummus

/news/2008/apr/03/cook_it/

Sales of the death men

America's funeral homes will see 2.5 million people pass through their doors ...

/news/2010/apr/22/sales-death-men/

Team discovers potential cancer-fighting technique

Researchers found chemical reactions in fungi that may help to fight cancer-causing ...

/news/2009/jul/07/fungi/

Skin Situations

After numerous failed acne treatments, Rachel finally sees more in her appearance ...

/news/2012/apr/05/skin-situations/

Better Options for Bad Situations: Staring at ...

If you're going to do it, be smart.

/news/2011/oct/27/better-options-bad-situations-staring-computer-scr/

Dirty mouth: Water may not be clean

Traces of prescription medicines and over-the-counter drugs can be found in water ...

/news/2009/sep/14/tap_water/

Unexpectedly Expecting: Vanessa's story

Young, in love and confronted with an unexpected pregnancy, Vanessa and her ...

/news/2010/apr/21/unexpectedly-expecting-vanessas-story/

KU Medical Center works to develop men’s ...

Dr. Joseph Tash has spent more than a decade developing a pill ...

/news/2012/mar/05/mens-birth-control/

/weblogs/beer-for-breakfast/2009/oct/14/my-little-megaphone/

Native plants now herbal remedies

Plants are harvested in northeastern Douglas County and then sent to West ...

/news/2010/sep/19/native-plants-and-modern-technology-mesh-medicinal/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID