BEST OF: Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pepper Power

I love peppers. Green, red, yellow or orange, I can eat them like apples. Sauteed in olive oil with onions, chopped on a salad or sliced on my veggie everything pizza from Satelite, I can't get enough.  

Jalapeno hushpuppies are in my dreams and I have a fabulous recipe if anyone wants it.  I used to horrify my parents by eating jalapeno's and pepperoncini without pain. My grandmother was always afraid I was going to burn a hole in my stomach, but she was also afraid I would get a leak in my heart because I ran everywhere. Little did we know back then, that I was eating one of the most beneficial and protective vegetables on Earth.

Peppers are one of Mother Nature's super foods. Not only do they taste great -they're packed with anti-oxidants such as vitamin C and beta carotene- but sweet peppers provide 150 percent of your daily C and one fifth of your beta carotene in only one half cup. If you are a Don Imus listener, you know that he has been fighting prostate cancer for the past few years on an almost all natural regimen.  One of the things he swears by is his hot pepper sandwich, which he eats daily for it's cancer fighting properties. 

A  study done in Northern Italy compared the eating habits of 339 people who had colon cancer with 778 who were cancer free. It found that the those who ate peppers often had a 32 percent lower risk of colon cancer. Although they couldn't say exactly how the peppers protected these folks, a review of studies conducted by Gladys Block, Ph.D.  a professor at U.C. Berkely's School of Public Health indicated that foods rich in vitamin C, such as peppers, significantly reduce the incidence of some cancers. Such cancers include mouth, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix,rectum, breast and (wow!) even lung.

A Harvard study revealed that beta carotene reduced strokes, heart attacks and resulting deaths in a group of 333 men with serious diseases by more than 50 percent over seven years. Frankly, it will take a lot of peppers to see all these benefits, but adding a half cup daily to your diet will get you on the road. Sweet peppers are rich in C and beta carotene, but the hot variety adds the healthy kick of capsaicin, the substance that gives you that  "Aye Carumba!" kick in the taste buds that so many of us crave!  

Hot peppers come in hundreds of varieties, from a mild jalapeno to hottest habanero or peel your paint off serrano. These peppers are the Marines of cancer fighting. Hot peppers are also thought to raise your metabolism, lower your blood pressure and clear up parasites in the digestive tract. Capsaicin is also a main ingredient in topical pain relievers sold without prescriptions and very effective for the agony of shingles. 

Cayenne pepper is another small miracle of nature. Dr. John Christopher, a genius of Herbal Medicine, developed an eyewash using cayenne which was said to dissolve cataracts and restore vision. Yes, it burned a bit, but I have heard people swear it saved them from surgery. Cayenne is also a wonderful treatment for wounds. Far from burning the flesh, when packed into an open wound, it stops bleeding and prevents infection. My only caveat concerning peppers is to go easy should you have arthritis. Peppers are members of the "Nightshade family" of plants and can aggravate inflammation in those who suffer from arthritis when eaten. Putting capsaicin on achy joints, however, does not seem to have a deleterious effect. 

When preparing any hot peppers, remember to wear disposable non-latex gloves and failing that, don't touch your eyes or nose or any sensitive area without really washing up well.  The volatile oils that are so great for your health can inflict a nasty burning sensation for several hours. 

Bach Flower Remedies of the week:

Gentian: This remedy is helpful when one feels despondency or discouragement stemming from disappointing circumstances. Losing a job or flunking a test can sometimes cause a lack of self confidence. Gentian lifts the spirits and gives you the boost you need to keep trying.

Gorse: A  Gorse state of mind is a lot more serious than a little "down feeling." If one questions everything they do and lacks the ability to feel true self confidence and clarity, and in turn this leads to a depressed state, Gorse to the rescue.  It helps to overcome pessimism, feeling that nothing will ever go right again.  Faithful use of Gorse will help to create a more optimistic outlook. 

If you would like an appointment with Dr. Kleine, please call us at 631 472 8139.