How to Use Cayenne Pepper for Arthritis Pain

How to Use Cayenne Pepper for Arthritis Pain

Cayenne pepper contains a substance called capsaicin that has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing pain in the body. Though you might know cayenne pepper as a spice, ancient cultures also used it as a remedy. Arthritis is a painful medical condition, and adding cayenne pepper powder and cayenne pepper capsules to your treatment can prove very helpful with pain release.

1. You need a healthy digestive system in order to use cayenne pepper as a natural remedy. Cayenne pepper proves hard to digest and can cause irritation to a sensitive digestive tract. Avoid using cayenne pepper if you suffer from acid reflux, ulcerative colitis, severe heartburn or other digestive problems. If you know you have a digestive issue, talk with your doctor before including cayenne pepper in your diet.

2. Get cayenne pepper powder from a health food store. Put just a tiny amount of powder in your food every day for one week. You can sprinkle it in any food, including soup, pasta, vegetable juice or rice. If your stomach hurts after eating cayenne powder or you feel any other digestive discomfort, try the cayenne pepper capsules alternative.

3. If your stomach doesn’t react badly to the cayenne powder, increase the quantity you eat in the second week. If in the first week you sprinkle just one-sixteenth of a teaspoon every day, in the second week include one-eighth of a teaspoon twice a day. You will find it best to eat the spice in the mornings and evenings, keeping several hours between the intakes. You should notice a decrease in joint pain within one-half hour after eating the food sprinkled with cayenne pepper.

4. Combine cayenne pepper with cinnamon, another spice that has anti-inflammatory properties. Prepare a delicious Mexican hot chocolate every couple of days. Prepare the hot chocolate and add one-quarter teaspoon of cayenne powder and one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon.

5. Continue increasing your cayenne pepper intake week after week until you get to two teaspoons a day. Don’t eat the two teaspoons in one meal. Divide the quantity to four or six portions and sprinkle the spice on your foods and snacks throughout the day. If you experience any digestive problem while increasing the quantity of cayenne pepper powder you eat, switch to cayenne pepper capsules. Make sure the cayenne pepper powder and/or capsules you purchase are organic.

6. Make sure you stay hydrated. Drink at least two liters of water or fluids each day. Also try to keep a healthy overall diet and lose any extra weight to release pressure from your joints. Exercise every day and keep your body relaxed. Yoga, a good combination of exercising and relaxation, can help treat arthritis. Always discuss with your doctor before starting a new treatment for arthritis or undertaking yoga or any type of exercise. Arthritis has over 100 forms, so what works for one patient might not work for another.

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