For Girl's Camp this year I was asked to put together a 40-minute workshop to be shared with six different groups. Aware that nature doesn't enthrall all of us equally, I attempted to draw them in with a personal story of how I started my journey of herbal learning, then proceeded to introduce four fabulous herbs - two found locally in the desert (Chaparral and Brigham Tea) and the other two found in most spice cupboards (Cayenne and Garlic). For each herb I highlighted a few prominent medicinal actions, a brief history, and documented or personal healing stories. By the time I introduced the last herb, the girls and leaders were no longer astonished at their astonishment. They began to wonder like I have, "If herbs are so amazing, why doesn't everyone know about them?!"

Before beginning the workshops on the second day I was approached by the camp nurse, an actual nurse by profession, who had attended my workshop the previous day. Pointing to a girl holding a cloth to her face, she asked if I had anything for a bloody nose. I smiled and nodded as I swallowed a bite of my lunch and thrilled at being asked for medical advice from a healthcare professional. I escorted the young woman back to my campsite where I added a few drops of cayenne tincture to a Dixie cup of warm Brigham Tea (it's what I had on hand). She too remembered the cayenne stories from the previous day and drank the liquid expectantly. After a few moments she ventured removing the cloth from her face. The leak, as expected, had completely ceased.

Dr. Christopher was a huge fan of cayenne, touting its amazing medicinal qualities every chance he had. Over the years he related many instances of cayenne evening out blood pressure and arresting bleeding on various injuries. He told about a woman whose husband had severe stomach ulcers. She had attended many of Dr. Christopher's lectures and had begun swapping out the pharmaceuticals in the medicine cabinet for herbs. One day her husband couldn't stand the pain of his stomach ulcers any longer and determined to take his own life, but when he searched the medicine cabinet for something to overdose on all he found were herbs. When he came upon cayenne, he figured a large dose of it would surely have the same effect as a large dose of any other pharmaceutical - it should kill him. He took a heaping tablespoon of cayenne in a glass of water, laid on the bed with a pillow over his head, and waited to die. "The next thing he knew, his wife was shaking him awake the next morning. He had slept all night, the first time in years, instead of waking every half hour or so for anti-acid tablets. To his amazement, all his pain was gone. He continued using the Cayenne faithfully, three times a day, and never had any more trouble with ulcers." [1]

It may seem counter-intuitive to add cayenne to wounds, especially a bleeding stomach ulcer, but cayenne is full of so much fabulous nourishment and contains wonderful healing properties. It is rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, calcium, iron, and phosphorus. Cayenne allows the body to begin the clotting process while evening out blood pressure and reducing pain. Every time you address an inflamed, red, or bleeding wound, reach for this amazing red cayenne. Red for the red!  

Reference: 

[1] Christopher, John R. The School of Natural Healing Herb Syllabus. (Christopher Publications, UT: 2010).

Kristi Taylor is a Master Herbalist, Clinical Herbalist, and Natural Healing Guide©. She endeavors to share her knowledge and passion of natural healing with whomever will listen - because nature’s wisdom never ceases to delight and amaze! Visit her at www.itsinournature.com.