Cayenne

Cultivated for thousands of years in the tropical Americas, Africa and India, cayenne, (capsicum annum), is used as a catalyst in many herbal combinations because it promotes their absorption and effectiveness by influencing the flow of digestive secretions from salivary, gastric and intestinal glands. Cayenne also increases the body's ability to produce HCL which enhances the body's ability to digest anything that is in the stomach.
The capsicum found in cayenne improves the ratio of HDL cholesterol which has a protective effect on LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. Capsicum also increases the liver enzymes responsible for fat metabolism resulting in a thermogenic effect on weight gain.
Cayenne also contains capsaicin, the source of the heat in hot peppers. Capsaicin and substances that contain it are among the most studied substances in medical, pharmaceutical, and nutritional research. Although many of the benefits attributed to cayenne have not yet been substantiated by scientific research, it has been used with great success for hundreds of years for many of the complaints listed below.

Capsaicin:

• Improves digestion by stimulating stomach secretions
• Lowers triglycerides
• Has a laxative effect
• Triggers the release of the body's natural painkillers, the endorphins
• Unclogs stuffy noses by irritating mucus membranes
• May reduce high blood pressure
• May protect against some forms of cancer.