| Forget apples. The old folk saying should
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| probably read, "Eat a chile a day and
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| | Pain Management. Capsaicin is believed
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| keep the doctor away."
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| | to affect the pain signals in the skin,
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| | blocking pain without blocking other
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| Chile peppers, and particularly the
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| | sensations. Find an ointment or cream
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| capsaicin they contain, are good for what
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| | containing capsaicin and smear it over
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| ails you. Here's just a short list of
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| | the body part that's hurting. Initially
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| some of the health benefits attributed to
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| | the capsaicin may produce a burning
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| them:
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| | sensation, but that should cancel out the
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|
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| | pain that you're feeling.
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| Weight Loss. Feel the burn and lose the
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| pounds is one theory posited by
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| | Cure for the Common Cluster Headache.
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| researchers at the Oxford Polytechnic
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| | Just as it short-circuits pain elsewhere,
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| Institute in England. In an experiment
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| | chiles and their capsaicin can provide
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| with 12 individuals, each participant ate
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| | relief for some kind of headaches,
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| identical 766-calorie meals. Chile powder
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| | especially cluster headaches.
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| and mustard were added to meals on
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| alternate days. Participants burned an
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| | Digestive Aid and Constipation Cure.
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| average of 45 extra calories on the days
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| | Chiles stimulate gastric secretions.
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| that their meals included chile powder.
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| | Eating chiles increases the circulation
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| (Added calorie expenditure varied from
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| | in the stomach and intestines so that
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| four to 76 calories.) The theory is that
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| | food is processed and absorbed more
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| eating hot peppers increases
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| | efficiently. They get the digestive
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| "thermogenesis," the body's caloric burn
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| | juices flowing, which improves digestion
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| rate.
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| | as well as gives a boost to sluggish
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| | bowels and inspires them to get a move
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| Keep your heart healthy. Chiles reduce
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| | on. Chiles can even bring relief to
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| platelet aggregation, which clogs blood
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| | sufferers of stomach aches as strange as
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| vessels which in turn can cause heart
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| | that may sound.
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| disease.
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| | Cold Relief. Hot pepper acts as an
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| Improve circulation. Because chiles are
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| | expectorant. It can break up congestion
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| vasodilators and open up blood vessels,
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| | and reduce mucous in the lungs and nasal
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| ingesting cayenne pepper improves blood
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| | passages. (Ingestion of hot peppers
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| circulation. People with circulation
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| | causes your mouth, throat, and lungs to
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| problems or who have suffered frost bite
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| | release watery fluids as anyone that's
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| often take capsaicin powder before
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| | chomped down on a jalapeno pepper or
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| participating in cold weather sports.
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| | taken a bite of extra hot chili can
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|
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| | attest.) These watery secretions help
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| Cancer killer. Capsaicin in chiles may
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| | thin respiratory mucus, so it's easier to
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| fight cancer by preventing carcinogens
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| | cough up and expel.) Try cayenne mixed
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| from binding to DNA. The theory is that
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| | with hot lemonade and ginger to soothe
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| binding to the DNA short-circuits the
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| | your next cold. Similarly capsaicin can
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| triggers for lung and other cancers. This
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| | help calm coughs by wetting the throat --
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| does not mean that chiles cure cancer,
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| | menthol lozenges actually dry out your
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| but eating them may help to reduce your
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| | throat and paralyze the cilia on the
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| risk of getting certain kinds of cancer.
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| | airways. Chilies can also mend sore
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| | throats, not only by giving symptomatic,
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| Bacteria Killer, Part I. Get hurt on a
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| | relief but also because of hot peppers'
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| picnic and don't have any Bactine on you?
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| | antiseptic properties.
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| Head for the hot sauce, instead. Chiles
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| and their capsaicin act as an antiseptic
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| | Keep in mind that individual results may
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| when applied directly to a wound. (No, it
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| | vary and that you should always consult a
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| does not work against snake bites.)
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| | doctor before trying a health remedy --
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|
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| | even an all-natural one. That said, next
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| Bacteria Killer, Part II. Chiles can
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| | time you catch a cold, dribble some hot
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| prevent food borne bacterial disease such
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| | sauce on your favorite food to relieve
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| as salmonella. Chiles killed more than 75
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| | your stuffy nose and make your sore
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| percent of 30 germs in a study published
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| | throat feel better and call your doctor
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| in the March 1998 issue of the Quarterly
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| | in the morning.This article was written
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| Review of Biology. So slather on the hot
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| | by Eric Vinje of Cosmic Chile.
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| sauce and know that you're not only
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| improving the taste of what you're
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| | Shop online for hot sauce, salsas, spicy
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| eating, you may be getting rid of some
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| | BBQ sauces and more. If it's fiery foods
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| nasty microbes that could make you ill.
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| | you're after...we've got it!
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