HEALTH BENEFITS

I took an interest in Chile Peppers because of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These properties come from the bioactive compounds contained in the Chile Peppers, specifically the chemical compound Capsaicin, the carotenoids Beta Carotene and Capsanthin, and the polyphenols, Luteolin and Apigenin.

The most powerful carotenoid, Capsanthin is only found in red Chile Peppers, making red Chile Peppers the most anti-inflammatory.

HOW I USE CHILE PEPPERS

As a woman with Multiple Sclerosis (MS),I use Chile Peppers to help manage my MS. When I discovered that inflammation causes MS relapses, with relapses being the worsening of current or creation of new MS symptoms, I incorporated Chile Peppers into my beneficial diet to do the following:

• Use their anti-inflammatory properties to help manage inflammation.
• Use their antioxidant properties to protect the cells of the body from oxidative stress, which is linked to disease, a major source of inflammation.

So, Chile Peppers help manage inflammation and a major source of inflammation.

And managing inflammation, helps manage my MS.

PREFERENCES

I prefer to use Chile Pepper powder and fresh prepared (ie. minced) Chile Peppers, rather than deal with fresh whole Chile Peppers. Since I have arms and hands weakened by my MS, dry and fresh prepared ingredients are easier to work with, making them helpful cooking shortcuts.

RECIPES

I use Chile Peppers in the following recipes:

Feel free to check out my other recipes.

HAVE CHILE PEPPERS HELPED ME?

Yes. I believe that Chile Peppers have contributed to the anti-inflammatory nature of my beneficial diet. It’s anti-inflammatory properties have also been strong enough to help counter the more intense MS flares I have experienced, to help stop MS relapses from occurring.

In the past, I used a Capsaicin-Filled Nasal Spray as a natural remedy to counter Sinusitis flare-ups. It was very effective, but after a while my weakened hands could no longer pump the spray, so I stopped using it.

I have not witnessed or identified any other benefits, but i look forward to seeing what the future brings.

CAUTION

Due to the ever possible occurrence of product contamination, I always double check my sources and check ingredient lists before trying a new item.

Allergic reactions can happen to anyone, so I do my research and keep my eyes open to any potentially dangerous reactions, especially drug interactions, when I try anything new.

Ingesting large amounts of anything can also be harmful, especially Chile Peppers that can cause gastric distress, so I always consume in moderation.

-Jen, aka. Power Chair Dorothy

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REFERENCES

Allemailem, K. S., Almatroudi, A., Alharbi, H. O. A., AlSuhaymi, N., Alsugoor, M. H., Aldakheel, F. M., Khan, A. A., & Rahmani, A. H. (2024). Apigenin: A Bioflavonoid with a Promising Role in Disease Prevention and Treatment. Biomedicines, 12(6), 1353.

Ayman, F-F & Yasser, F. M. (2025). Chili pepper: A delve into its nutritional values and roles in food-based therapy. Food Chemistry Advances, 6, 100928,

Azlan, A., Sultana, S., Huei, C. S., & Razman, M. R. (2022). Antioxidant, Anti-Obesity, Nutritional and Other Beneficial Effects of Different Chili Pepper: A Review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 27(3), 898.

Bhatt, T., & Patel, K. (2020). Carotenoids: Potent to Prevent Diseases Review. Natural products and bioprospecting, 10(3), 109–117.

Caporali, S., De Stefano, A., Calabrese, C., Giovannelli, A., Pieri, M., Savini, I., Tesauro, M., Bernardini, S., Minieri, M., & Terrinoni, A. (2022). Anti-Inflammatory and Active Biological Properties of the Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds Luteolin and Luteolin 7-Glucoside. Nutrients, 14(6), 1155.

Kim, C. S., Kawada, T., Kim, B. S., Han, I. S., Choe, S. Y., Kurata, T., & Yu, R. (2003). Capsaicin exhibits anti-inflammatory property by inhibiting IkB-a degradation in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages. Cellular signalling, 15(3), 299–306.

Villa-Rivera, M. G., & Ochoa-Alejo, N. (2020). Chili Pepper Carotenoids: Nutraceutical Properties and Mechanisms of Action. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(23), 5573.

Encyclopedia Britannica Chile Peppers

WebMD: Health Benefits of Capsaicin

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Not in Kansas Anymore (www.notinksanymore.com) is a site/blog authored and managed by Jen, aka. Power Chair Dorothy (pwrchr-dorothy). This site/blog is intended to provide educational and research information, and to share the author’s journey.

The author of this site/blog is not a medical physician and this site/blog does not provide medical advice. This site/blog contains information that should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation or the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. If you choose to apply or implement any information posted at this site/blog, you do so at your own risk.