chili peppers Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Amazing! New Research Links Chili Peppers to a LOWER Risk of Disease

AHA Publisher — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 08:00:15 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – [A] report from the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics contained exciting findings about the ability of capsaicin in chili peppers to fight deadly diseases and reduce the odds of premature death. One would think that the reveal of a potentially lifesaving dietary intervention would have made more of a “splash” in the mainstream scientific community … According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer – second only to heart disease as a cause of death – claimed close to 600,000 lives in 2019 alone, leading researchers to search for new and effective treatments. Recent studies have raised hopes that capsaicin could be among them. Let’s see what the research reveals. Capsaicin in Chili Peppers Linked to Lower Risk of Heart Disease, Cancer, and Death From All Causes The scientific review, which involved 570,000 people in four different countries and three different continents, was conducted by researchers at the renowned Cleveland Clinic. The team found that people who regularly ate capsaicin-rich chili peppers enjoyed a significant 23 percent lower risk of dying from cancer. Dietary intake of chili peppers also lowered the risk of heart disease by an eye-opening 26 percent – and was associated with a 25 percent reduction in risk of dying from any cause. The findings appeared to startle the scientists. “We were surprised to find that … regular consumption of chili pepper was associated with an overall risk reduction of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality,” reported lead author Bo Xu, M.D., a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute. Dr. Xu called for further research to confirm these promising preliminary findings. Researchers already credit chili peppers with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antiobesity, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic effects. Natural healers have long endorsed these spicy delicacies for their impressive list of benefits, which may include easing migraines, inhibiting fungal infections, fighting viruses, improving cognitive function, reducingjoint pain, improving vision, and alleviating ulcers. While other valuable micronutrients and antioxidants in spicy chili peppers may contribute to their therapeutic benefits, most scientists believe that capsaicin holds the key. Cause for Hope: Capsaicin in Chili Peppers Suppresses the Spread and Survival of Cancer Cells and Tumors In a 2019 review, “Application of capsaicin as a potential new therapeutic drug in human cancers,” published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, researchers examined the anticancer effects of capsaicin. They reported that it acts against the proliferation of cancer cells, while also limiting angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels to nourish tumors. In addition, capsaicin fights chronic inflammation, which has been closely linked to the development of cancer. Studies have also supported capsaicin’s ability to promote the effects of chemotherapy drugs, reduce chemotherapy side effects and enhance the tolerance of patients to cancer treatment – spurring hopes that it could be developed into a new auxiliary treatment for cancer. Because capsaicin has a short half-life in the body, scientists are currently working with capsaicin-laden nanoparticles to deliver the compound to cells more safely and effectively. Lung Cancer Cell Study: Capsaicin Stopped Cancer Cells in Their Tracks Other preliminary research has been encouraging as well. A new test-tube study shows that capsaicin interferes with lung cancer metastasis (the ability of cancer to spread). This is welcome news to oncological researchers – as one of the reasons lung cancer is so difficult to treat is that it moves to secondary locations such as the brain, liver, and bones. When scientists tested capsaicin in human non-small cell lung cancer cells, they discovered that the compound stopped cancer cell invasion, the first stage of metastasis. The team reported that capsaicin blocks a specific protein needed to regulate the proliferation survival and mobility of cancer cells. In addition, the scientists found that mice fed a capsaicin-enriched diet displayed far lower amounts of metastatic cancer cells in their lungs (after being fed a cancer-promoting diet) than mice that had not received capsaicin. From “Nippy” to “Nuclear” – Spicy Capsaicin in Chili Peppers Varies Wildly With Type Of course, capsaicin content – and the associated “heat”- varies from pepper to pepper. In fact, the spiciness of peppers is measured on the Scoville scale, with sweet red peppers scoring 0 units, pepperoncini clocking in at a modest 100 units, and poblano peppers at 1,000 units. Compare that to serrano peppers – at a zippy 10,000 units – or habaneros, which ring in at a scorching 100,000! Meanwhile, the notorious “ghost peppers” contain a blistering one million Scoville units. The hazards of excessive red chili pepper consumption can include painful irritation of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines – along with vomiting and diarrhea. If you want to partake of hot chili peppers, natural health experts advise proceeding cautiously and incorporating them slowly into the diet. In addition to capsaicin, spicy chili peppers contain high levels of antioxidant vitamin C – along with B complex vitamins, vitamin K, and vitamin A. So – if you are not sensitive to chili peppers – go ahead and make them a part of your healthy diet. That “heat” you feel when eating chili peppers just might be the “glow” of improved heart health, less cancer risk, and longer life Sources for this article include: MedicalNewsToday.com AmericanHeartAssociation.org Healthline.com ConserveEnergyFuture.com CDC.gov To read the original article click here.

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Cancer HELP: Slow Down the Growth of Tumor Cells with a “HOT” Food Choice

AHA Publisher — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 08:00:36 +0000

Karen Sanders via NaturalHealth365 – Did you know the heat you feel after biting into a hot chili pepper is good for you? The compound capsaicin – that causes this pungent heat – is also found to kill cancer cells. In fact, in the last few years, the research on chili peppers has focused on many organs including, the pancreas, brain, prostate, colon, and breast. In a 2020 study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, authors confirmed capsaicin’s potent anti-cancer properties in various cancer types. In addition, researchers found that combining capsaicin with conventional chemotherapy drugs improves patient outcomes by reducing drug side effects and enhancing patients’ tolerance to cancer treatment. Can Chili Peppers Harm Healthy Cells? To date, there have been many studies on chili pepper’s ability to fight off cancer cells in many cancer-affected organs. Among them, the 2006 study on prostate cancer cells drew more interest from researchers. Experiments on capsaicin reveal that this compound specifically targets tumors and cancerous cells without affecting healthy cells. Researchers found that capsaicin could do this by interfering with protein synthesis of the cancer cells, degradation of the cell DNA, and interfering with cell transcription mechanisms of cancerous cells. While capsaicin affected the cancer cells’ mitochondrial pathway, there was no interference in the activity of healthy cells. This was observed in cancer-induced albino rats in lab studies. A 2006 study published in Cancer Research revealed that capsaicin was effective in inhibiting prostate cancer cells. The study found that capsaicin promoted automated cell death in primary types of prostate cancer cell lines and cancer cells caused by hormones. Furthermore, capsaicin decreased the expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and inhibited the ability of the dihydrotestosterone to activate PSA. When lab animals received four weeks of treatment with capsaicin, prostate cancer growth and size significantly decreased. This Spicy Food Choice Does MORE Than Just Prevent Cancer Compounds in chili peppers have been associated with multiple benefits like a positive immune system response, weight loss, a lower risk of diabetes, and heart-healthy effects. In fact, a randomized, cross-over study among 27 healthy subjects revealed that consuming freshly chopped chili prevented the oxidation (free radical damage) to the fat cells – which was a crucial factor in decreasing heart problems. Capsaicin is also anti-inflammatory in nature. It inhibits substance P, a neuropeptide associated with inflammation that results in pain, heart diseases, and other conditions. Because of this property, it has been used in various chemotherapy studies for pain relief and many treatments involving nerve fiber disorders, conditions like psoriasis, arthritis, and many more. Researchers say the hotter the pepper, the higher is its capsaicin content. Good examples include habanero and scotch bonnet peppers followed by jalapeno. Here Is How to Use Chili Peppers in Your Next Recipe Chili peppers can give any bland recipe an interesting taste. So, the next time you sauté vegetables in a stir fry, try adding some chili peppers to accentuate its health benefits as well as spice it up a bit. Other ways to super-charge your recipes include adding minced chili peppers to plain yogurt as a salad dressing, in salsa for extra hot taste, pureeing a small amount with tomatoes or olives to give a surprising twist to your recipes. Just be very careful when handling fresh chili peppers; direct contact with skin, lips, and eyes can cause a burning sensation. Be sure to use cooking gloves instead of bare hands when using them for cooking. Consuming chili peppers in moderation is considered safe, however, if you are allergic to peppers or vegetables in the nightshade family, it is a good idea to keep away from this spice. Another important point to keep in mind is to buy organic hot peppers instead of conventionally grown ones. According to the Environmental Working Group’s 2020 report, non-organic hot peppers are among the most toxic (pesticide sprayed) items on the market. As a final note: please understand we are not suggesting that ‘if you eat chili peppers, you won’t get cancer cells.’ But, living an anticancer lifestyle – which includes lots of anti-inflammatory / anti-cancer foods (as long as you’re not allergic to them) can go a long way to improving the quality of your life. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov ScienceDirect.com AACRJournals.org NIH.org To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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