Set Colds on Fire

The Wrath of the Common Cold

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One of the marks of the winter season is bouts of illness. Cough, runny nose, congestion, headache, sore throat, sinus pressure, and nausea. The symptoms are unpleasant enough to ruin your day and keep you in bed, but generally not serious enough to warrant a trip to the doctor or hospital. Many times, if you do visit the doctor for relief, you will leave with a prescription for rest, waiting it out, or over-the-counter decongestants and pain medicine.

We have generally accepted the inconvenience of the common cold and flu, but are we required to suffer from the symptoms?

Defining Colds

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The common cold is caused by any one of several viruses that cause inflammation of the membranes that line the nose and throat.
Rhinoviruses are the most frequent cause of the common cold. Most rhinovirus infections are mild, but they can cause severe illness, especially in people with weakened immune systems, asthma, or other underlying medical conditions.

Cold viruses are spread through respiratory droplets that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can enter another person’s body if they breathe them in; through close personal contact; or if they touch a surface contaminated with the virus and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth before washing their hands.

Symptoms

Symptoms of the common cold may include:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that most people with rhinovirus or common human coronavirus illness will recover on their own. You can relieve your symptoms by: taking pain and fever medications; using a room humidifier or taking a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough; drinking plenty of liquids; and staying home to rest.

Symptoms typically last about seven days but can persist up to two weeks.

A Biblical Perspective

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When challenged with sickness, we should address the root of the problem. Our first approach should be to stand on God’s promises of health and healing.

The Bible says:

Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].

3 John 2, AMP

God’s will is for us to be healthy in our bodies and to prosper in our souls. God is so passionate about our well-being that he sacrificed his son Jesus to receive judgment for the sins of mankind so that we would not be subject to the curse of sickness.

Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced because of our rebellion,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.
We all went astray like sheep;
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:4-6, CSB

Prayer Against Colds and Upper Respiratory Infection

Father God, 

You breathed life into man, and our nostrils are the gateways for your life-giving spirit. 
I loose myself from all sickness, disease, inflammation, and irritation affecting my nose and sinuses. 
I reject this infection in Jesus’ name. Sickness and disease will not dwell in my body.

Spirits of infirmity, release your hold on me. I command any demon affecting my nose, sinuses, throat, chest, lungs, and eyes to leave me now in the name of Jesus. I am loosed.
I cancel all witchcraft against my body in Jesus’ name. The blood of Jesus covers me.

Father, as I inhale, fill me with your presence. Fill me with life, power, glory, and strength. 
I command my immune system to be strengthened and function properly. 
Father, I thank you for healing and restoring my respiratory system. I am healed by the stripes of Jesus.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pray against any specific symptoms that you have, as the Lord leads you.

The Lingering Symptoms

When we pray in faith according to the will of God, our healing is established in the spirit but it may take time to manifest in our physical bodies. After prayer, we treat the symptoms while staying in faith to allow God to heal our bodies.

In the book of Genesis, God tells mankind that he has provided us with plants and herbs for food. When we treat our bodies, we should use the herbs that God provided. God created our bodies. He is the divine physician.

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

Genesis 1:29, NKJV

Whenever I feel unwell, I evaluate my nutrition, cutting processed and unnatural foods out of my diet and increasing my intake of whole foods and water. I tend to avoid medication, only taking it when symptoms become unbearable.

This winter season, I have suffered several bouts of cough, sore throat, congestion, mucus, and fatigue. When I start to feel cold-like symptoms, I use a home treatment plan of rest, citrus fruit, honey, ginger, and vitamins.

I have found that the most effective treatment for cold symptoms is cayenne pepper.

Cayenne Pepper: A Whole Food Treatment

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What is Cayenne Pepper?

Cayenne pepper (Capsicum annum) is a medium-hot chili pepper in the nightshade family. It is a thin, long pepper (3 – 5 inches) and curved. As it ripens, the fruit color changes from green to red. Cayenne peppers originated in Cayenne, French Guiana. They can be eaten fresh or dried and are used to make chili powder and to flavor spicy sauces. The spice is produced by drying and grinding the ripe fruits.

Cayenne powder is sometimes labeled as red pepper. It is a culinary spice frequently used to add heat to foods without altering the flavor. You may already cook with cayenne and have some in your kitchen.

Cayenne has a pungent spicy flavor which is caused by capsaicin, a chemical compound common to hot peppers.

The pungency of hot peppers is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which is a subjective assessment that relies on the capsaicinoid sensitivity of people. SHU represents the number of times the concentration of capsaicinoids needs to be diluted before it’s no longer detectable by trained taste testers.

The SHU is a subjective measurement of the amount of capsaicin in a pepper. The SHU value of a particular pepper can vary depending on the temperature, the type of soil, and the location where the pepper is grown. For this reason, SHU is expressed in ranges.

Pure capsaicin is rated at 16,000,000 SHUs.

The table lists some pepper varieties and their SHUs.

Pepper Variety	Average SHUs	Simplified Scoville Scale
Bell Pepper	0	Neutral
Sweet Paprika	100 – 500	Mild
Poblano	1,000 – 1,500	Warm
Jalapeno	2,500 – 8,000	Strong
Cayenne	30,000 – 50,000	Scorching
Thai	50,000 – 100,000	Torrid
Habanero	100,000 – 350,000	Volcanic
Ghost Pepper	855,000 – 1,044,427	Explosive
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T	1,200,000 – 2,000,000	Dangerous

Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is used as a crisis herb for shock, heart attack, anesthesia reactions, and bleeding topically or internally. It’s also an excellent pain reliever, decongestant, and expectorant.

Cayenne pepper is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin K. It is also a source of antioxidants and other compounds that protect our cells against damage from harmful substances in the environment. Fresh peppers have a higher concentration of these nutrients than do the dried and powdered forms.

When used for health benefits, the entire pepper should be used, including the seeds.
Many benefits of cayenne pepper are due to its capsaicin content.

Some frequently reported benefits of cayenne and capsaicin are below.

Health Benefit	Details
Pain Relief	Cayenne pepper relieves headaches, sore throat Cayenne pepper can be used topically for arthritis pain, toothaches, sore joints
Respiratory System	Cayenne pepper improves respiration Cayenne pepper clears sinuses Cayenne pepper clears nasal or chest congestion Cayenne pepper works as an expectorant for removing phlegm and mucus congestion from the lungs
Circulatory System	Cayenne pepper improves circulation Cayenne pepper improves the elasticity of veins and arteries so that they can respond to increases or decreases in blood pressure
Improves Digestion	Cayenne pepper improves digestion generally by stimulating saliva and enzyme production. Cayenne pepper has been used for centuries by natives of Central and South America for diarrhea and other digestive complaints
Stops Bleeding	Cayenne pepper stops external bleeding with topical application to minor cuts and scrapes Cayenne pepper stops internal bleeding
Reduces Inflammation
Suppresses Appetite
Boosts Metabolism
Prevents Stomach Ulcers	Cayenne pepper prevents and accelerates the healing of gastric ulcers
Lowers Cancer Risk

How Cayenne works in the Body

Capsaicin is highly stimulating to the body. When you eat a hot pepper, capsaicinoids create a hot, burning feeling in your mouth. The capsaicin attaches to heat-sensing receptors in the mouth, releasing neurotransmitters that travel to the brain, triggering a false alarm that your mouth is on fire. This bodily response can produce sweating and watery eyes but it does not cause physical harm.

As a chemical irritant, capsaicin will produce a similar response whichever way it comes into contact with your body, whether through your skin, eyes, hands, or nasal passages. Despite the initial burning sensation, capsaicin reduces the sensation of pain by interacting with neurotransmitters and blocking their ability to send more pain signals to the brain.

An excerpt from Mechanisms and Clinical Uses of Capsaicin states:

“Capsaicin is unique among naturally occurring irritant compounds because the initial neuronal excitation evoked by it is followed by a long-lasting refractory period, during which the previously excited neurons are no longer responsive to a broad range of stimuli. This process known as defunctionalisation has been exploited for therapeutic use of capsaicin in various painful conditions.”

Cayenne can desensitize nerves by binding with pain receptors and inhibiting their ability to transmit pain signals to the brain. It also interferes with substance-P, a neurotransmitter that functions in pain signal transmission.

How to Treat Symptoms with Cayenne Pepper

Consult your physician before using cayenne pepper to treat any health condition.

Cayenne is very potent, so start by taking a small amount (less than 1/2 tsp) to test your tolerance level. When taking cayenne orally, you will likely experience an immediate burning sensation which will subside over a short time.

When consumed orally, cayenne rapidly reduces nasal congestion and thins mucus in the throat. It also relieves sore throat pain.

I do not recommend using cayenne pepper to treat bacterial infections or viruses. If your symptoms get worse or don’t improve, then consult a physician.

Safety Considerations

People on blood thinners should talk to their doctor before using cayenne pepper.

Cross-reactions can occur in those allergic to members of the Solanaceae family of plants (e.g., potatoes, tomatoes, paprika, Jimson weed).

Cayenne shouldn’t be taken in large amounts during pregnancy. Do not use cayenne while nursing.

When chopping fresh cayenne peppers, you should wear kitchen gloves. Cayenne has a potent heat and you can easily burn yourself if you touch the chili’s interior membrane and then rub your skin or eyes.

I have had a few mishaps with cayenne powder in the kitchen. I can attest that cayenne powder can easily become airborne and burn your eyes and throat. Avoid using cayenne in a windy environment. Do not inhale cayenne by accident or on purpose, even to ‘test’ the hotness of it.

Wash your hands after handling cayenne.

Do not allow children to handle cayenne powder.

It is important to understand that capsaicin is not water-soluble. So, if you burn your mouth or skin, then rinsing with water will not provide relief. A better option is to use milk or citrus juices, which will help to break down the capsaicin compounds and relieve the burning sensation.

In Conclusion

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For cold and flu symptoms such as congestion, mucus, and sore throat, cayenne pepper is an effective alternative to synthetic over-the-counter pain relievers and decongestants. Cayenne and other hot peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that stimulates the body and provides numerous health and first-aid benefits.

Medical Disclaimer

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The statements in this article are my opinion, based upon a review of recent research in nutrition and health trends. I am not a nutritionist or medical practitioner. If you have a health concern or existing medical condition, I advise you to consult a physician or nutritionist before making significant lifestyle or nutritional changes.

References

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Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Alimentarium. “The Scoville scale”. https://www.alimentarium.org/en/story/scoville-scale. Accessed 6 January 2024.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “capsaicin”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Dec. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/science/capsaicin. Accessed 6 January 2024.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “cayenne pepper”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Nov. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/plant/cayenne-pepper. Accessed 6 January 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Common Cold”, 27 June 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/colds.html. Accessed 8 January 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Common Human Coronaviruses”. 13 February 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/general-information.html. Accessed 7 January 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Rhinoviruses”. 8 March 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/rhinoviruses-common-cold.html. Accessed 8 January 2024.

Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006–. Capsicum. 2021 May 17. PMID: 30000884.

HomeGrown Herbalist. “Cayenne Powder”. https://homegrownherbalist.net/product/cayenne-powder/. Accessed 6 January 2024.

Jones, P., Dr. “How To Be A Really Hot Herbalist…Use Cayenne Pepper!”. 23 August 2023, https://homegrownherbalist.net/how-to-be-a-really-hot-herbalist-use-cayenne-pepper/. Accessed 7 January 2024.

Jones, P, Dr. “Kitchen Medicine: Amazing Herbal Remedies In Your Spice Drawer!” 2019, https://homegrownherbalist.net/freestuff/. Accessed 6 January 2024.

McCarty MF, DiNicolantonio JJ, O’Keefe JH. “Capsaicin may have important potential for promoting vascular and metabolic health”. Open Heart 2015;2:e000262. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2015-000262

National Institute of Standards and Technology. “How Do You Measure the ‘Heat’ of a Pepper?”. 27 June 2022, https://www.nist.gov/how-do-you-measure-it/how-do-you-measure-heat-pepper. Accessed 6 January 2024.

Sharma SK, Vij AS, Sharma M. Mechanisms and clinical uses of capsaicin. Eur J Pharmacol. 2013 Nov 15;720(1-3):55-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2013.10.053. Epub 2013 Nov 5. PMID: 24211679.