Using Black Pepper for Traditional Treatment

Black pepper, a traditional seasoning for food, is a warm, aromatic, and comforting spice with therapeutic uses. The fruit, or corns, of the vine and the essential oil extracted from them are used. Black pepper is the whole, sun-dried, unripened fruit of the vine; white pepper is the ripe fruit, from which the skins have been removed.

USES
• Black pepper is useful for treating indigestion and flatulence—add to food daily for preventive action.
• Its essential oil eases muscular aches and pains, and is used to treat colds and flu.
• When used as a homeopathic remedy for fever, pepper can help to lower the body temperature.
• Pepper is an effective emetic and expectorant, and can be taken internally, or rubbed onto the chest (a tiny amount of oil in a suitable carrier oil), to prevent catarrh and to encourage healing.
• In Ayurvedic medicine, black pepper mixed with ghee is used to treat nasal congestion, sinusitis, and inflammation of the skin.

PROPERTIES
• Stimulating
• Expectorant
• Anesthetic
• Tranquilizing
• Analgesic

CAUTION
The essential oil may irritate those with sensitive skin. Large amounts of black pepper used regularly may result in overstimulation of the kidneys. When using black pepper for medicinal purposes, follow the recommended dosage.