I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER the first day when I felt real gut-wrenching pain. It was the worst day of my life as I sat waiting in the unfamiliar building near Nelson Street.
On that eerie morning, I was coerced to go to the ambush point where I was surrounded by six women and two men who threw some sharply “daggered” words. As we would say in the Caribbean, the words were “hot like pepper in a basket”. I even received a physical threat.
After that episode I was totally broken. Imagine being tied in a basement and hot pepper sauce is being poured on you. What would you do? I had no choice but to endure the sensation of the burning and understand that I had to empower myself. Faced with that realisation, my spirit was eventually awoken.
Later, I experienced an internal paradigm shift. Prophecy was fulfilled. Amazingly, I have survived and learnt three powerful lessons and like a beacon, I am sharing them with you in case you find yourself in a similar position.
1. Trust your intuition and examine the person who uses your innocence and coerces you to a blazing fire. They are sometimes wolves in sheep’s clothing.
2. Stay and face the fire. You will garner wisdom.
3. Sit in silence, observe and listen – the blazing inferno will reveal the unsuspecting deceiver.
This memory brought me back to the making of pickled peppers. Silent doctor Capsicum frutescens, bird peppers or nigger peppers have more than 40 health benefits.
On saintlucianplants.com it is revealed: “For sore throat, gargle with coconut water and crushed bird pepper. Soak an ounce of pepper in rubbing alcohol and mix with coconut oil for rheumatism or arthritis, and when you have the flu, cut a little and boil with a piece of lime, sweeten with honey and drink.”
These peppers can also treat gout, sinusitis, shingles, fibromyalgia, fever and flatulence. A fomentation of the fruit and leaves is applied to treat rheumatic pains. Additionally, a lotion made with the peppers can treat ringworms of the scalp.
The website studies-in-botany indicates that capsicum can be used “for conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including poor circulation, excessive blood clotting, high cholesterol, and preventing heart disease”. Capsicum is also used “topically for nerve pain (neuropathy) associated with diabetes and HIV, other types of nerve pain (neuralgia), and back pain”.
In conclusion, don’t be ambushed. Go and bond with our Barbadian peppers and as revealed through my “fiery” ordeal near Nelson Street, you will feel a burning discomfort but healing will occur. You can trust the peppers.
Annette Maynard-Watson, a teacher and herbal educator, may be contacted via [email protected] or by telephone 250-6450.
DISCLAIMER: It is not our intention to prescribe or make specific claims for any products. Any attempts to diagnose or treat real illness should come under the direction of your health care provider.
