Winter is just around the corner. It is important to keep your feet warm during cold season – especially if the circulation in your feet is a concern.

If you need help keeping your feet warm during winter, use an unusual but effective ingredient: cayenne peppers. (h/t to AskAPrepper.com)

You can buy cayenne salve, also called capsaicin salve or ointment, at the local pharmacy or supermarket. This product is used to relieve back and neck pain and it works by warming the muscles and loosening them up. (Related: Seven evidence-based medicinal properties of cayenne pepper.)

Cayenne salve can also be used to keep your feet warm. If you don’t want to spend money on cayenne salve, use the homemade pepper remedies detailed below to warm your feet during the cold winter months.

You can use any peppers that contain capsaicin, but be very careful when using peppers that are very high on the Scoville scale because they could burn your skin. This also means that peppers at the low end might not be hot enough to be effective.

Another option is to use hot peppers from your home garden. Dry them first using a dehydrator or an oven to remove all water, then use a grinder to turn the peppers into powder.

Things to remember before using cayenne pepper

Keep these tips in mind when using cayenne peppers to make home remedies:

• Always wash your hands after touching hot peppers. Touching sensitive parts of your body like your eyes will cause an intense burning sensation.
• Never use pepper if you have cuts or open wounds because it can burn you.
• Cayenne pepper can stain your socks and your feet. If you’re going to put pepper in your socks, use an old pair that you don’t mind getting stains on.
• Use cayenne sparingly at first since it can warm more than expected. Gradually increase the amount you use until you find the right amount for you.

Sprinkle cayenne powder on your feet

Looking for an easy and cheap way to use hot pepper to warm your feet? Sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper powder into your socks.

Just be careful not to use too much and spread it evenly over your feet. If it’s your first time using cayenne powder on your feet, test a tiny amount first to see if you are sensitive to peppers.

Once you’re used to the remedy, use more or less cayenne pepper powder depending on your sensitivity.

Limit the amount of pepper and get it evenly distributed by adding a small amount of pepper such as half a teaspoon into 1/4 cup of cornstarch or foot powder. Mix the ingredients well and add a teaspoon of the mixture to each sock. Move the sock around a bit to evenly distribute the powder.

Alternatively, you can shake the powder evenly onto your feet using a sifter or shaker jar. Sprinkle cayenne powder to keep your feet warm and dry on a cold, wet day or when working in the snow.

Eat hot peppers

Eating hot peppers will also help warm up your entire body.

Hot peppers like cayenne contain an active ingredient called capsaicin and it makes your blood vessels dilate, which then makes extra blood flow and provides warmth to the hands and feet. You may feel the effect immediately, but other people feel the heat increase gradually.

As a bonus, eating hot peppers also helps add nutrients to your diet. Peppers contain beneficial vitamins, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds like potassium and magnesium, along with vitamins A, B6, C, E and K.

Try adding peppers to dishes to stay warm and healthy during winter.

Here are more ways to incorporate hot peppers into your regular diet:

• Add a pinch of cayenne into hot chocolate for a warming beverage with a spicy kick. Hot chocolate with cayenne pepper is often enjoyed in Latin American countries. Add a dash of cinnamon or stir the hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick to complement the cayenne pepper.
• Keep a shaker of cayenne pepper at the dining table and sprinkle cayenne on seafood like fish, lobsters, oysters, and shrimp.
• Add cayenne to hot soups and stews.
• Replace salt with cayenne to give dishes a flavor boost or as a low-sodium spice alternative.
• Add cayenne pepper to egg dishes like breakfast souffles, omelets and egg salad.
• Sprinkle cayenne pepper over tomatoes and other fresh vegetables when making a salad.
• Add cayenne to meat marinades, especially for poultry and fish dishes.
• Use cayenne to spice up hummus, guacamole and other dips.

Make DIY cayenne pepper salve

Instead of buying commercially available salves with cayenne pepper, make some at home using only three ingredients. Cayenne pepper salve will warm your feet and help heal the skin, depending on what type of oils you add.

Some DIY cayenne pepper salve recipes call for a double boiler, but this recipe takes a shortcut by using a crockpot and a Mason jar for infusing the oil and melting the beeswax.

Homemade cayenne pepper salve

You will need:

• 2 Tablespoons cayenne powder
• 1/2 Cup olive oil or other carrier oil
• 1/2 Ounce beeswax

Preparation:

1. Pour one to two inches of warm water in the bottom of the crockpot and set it on medium.
2. Place the beeswax into a small heatproof jar and the olive oil in a second small jar. Use eight-ounce mason jars.
3. Add the cayenne powder to the oil and mix it thoroughly.
4. Place the oil and the pepper jar into the crockpot. Place the lid on loosely to keep condensation out of the jar. Put the lid on the crockpot and let it heat gently for four hours or infuse it on low overnight.
5. Remove the lid and place the jar with the beeswax into the crockpot. Let the jar warm until the wax is melted.
6. Remove the two jars from the crockpot, dry off the outsides and pour the oil through a cheesecloth or a strainer if you want to remove the pepper.
7. Stir the infused oil into the wax slowly. Keep stirring until the wax and oil are completely mixed.
8. Pour the salve into small jars or tin cans and let it cool. Label the salve containers and store them in a cool, dark place for future use.

Stay warm in cold weather by adding cayenne pepper powder to your socks or make a cayenne salve.

Watch this video to learn more about the health benefits of cayenne pepper.

This video is from the Holistic Herbalist channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Prepper secret: Cayenne pepper offers a natural way to improve blood circulation in your feet.

Prepper medicine: Cayenne pepper boosts metabolism, kills bacteria and even stops bleeding.

Cayenne pepper makes herbs up to 75% more effective, aids weight loss, offers pain relief, improves circulation and heals ulcers.

Sources include:

AskAPrepper.com

MindBodyGreen.com

Livestrong.com