Tortilla Soup Cures All Ills: Using Spicy Foods as Home Remedies

I will never forget the first time my mother made me tortilla soup when I had a cold. It was magical. One spoonful of this spicy wonder cleared out my sinuses immediately, soothed my sore throat, and warmed me inside and out. Now, I make myself the same soup whenever I'm sick or feeling down. It should come as no surprise to find that all of the main ingredients in the soup have health benefits and they can be all used on their own for home remedies.

Capsaicin is the chemical that makes chili peppers (including cayenne) hot. It is very effective at stimulating blood flow, which is why capsaicin can help ailments related to circulation, including migraine headaches and arthritis.The increased blood flow extends to the sex organs as well, so in a way, a chili pepper can be considered an aphrodisiac.

By increasing circulation, capsaicin raises the body's temperature a little bit and induces sweating, which can help break low-grade fevers (do not use capsaicin based remedies for fevers over 104 degrees F). Ginger also has this property, but in a different chemical form.

Here's what else you can do with hot peppers:

• To temporarily soothe aches and pains, make a paste out of cayenne (or any hot pepper), flour, and water and spread it over a cloth bandage. Wrap the bandage around the affected area. Do not use on broken skin.
• For a sore throat, stir cayenne pepper and salt into a glass of water, then gargle.
• Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to herbal tea to help a sinus headache or head cold.
• Spicy foods can be useful while dieting because when your taste buds are stimulated, you feel more satisfied and therefore you eat less.

Chili pepper packs an especially powerful punch when combined with our next ingredient.

Where to begin with garlic? Sure, it can keep away vampires, but its greatest strength is as an antibiotic.Garlic has been shown to reduce blood pressure, prevent cancer, reduce blood sugar, control asthma and bronchitis, and even improve memory function. And like chili peppers, garlic is also good for clearing sinuses. It truly is a superfood.

• Spread mashed garlic onto a cloth bandage. Fold it over once and hold it against a boil, rash, or insect sting to reduce inflammation (do not put directly on broken skin).
• Thinly slice a garlic clove and place the slices into a saucepan with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Simmer for 5 minutes, take out the garlic slices, and let the oil cool slightly. Use an eyedropper to apply a few drops of the oil into an infected ear to kill the harmful bacteria.

Speaking of olive oil...

The monounsaturated fat in olive oil can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Extra-virgin and virgin oils are the least processed, and they contain the highest amounts of poly-phenol, a heart-healthy antioxidant. Olive oil is also a great natural moisturizer for your skin and hair.

• Rub olive oil over skin immediately after shaving to prevent razor burn.
• Warm olive oil in a saucepan on the stove, then apply to damp hair as a conditioning treatment. Let it sit for a few moments (with a towel under your shoulders, of course), then wash your hair as you normally would.

Olive oil isn't the only tortilla soup ingredient that can help your skin and hair, though.

The main ingredient in that other cure-all soup has its merits as well. Chicken broth contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur. All of these can help build up your bones, but that's not all they're good for. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant and sleep aid. Phosphorus can balance hormones, while silicon and sulfur strengthen hair, skin, and nails. Homemade broth is obviously the best source of these minerals. Canned broth probably has trace amounts, but at least it can restore needed sodium to a sickness-depleted body.

Last but not least, the ingredient that binds all these together.

If you don't know that tomatoes are good for you, well, it's not too late to find out. They're an excellent source of vitamins C and A, and they're rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which can prevent cancer. It's best to buy or grow organic tomatoes to get the most lycopene.

• Puree a small tomato and apply to your face like a masque. Lie back, let it dry, then wash off with a mild cleanser. The tomato's acid can draw out blackheads.

So you see, it's not much of a stretch to say that tortilla soup can save your life. Of course, if you're sick, you should wait until your stomach's strong enough to eat it, but considering capsaisin, garlic, and the magnesium in chicken broth can help digestion, it may not be such a bad idea to put down the Saltines and recharge your sick senses with this delicious dish.

As for recipes, well, I won't give out my own, but the Food Network website has quite a collection of tortilla soup recipes with the same basic ingredients. Emeril Lagasse's includes avocados, which add even more health benefits, and Giada de Laurentiis uses tasty Cotija cheese in hers. If you really want to get authentic, try the recipes at recetas.com (pero necesita traducir el español). Feel free to add other healthy vegetables, like carrots or broccoli. And don't forget to put those leftover ingredients to use for other home remedies.

Enjoy adding spice to your healthy life!