History of Islamic Medicine 25

Ah, spicy food. Is there anything better than a spicy meal, especially when it's homemade? There is no one around to tell you that it's too hot, no overly-cautious cook afraid to add too much piquant, and no one to watch as you sweat bullets and gulp down your molten concoction just the way you like it.
But can spicy food damage our sense of taste? When do we know we've had too much of it? And do quesosakatenango chili peppers really cause hallucinations that send you on a quest to find your soul-mate (for all The Simpsons fans)?
One can experience stomach problems and other conditions if a meal is a bit too zesty. Furthermore, constantly eating hot food can have permanent negative effects on the body. Here's what you need to know about the negative impact spicy food can have.
pepper this, pepper that
A little bit of pepper here and there won't hurt you; most of us add it to our meals not for the sake of making food hotter, but for the aroma. Having said that, let us establish what I mean by spicy food. Here is a small sample list of foods and ingredients that can be too spicy for our own good.
Garlic
Granted, garlic is amazing. Eating one or two cloves of garlic might turn a few heads, but it won't make you see talking coyotes. It is one of the healthiest foods out there, but some people just can't get enough of this good thing. Consuming more than three cloves in one sitting can make one feel a little something brewing in the belly.
Hot chili (jalapeno) peppers
The epitome of hot food, chili peppers have long been used in spicy meals. Indian, Creole and Cajun cuisine rely heavily on jalapenos for chili sauce. Eat one of those little things raw (notice how the smaller they are, the hotter they get) and you'll feel the burn all the way to your ears, literally.
The simple fact that hot peppers are so potent makes me wonder if humans were ever meant to eat them raw. They make a great ingredient, but in my opinion, they shouldn't be eaten on a regular basis.
Horseradish
A popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, this little beige or green root (depending in which part of the world you are in) can pack a wallop and is often overused. Japanese horseradish, or wasabi, is green and used as dip for sushi.
The funny thing about grated horseradish is that it always seems to catch people off-guard. We all know it burns and know it will unclog sinuses for what seems like a million years, but people still always take that extra ounce that puts them over the edge. Some cultures, like the Japanese, enjoy its punch, but horseradish is another spicy culprit to watch out for.
Ginger
Despite its pleasant name, ginger is often misused. Most recipes do not use it enough to make the ingredient harmful, but dried sweet ginger, especially when it's eaten like candy, falls in the category of harmful spicy foods.
negative effects
Now that you know which foods can cause you harm, here is why they shouldn't be overused.
Geographic tongue
Eating potent things can cause a condition known as geographic tongue (genign migratory glossitis). It is believed that geographic tongue is caused by an allergic reaction to certain comestibles. Whether or not it's caused by allergies isn't clear, but spicy food is usually the culprit.
The condition appears quite rapidly and produces irritation by forming strange patterns on the tongue. After an onset, one can have a weakened sense of taste for up to one month. It disappears with time and isn't dangerous, but it can be quite irritating.
Gastritis
An overabundance of spicy food can cause Gastritis. Gastritis is an inflammation in the stomach lining. It is usually triggered by infections, but spicy foods like chili peppers are also believed to reduce the stomach's protective barrier.
Chronic gastritis can produce ulcers by allowing the stomach's own acids to eat away at the lining. Ulcers can heal with time, just like any other lesion, but one must eat milder meals.
Acid reflux
In some people, spicy food can trigger acid reflux disease, which isn't bad per se, but it can be bothersome. Restaurant cuisine often seems to elicit this condition -- all that burping men experience after a nice Italian meal at their favorite bistro isn't a result of bad manners, it's the body not being able to handle all that strange, spicy cuisine.
Chronic acid reflux disease can also lead to esophageal cancer, but only in rare cases. Cutting down on peppery cooking is a good first step to reducing this risk. Acid reflux, especially at night, can also erode teeth.
Bad breath
Garlic and onions are among the worst-smelling things a guy can eat, and they also happen to cause bad breath. Granted, bad breath isn't much of a nuisance, but it can sometimes spell disaster, especially on a nice first date. So avoid spicy cuisine on those nights.
Insomnia
Here's one most men probably didn't know: spicy food is bad for sleep. The cause is quite simple. The body needs to slow down before it can snooze and spicy food raises body temperature (that's why we sweat after a consuming fiery food). If one happens to consume something zesty before going to bed, it can disrupt slumber. The first cycle of sleep is particularly sensitive to hot food.
Damage to taste buds
Finally, constantly eating hot food can permanently reduce the sensation of taste. I often hear people assure others that they will get used to the burning of chili peppers. It's true, people do feel less scorching after years of spicy abuse, but not because the body got "used" to the sensation in question.
Over time, taste buds wear out, making this reduced sensation nothing more than wear and tear of chronic abuse. It's no different from people getting "used" to loud music in clubs -- in both cases the body suffers permanent deterioration.
enjoy heat in moderation
I myself love spicy food, but I also realize that the body feels "pain" for a reason. When the body sends us signals that something is not right, cutting down may be in order. Consuming scorching peppers isn't a sign of manliness; with all the reasons listed above, it's a sign of ignorance, so consume fewer super-spicy meals.