On Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:58:37 -0800, stbenge wrote:

>> Let the macho people compensate for their insecurities, at the expense
>> of their palatial values (and, I'm told, their stomach as well - too
>> much is bad for you).
> 
> Well I like spicy foods. I'm not sure if my tastes buds have been
> damaged; food still tastes great. I don't go crazy with the spices,
> though. I don't eat heroic amounts :S

If I remember correctly, taste buds are "reborn" regularly (the cells die 
off and are replaced by new ones) fairly regularly.  It's probably more 
to do with the brain's wiring than "dulling the taste buds".

A certain amount of spicy food is good for you; there are documented 
benefits to eating it, including increased immune system strength and 
capsaicin is documented (I don't know how formal the studies are, though) 
to have preventative effects on cancer.

But like anything, too much of a good thing is a bad thing.  Go 
overboard, and you can give yourself ulcers, acid reflux problems, and a 
litany of other gastro-intestinal problems.

I love spicy food.  My wife is allergic to capsaicin and any significant 
amount (she can handle trace amounts - say 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, for 
example, in a large pot of soup, or adding a few slices of red jalapeno 
(I forget the name, but basically they're "overripe") to a bowl of Tom 
Yum soup is about her limit.

Or one "hot" wing, if that.

Jim

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