[Sca-cooks] Food Allergies

[Barbara Benson]

Greetings,

I have a severe sensitivity to anything that is "spicy" in a heat sense.
Things that other people eat for fun and the rush cause me extreme pain. And
I do not mean that Oooh this is a little spicy pain, isn't this good pain.
My husband is from Lousiana and loves hot stuff. One night we went out and
he ate a big batch of mega hot wings. Several hours later (and after the
brushing of the teeth) we settled in for the night and exchanged several
good night smooches.

I woke up the next morning and it looked like someone had punched me in the
mouth, all red and swollen, and then my lips peeled for the next three days.
When I eat anything that is beyond my tolerance I get a burn that is as if I
stuck a hot coal in my mouth. I have had to deal with blisters and peeling
from people serving me things that they assure me are "not that hot". My
husband has learned what my tolerance level is and he frequently samples
things before I do to make sure that they are OK. I have become really sick
of that condencending look that people give you when you say you do not like
spicy food. That down their nose, oh you are such a wuss attitude burns me
almost as badly as the food itself.

Glad Tidings,
Serena da Riva


> My point is that capsaicin isn't harmless, it's just not lethal.  In
almost
> any quantity, it will cause chemical burns (usually very mild first degree
> burns for ingested peppers).  Normally, you avoid something that hurts
you,
> but eating peppers produces some interesting and not completely understood
> physical reactions including the release of endorphins.  The endorphins
> provide a natural opiate effect.  Thus you get a trade off, mild euphoria
> for slight chemical burns.
>
> Bear