Addicted to the HOT stuff?? - "Rozin's "Benign Masochism" or "Constrained Risk" theory holds that people like chile peppers for the same reasons they like roller coasters, scary movies, and stepping into hot baths. All of these activities provide methods of exciting the body by making it respond to a dangerous situation, while the mind is certain that circumstances are safe. "This body/mind disparity may be a source of feelings of mastery and pleasure, a case of body over mind," the study said. Additionally, Rozin has found that it is not uncommon for people to like the body's defensive responses, such as the nose and eye tearing that result from eating hot peppers; and he says that people often eat chile at a heat level close to the highest they can tolerate, which means that liking chile is related to pushing the limits of pain and tolerance. Having worked in the Fiery Foods Industry for a number of years, we have found that many of the people who like hot foods tend to be a little more outgoing than those who do not. They like traveling, wearing colorful clothing, meeting new people, and trying new things. Perhaps eating chile peppers is the culinary expression of an adventurous spirit and a fun-seeking nature." (emphasis mine)

The last sentence more or less agrees with my suspicions of why I'm attracted to eating hot and spicy foods. It's a rush. Don't have time this week to bungee jump? That's ok, here, have a fresh serrano or three. Indulgence of the thrill seeking heart. It's not a coincidence the expression "spicing up your life" exists. I eat hot foods because otherwise eating is just too boring on its own. One thing that really worries me is how easily bored I get. The wise king Solomon once said, "There is nothing new under the sun." to which I wholeheartedly reply, "No kidding bub, tell me about it!" It's a struggle- on one hand, I'd really love to find satisfaction in the things that occur in my daily life. I know that I'm not always in control of the circumstances and situations, so with that in mind, I want to be content in all situations and rejoice in even the smallest things in life. On the other hand, I have to remain honest and confess that I'm really bored. A lot. And I'm pretty sure real solution to this doesn't lie in dangerous life-threatening vacations or eating spicy foods to the brink of death. These are only temporary fixes and little band-aids on a deeper rooted issue. Or maybe not. I can't wait though. I think my life will be exciting. I believe that God has cool things planned for my days ahead. So, the other day, a few of us hit up BW-3's for some good ole' mmm mmm wing lovin'. Hey, Tuesday is cheap wing night, so guaranteed, the Asians will be out in full force. After consuming a number of their tasty Blazin' wings, I found that I had lost hearing in my right ear (as usual), and sweat was more or less pouring off my nose and forehead. The next day, oh, bright and early at 5:30a.m., I felt strongly compelled to visit my familiar morning companion repeatedly. This continued on throughout the morning and on throughout the workday. I'm guess I made about, oh, 15 visits in all. Lots of prayer time, at least. By the way, a good friend of mine, Peter, after sharing a wonderful Korean dinner, insisted that eating ice cream immediately following a spicy meal really helps the next-day smoldering poop burns. I was rather skeptical of his claims at the time, but hey, it turns out he was correct. "In order to douse the heat when eating chile peppers, try drinking milk or eating ice cream or yogurt. These dairy products are especially effective at breaking down the Capsaicin oils, which are not soluble in water."