298135 Thu Aug 12 16:03:15 -0700 2004 7 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1647564 hello i love to eat spicy foods but always suffer the consequences the morning after, in the bathroom (to be clear, i'm not throwing up), so i've limited my consumption of spicy food (such as sichuan cuisine) to the weekends so i don't have to be uncomfortable at work during the weekdays anyways, is there some remedy to this problem, some types of food i can eat with the spicy food or something i can eat before going to bed? thanks! Thu Aug 12 16:03:15 -0700 2004 0 spicyfoodlover 1 1647581 From our experience in Mexico, an herb called Epazote (mexican oregano) is typically added to cut out the gastric consequences of spicy Mexican food. Sorry I can't help you w/ Szechuan cuisine... Thu Aug 12 19:09:48 -0700 2004 1647564 0 michelesan 1 1647583 There was a fairly recent thread on this on, I think, the Not About Food board, though I can't find it. Short answer: unlikely to be the spices, more likely onions or garlic, or more grease than you're used to. I don't recall any magic bullets. Many recommended keeping track of what you eat and what happens. Thu Aug 12 19:51:43 -0700 2004 1647564 0 Aromatherapy 1 1647588 Try eating some good quality yogurt, the kind that has live cultures. Helps when traveling as well when new and unknown things are introduced to the digestive system. Thu Aug 12 21:36:59 -0700 2004 1647564 0 ciaolette 2 1647642 I wholeheartedly agree...yogurt is pretty much the magic bullet for better digestion. Spicyfoodlover, if a good dose of yogurt doesn't keep you from gastic distress, you can also try activated charcoal. Caplets can be found in the "natural remedy" section of pretty much any drugstore. See the link for how it works and how to use it. Link: http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/charcoal_activated.html Fri Aug 13 14:22:26 -0700 2004 1647588 0 --susan 3 1647643 just to clarify, the problem i have with the super spicy foods is that when i go number 2, it just flat out hurts, like a burning sensation because i ate too many spicy things so yogurt or activated charcoal will help with that? Fri Aug 13 14:39:44 -0700 2004 1647642 0 spicyfoodlover 4 1647926 If your going to cook spicy dishes at home make sure you remove the seeds from any of the chile peppers you use, undigested seeds really bump up the discomfort! The milk and yogurt ideas sounds soothing but I'm not sold on it's cooling effect. If spicy food burns on the way in it most likely will burn on the way out. Mon Aug 16 21:41:46 -0700 2004 1647643 0 steve 1 1647688 What if you tried ground psyllium seeds and husks? Mix a Tbs to 8 oz apple juice and drink before bed. Benefits would be peppers diluted by bulk and the assistance of pectin. I don't know anything about pectin, I just thought I'd throw that in. But be sure to drink plenty of H2O. Sat Aug 14 12:29:09 -0700 2004 1647564 0 Sweet Pea