Does a Pepper a Day keep the Doctor away?

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Robert Brueck, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Fort Myers, Florida, who reports here on developments in the world of health and medicine, sometimes with a touch of humor. Dr. Brueck's web site can be read by clicking this link.

HOT! HOT! HOT!

Some of us like our food bland, not so spicy. Others like it hot, the hotter the better.

We are often asked how do we want our chicken wings: mild, medium or super hot. Just how hot is hot is open to debate.

On a recent Delta Airlines flight I was reading a small clip in the Sky Miles Magazine about an open air market in L.A. that has thousands of different peppers for sale. I am sure you can buy ones there that will bring tears to your eyes if not washed down with a firehose.

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal that said hot chili peppers may limit damage in heart attacks.

The key ingredient is Capsaicin.

A recent study in the Medical Journal Circulation reported on a study in which researchers placed patches of Capsaicin on the abdominal skin of mice before cutting off the blood supply to the coronary arteries for approximately 45 minutes. In essence this was more or less simulating a heart attack. 24 hours later those mice that had the Capsaicin had only lost 15% as many heart cells as mice that had a placebo placed.

Researchers think that there may be some stimulatory effect to the nerves connected to the spinal cord which in turn activates survival oriented nerves in the heart muscle.

It’s kind of an interesting study; however, the researchers have not yet done any studies with human beings.

So it may be that someday we may all be putting hot chili peppers on our abdomen, especially if we have a history of “coronary artery disease”.

Or, the doctor may say, "Take two tacos and call me in the morning."

Science advances and research is done each and every day to make our lives healthier and longer.

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For information about all aspects of plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, visit Dr. Brueck's web site at http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com.