From Plantains to Peppers: 5 Foods to Reignite Your Hunger!

I’m sure it may be my Caribbean Island roots that influence my unwavering love for spicy foods, but riddle me this, who wouldn’t enjoy a mouthwatering, juicy piece of jerk (extra spicy) chicken straight from the grill? And don’t even get me started on grilled-jerk shrimp. I mean, come on! 

Health conditions come with certain symptoms. Multiple myeloma cancer is a rare blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow when plasma cells become cancerous (myeloma cells) and proceed to crowd out the body’s healthy blood cells. So, rather than making helpful antibodies, the cancerous cells make proteins that don’t work properly. The cancerous cells can also clump together, and proceed to form tumors. Loss of appetite is directly linked to multiple myeloma cancer. 

The spicy side of cuisine opens up a whole new world. Did you know that hot-and-spicy dishes will benefit your health and regain your appetite? Spicy foods are known to stimulate the appetite by increasing saliva and gastric juices. So, in other words, add some spice to your life!

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Discover how incorporating these flavorful foods can help you regain your appetite and get your body ready to enjoy food again:

1. Chili peppers improve your metabolism and digestion. They also have anti-inflammatory properties and may improve your immune system.
2. Cayenne peppers contain an active ingredient called capsaicin, this active ingredient stimulates the nerves in your stomach that produce digestive fluids. This helps your digestion.
3. Habanero peppers contain antioxidants that help reduce acidity in an individual’s digestive tract. Habaneros can also help with intestinal gas, stomach aches, diarrhea and abdominal/stomach cramps.
4. Banana peppers offer a variety of advantages, like improving digestion, and protection against stomach ulcers, constipation and other digestive issues. 
5. Wasabi is known to be a digestive aid. Wasabi contains enzymes that help break down proteins and fats, making your food easier to digest, and helping with gut health, bloating and indigestion.

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Here are some everyday spices to incorporate into your diet that will be beneficial to you:

• Cardamon is a blend of peppery and sweet notes. It’s used to treat a lack of appetite.
• Black pepper will stimulate your taste buds, help you regain your appetite and improve your digestion.
• Turmeric will improve your appetite and improve digestion.
• Ginger contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that support a healthy immune system.

Here are some other benefits of incorporating spicy food into your diet:

• Improves health conditions. Chili peppers can shrink and reduce the presence of specific cancer cells, such as prostate and colon cancers.
• Improves heart health. Hot peppers contain capsaicin (the compound that makes the actual pepper hot). This compound contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and decrease inflammation.
• Reduces inflammation. The capsaicin in spicy food helps fight inflammation. 
• Boosts your serotonin/ “feel-good” hormones. This will help alleviate feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety. 
• Boosts your immune system. Spicy foods help fight common colds, fungal infections and flu.
• Improves your eye health. Chili peppers are high in vitamin A, which contributes to maintaining good eye health.
• Regulates the gut microbiome. In other words, spicy foods improve gut health by maintaining a good balance of bacteria in our digestive tract. This helps to improve overall digestion.
• Provides pain relief. Consuming spicy foods will likely trigger the release of endorphins. This is our body’s natural way of relieving pain.
• Boosts your metabolism. The capsaicin in spicy food helps the body to break down fat.
• Kills bacteria in your body.

So, are you conceived yet? Adding a little heat to your meals might be just what you need to reignite your hunger and release those feel-good hormones. Spice up your life!