Spicy food has been blamed in the past for causing conditions like peptic ulcers or heartburn. While this has been debunked--peptic ulcers, for example, are caused by bacteria, and certain medications and syndromes--spicy food can aggravate existing conditions. Your doctor may tell you to avoid spicy foods if you have conditions as diverse as ulcers, acid reflux, canker sores, urinary tract infections and strep throat. David Otis Castonguay, an associate professor of music at Radford University, writes on his webpage that avoiding spicy cuisines is one way to maintain vocal health "at times of extended vocal use." Spicy food is common in many cuisines, but it is possible to avoid it.
Step 1
Speak with your doctor about what exactly you need to avoid. Find out if pepper products are the only forbidden items, or if you have to avoid other foods with "bite," such as ginger.
Step 2
Cook your own meals so you can control the ingredients. Keep in mind that not only are you trying to avoid foods from a chef with a different definition of "spicy," but also those from errant family members who might forget and throw some jalapenos into a dish for variety.
Step 3
Inspect packaging for processed foods when you buy them to ensure you're buying a mild version. Food packaging for a product might not change too much between mild and spicy versions from the same manufacturer. If something is shelved incorrectly and you are in a hurry, you might end up with the wrong version of the food you intended to eat.
Step 4
Inspect the ingredients to ensure you can eat all of them. Find out if there are alternative names, such as "capsicum," for the ingredients you can't have.
Step 5
Search menus for signs a food is spicy, should you end up eating out while still restricting foods. If the menu doesn't contain obvious markers like icons, ask the server to point out the spicy dishes.
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