I had a bad habit of eating dinner late at night. And being from New Orleans, spicy seasonings remained a constant companion in preparing my meals. I never eased up on eating spicy foods, even as I got older.

Late one night at my home in Germany, I had finished a delicious meal of spicy chicken breasts, baked macaroni topped with sharp cheddar cheese, and steamed broccoli. For my dessert, I had walnut brownies with a glass of milk.

After eating, I headed to my living room sofa and curled up t...