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The Wonder of the
Banana
Bananas. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose,
fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives
an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough
energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the
banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading
athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can
help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a
substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making
it a must to add to our dai ly diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by
MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt
much better after eating a banana. This is because
bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the
body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax,
improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it
contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can a
ffect your mood.
Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the
production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in
cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely
high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect
to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug
Administration has just allowed the banana industry to
make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce
the risk of blood pressure an d stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex)
school were helped through their exams this year by
eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid
to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the
potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making
pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the
diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to
overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover
is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The
banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey,
builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk
soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the
body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a
banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals
helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning
sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite
cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of
a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful
at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm
the nervous system. |
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of
Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to
gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps.
Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found
the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure
jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced
food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels
by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours
to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against
intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and
smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten
without distress in over-chronicler cases It also
neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by
coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as
a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and
emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand,
for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure t heir
baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD
sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer,
tryptophan.
Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up
smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the
potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body
recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps
normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and
regulates your body's water balance. When we are
stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our
potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help
of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in "The New England
Journal of Medicine,"eating bananas as part of a regular
diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as
40%!
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if
you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin
and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out.
Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or
surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.
When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the
protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the
phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice
the other vitamins and minerals. It is al so rich in
potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So
maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that
we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
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Author unknown
Remember, this is not meant as medical advice;) |