I used to have what I call Banana diet a few months ago. I stopped for reasons I can’t remember now. Now, I want to do it again. My reasons why…. (a former colleague emailed this to me.)
A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class
about bananas.? He said the expression “going bananas” is from the
effects of bananas on the brain.? Read on:
Never, put your
banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting.
After reading this, you’ll never look at a
banana in the same way again.
Bananas contain 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 daily 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 affect 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 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 and 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 e ating 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 wor k 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 le vels
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 their
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 &Tobacco Use: 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, there by
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 also 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!”
PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are
so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes??
Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe…polish with
dry cloth. Amazing fruit ! - Anonymous
