My sweetheart sent this email to me the other day. Normally, I wouldn't bother opening it, but it was from her and you know - I always read everything she sends. I'm glad I did because I learned a lot about bananas, and assuming this is all true, I think you'll appreciate it as much as I did.
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.
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 ( England ) 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
chips. 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 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, 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 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!"
PS: I will
add one more: Want a quick shine on your shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the
banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe... polish with dry cloth.
Amazing fruit !!!
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