Flagging energy levels? Try bananas.

[Guest guest]

If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better

> snack than a banana.

>

> Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose -

> combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and

> substantial boost of energy. Research has proved 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 your daily diet.

> ==================================

>

> 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 food for helping 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.

> ==================================

>

> 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 trypotophan, a type of protein that the

body

> converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your

mood and

> generally make you feel happier.

> ==================================

>

> 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.

> ==================================

>

> HEART BURN:

> Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you

suffer from

> heart-burn, 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

> such as bananas every two hours to keep levels steady.

> ==================================

>

> PMS:

> Forget the pills....eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains

regulates

> blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

> ==================================

>

> 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-chroniculcer 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, trypotophan.

> ==================================

>

> SMOKING:

> Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the

high

> levels of Vitamin C, A1, 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

> re-balanced 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 you see 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-know phrase so that we

say, " A

> Banana a day keeps the doctor away! "

>

[Guest guest]

It is my understanding that bananas are not good for diabetics and they also

raise your triglycerides.

 

sharon

-

mrsjoguest

Gettingwell

Friday, August 02, 2002 3:58 PM

Flagging energy levels? Try bananas.

 

 

If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better

> snack than a banana.

>

> Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose -

> combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and

> substantial boost of energy. Research has proved 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 your daily diet.

> ==================================

>

> 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 food for helping 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.

> ==================================

>

> 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 trypotophan, a type of protein that the

body

> converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your

mood and

> generally make you feel happier.

> ==================================

>

> 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.

> ==================================

>

> HEART BURN:

> Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you

suffer from

> heart-burn, 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

> such as bananas every two hours to keep levels steady.

> ==================================

>

> PMS:

> Forget the pills....eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains

regulates

> blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

> ==================================

>

> 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-chroniculcer 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, trypotophan.

> ==================================

>

> SMOKING:

> Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the

high

> levels of Vitamin C, A1, 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

> re-balanced 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 you see 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-know phrase so that we

say, " A

> Banana a day keeps the doctor away! "

>