BANANAS - THE CURE FOR ALL ILLS!

[Guest guest]

BANANAS - THE CURE FOR ALL ILLS!

 

Believe it or not 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

hemo-globin 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-chronic ulcer 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 carbo-

hydrate, 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! "