THE WONDERFUL BANANA!!!

BANANAS

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 B 6 it contains re gulates 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 th e 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: bare
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 their baby is born with
a cool temperature.

Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can
help SAD sufferer s 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. < BR>

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 En gland 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!