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Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 67 Rep Power: 0 
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The Incredible Banana After Reading this, you'll NEVER look at a banana in
the same way again.
>Bananas: Containing 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 the 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 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 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: 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 having a stroke 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 it's time to change that well-known
>phrase so that we say, A banana a day keeps the
>doctor away! |
