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Floridaboiler
POTFH
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Joined: 18 May 2002
Posts: 11322
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
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 Posted: 05/08/03 - 19:58 Post subject: BANANAS ? THE CURE FOR ALL ILLS!
> BANANAS ? THE CURE FOR ALL ILLS! Believe 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 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 fruits 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-hydrate 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
> 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!"
>
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