- 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:
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- 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.
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- Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose
and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained
and substantial boost of energy.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
?
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- PMS Forget the pills - eat
a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which
can affect your mood.
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- Anemia High in iron, bananas
can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in
cases of anemia.
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- 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.
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- Brain Power 200 students
at 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.
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- Constipation High in fiber,
including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping
to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
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- 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.
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- Heartburn Bananas have a
natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try
eating a banana for soothing relief.
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- Morning Sickness Snacking
on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid
morning sickness.
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- Mosquito bites Before searching
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.
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- Nerves Bananas are high in
B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
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- 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 ed to control our blood sugar levels by snacking
on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Seasonal Affective Disorder
(SAD) Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural
mood enhancer tryptophan.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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%!
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- 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!
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- 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!"
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