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 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 way 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.
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.
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 chips.
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 some 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 death
by strokes by as much as 40%!
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
carbohydrates, 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!" |
Living in the Valley places us among those
who are at greatest risk for Diabetes. There is probably not a
single one of us who has not somehow been affect by this disorder.
Diabetes is an incurable disease in which the body does not
produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to
convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for
daily life. Diabetes is one of those silent diseases. You can have
it for years and not know it, yet during this time, damage is
occurring to your body. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to
blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, lower limb
amputation and death.
There
have been requests to bring Weight Watchers
to the district. I have been informed of the following
requirements:
