GO BANANAS

Banana A Day
===============

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, which is known to
make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel
happier.

PMS:
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 high 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
chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found
that 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
and 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!"

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