Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Let's go banana's!


I received an email earlier from mother about bananas. After reading it I thought I would post it here, since I know that all my banana lovin' friends would love to hear all of this info about the amazingly good things the banana can do for a body, or shoes! Here goes....

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. 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. 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. bring me bananas !

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help over come 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. I wonder if this would help with Post-partum depression as well? I have never dealt with depression except for like Post-partum or after being sick for a long period of time.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. I will have to try this because it sure is cheaper than Midol, which doesn't help the "I wanna kill people for a hobby" mood I get in!

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. I knew this bit of info because almost seven months after I gave birth to my oldest child , I became anemic due to a problem my birth control caused. I had six rods called the Norplant put in my arm (5 year birth control) but for some reason it didn't agree with me. I couldn't tan for a couple years after this bout of anemia and I am the kind of person that can get a tan walking from the house to the car. I had to eat bananas a lot during that time, plus other things!

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. the only time my blood pressure gets out of whack is when I have a sudden violent outburst of temper that we Taurus' are known for, then my B.P. shoots straight up!

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England) 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. I am going to start sending bananas with my kids when they have tests to take!

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. well, I definitely need to email this to some people that I know because they are full of you know what, think this will help?

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. in all of my 32 yrs I have never experienced a hangover, of course I have never really drunk myself into oblivion either so ...

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. I do sometimes suffer from heartburn, normally after I have had one of my violent outbursts.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. thank God I don't suffer from this nor will I ever have to worry about suffering from this again..ladies..holla if ya hear me!

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. this is a good bit of info for me because we have those pesky insects here and they do bite me and my eleven yr old daughter. We keep more cans of OFF in the house and Citronella candles outside than should be legal.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. holy smoke! I really need to buy more bananas!

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. I am overweight but it has nothing to do with my high-pressure job. I work at home so I move at my own pace and if I am told to speed up I can tell the boss (Mr.B) where he can shove this job, I also tell him how to shove it, how long to keep there and then I add a few other sweet instructions but I can't repeat them here on such a public forum! I don't have to worry about Mr. B rushing me most times because I move at a fast pace anyways but some days if he is in a bad mood or if he has five or six jobs going at once he gets a little stressed so he uses me to get it out.


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. been there, done that and I ain't going back no matter how many bananas will help.

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. I wonder if this would help women who are going through menopause or are in a pre-menopausal time? I have been told by two doctors that even though I am 32, I show signs of early menopause and I will tell you one thing..my body temp is rarely at a medium. I am either freezing to death or burning up ..oh and I don't have hot flashes..mine are more like major power surges! Anybody out there know what I am talking about?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. I, nor anyone I know, suffer from this but it is something to keep in mind just in case I run across someone.

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. I will really need to try it for this. I was trying to quit smoking right before we moved to my parents house in Feb. but once we moved there and the house was getting finished up I realized that with everything stressful going on around me, quitting smoking probably wouldn't be a smart move..especially if various people around me (Mr. B) valued their lives. So I still smoke and I am mentally preparing myself to quit, more or less what I am saying is that I have to talk myself into things, I will just remember to buy lots of bananas when I do get there.

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 re balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. I need them by the truck loads for this!

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%! haven't had one yet but you never know and there is nothing wrong with prevention of a bad thing!

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! I had a wart on my right knee when I was a child. The wart was very small but it bothered me because I knew it was there so one day while visiting my Mom's mom, which we called Ma, Ma took out a one dollar bill and wrote on it then handed it to me. The dollar had the date and who it was given by then it had the word "Wart" written on it. When I asked Ma why she gave it to me and what it meant she said that she had just bought my wart from me and as long as I kept that dollar the wart would not come back. That was many years ago, I was nine at the time I think, and I still have that dollar in my hope chest and you know what? the wart has never came back. When she gave me the dollar the wart was gone within two weeks!

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!"

Not only does it have all of those wonderful benefits but it will also do this...

Want a quick shine on your shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit!!!

Who would have thunk it?

It is a good thing that I like bananas, how about you?

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