Did you have your banana today?

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>

> FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT ALLERGIC....

> (DAMN i KNEW i WAS MISSING OUT!!)

>

>> After 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 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

>>

>> 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. [so what if you smell like a

>> banana!]

>>

>> 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 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, 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%!

>>

>> 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, 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! "

>

> ~*~Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved

> body, but rather to skid-in-sideways, totally worn out, shouting... " Holy

> sh*t ... What a ride! " ~*~