EAT A BANANA A DAY!

EAT A BANANA A DAY! Banana is an amazing fruit and  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 it is time to make a phrase, "A banana a  day keeps the doctor away!   The benefits of eating banana:

• 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 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.
  
  
  
• 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 wor k 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  & 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.
  
  
• 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!
  
  

One  last tip:  Want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and  rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth.

Article source HelpingWomenOnline.com