Lazy Bear Blogs

Those of you who read my blog, would know that I love to be able to share information that will help you in your everyday life.  I found this brilliant article on the humble banana and I just had to share this with you.  Please read on and make sure you pick up a bunch from your local market as soon as possible :-)

A professor at CCNY (City College of New York), 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!!!

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.  It’s 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 keep us fit.  It can also help us 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 perfect to beat high 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 (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.

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 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 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%!

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, 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 it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say,  “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”

PS: Here’s a tip for a quick shine. Take the INSIDE of the banana skin and rub it directly on a leather shoe.  Polish with dry cloth. You’ll be amazed!!!