THE HUMBLE BANANA = A KINGS RANSOM!

I found this series on the humble banana interesting and thought
I would post it. Out here in Australia the banana costs just on
$16.00 Dollars a kilogram or 2.5 pound. The big cyclones that ripped
through Queensland earlier this year devastated the banana
plantations. And true to his word our Prime Minister Mr. Howard
promised the farmers he wouldn't bring in foriegn bananas. So all
lovers of their daily banana are suffering withdrawl symptoms big
time. We are hoping that by the time Christmas arrives we may be
able to afford a banana for the fruit salad or to decorate the pavlova
and trifle. ONE CAN ONLY HOPE!

BANANAS...  
This is very interesting!
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 haemoglobin 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.
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...

 "AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY" 
To... 
"A BANANA A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY"
PS ...Bananas must be the  reason...

               Monkeys are so happy all the time!

19:09 - Saturday, August 19, 2006 - post comment

Bananas

Hi Dawnie, I thought I'd pay a visit to a fellow Martha Wainwright fan! I've been to see her lots of time - and Rufus, of course. I could listen to Martha's voice all day, even if she sung the shopping list! By the way, I love bananas, eat at least 1 a day if not more!

Ciao from Asphodelia aka Office Troll

http://blogs.forumer.com/asphodelia

asphodelia - 04:45 - Friday, August 25, 2006