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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
food for helping 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 an English 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.
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.
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 rehydrates your system.
Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body
so if you suffer from heart-burn, 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 - such as
bananas - every two hours to keep levels steady.
PMS:
Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6
it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which
can affect your mood.
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,
as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1, 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 re-balanced 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%!
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.
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-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralizes
over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the
lining of the stomach.
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!
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