BANANAS

Thought this was interesting, I want everyone to stay healthy!!! ...aSh...: )
BANANAS
A professor at CCNY 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. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting.
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

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. 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 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 a lert.

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 e ating 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-p ressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar le vels 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 En gland 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!' ...aSh...

CHOLESTROL CHART

Daily Vitamin dose for the women should ideally include

Daily Vitamin dose for the women should ideally include:

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps in maintaining good eyesight, healthy cell membranes and smooth skin. It also helps in stimulating the body's immune system and fastening the process of wound healing. It is also required for the formation of growth hormone as well as the bones. Not only this, Vitamin A also helps in avoiding defects at the time of giving birth if you take it in adequate amounts during pregnancy. You can take Vitamin A from naturally dark orange products like Carrots as well as from dark green vegetables like broccoli.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B complex include thiamine (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) as well as Choline, Biotin and Pantothetic Acid. These vitamins help in balacing the homocysteine levels of the body which further protect the artery walls. Vitamins are also important for optimal health of the heart in women.

Get your dose of B complex from green vegetables like Broccoli as it helps in keeping oury hair and skin healthy. Meat is also a great source of Vitamin B, thus a number of vegetarians are often Vitamin B deficient.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is responsible for keeping the skin youthful and healthy. If you take Vitamin C regularly, it can reduce the risk of loss of cartilage as well as reduce the pace of osteoarthritis progression. You can get Vitamin C through all citrus fruits such as Orange, Lemon and the like.

Vitamin D

In research on Breast Cancer with some other eminent scientists, it was found that those women who receive adequate exposure to sunlight as well as Vitamin D are at a less risk of developing Breast Cancer in comparison to other women who are deficient in Vitamin D. Exposure to sunlight helps in the formation of Vitamin D naturally within the body, which is essential for joints and bones. It can also be obtained from egg yolks, fish, liver and other similar food products.

Vitamin E

The research on health benefits of Vitamin E proved that it supports functioning of the heart, muscles, nerves, cells, hair and skin. It is also effective to treat depression and anemia. You can find Vitamin E in whole grains as well as seeds and nuts.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K works wonders for the health of bones and reduces the risk of fracture of the hip bone. It also aids clotting of blood and is thus given to patients before surgery. You can have your daily dose of Vitamin K from green leafy vegetables and dairy products.

Vitamin X

Now what is 'Vitamin X'? Have you ever heard about it? Before you start your research, let me tell you that Vitamin X is nothing but a humorous name given by a few doctors to 'Exercise'. Though it is not a vitamin, it is fantastic for your good health. It is called 'Vitamin X' to remind you to get a daily dose of exercise along with a daily dose of Vitamins as well.

VITAMIN K

VITAMIN K

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. It can be dissolved in fat. Vitamin K is carried through the body by fat and is stored in fat tissue. There are three forms of Vitamin K:

• phylloquinone, which is found in food
  
• menadione, which is man-made
  
• menaquinone, which is produced by the body
  

What food source is the nutrient found in?

Vitamin K can be found in the following foods:

• collards, kale, and other green leafy vegetables
  
• members of the cabbage family including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts
  
• liver
  
• cheese
  
• milk
  
• egg yolk
  
• some fruits
  

Intestinal bacteria produce some vitamin K in the body.

How does the nutrient affect the body?
Vitamin K makes several proteins that help blood to clot when bleeding. It also makes other proteins for blood, bones, and kidneys. Along with vitamins A and D, vitamin K is important for strong bone development.

Information
The Recommended Dietary Allowance, called RDA, for vitamin K for adult males, age 25 years and older, is 80 micrograms (mcg) per day. For women, age 25 years and older, it is 65 mcg per day. For pregnant and lactating women, the RDA is also 65 mcg.

Vitamin K deficiency is rare. It is often the result of impaired absorption rather than not getting enough in the diet. Newborns are at risk for vitamin K deficiency. This is because their digestive tracts contain no vitamin K-producing bacteria. For this reason, doctors often give injections of vitamin K to newborns. The main symptom of vitamin K deficiency is blood that's slow to clot. Prolonged use of antibiotics can also cause a low level of this vitamin because they destroy some of the bacteria in the gut that help to produce vitamin K.

No symptoms are known to result from consuming too much vitamin K. Moderation is always the best approach. The most toxic form is supplements. People taking blood thinning medicines, such as aspirin or warfarin, may need to limit their intake of vitamin K-rich foods. This is because the vitamin's pro-clotting actions can work against this type of medicine.

VITAMIN B15

VITAMIN B15

Vitamin B-15 (Pangamic acid): This has not been qualified as being essential to our diets. Very little is known about this ingredient and therefore our information is very sketchy. Until further research is available, be careful of supplements containing pangamic acid, calcium pangamate, DMG or B15.

Other names :: Pangamic acid, calcium panmanate

Vitamin B15 (Pangamic acid) is water-soluble but its essential requirement in the diet has not yet been proven. Research points to B15 aiding in lowering cholesterol blood levels, aid in protein synthesis, neutralize liquor cravings etc.

Actions and benefits of vitamin B15

• Increases tolerance to hypoxia (insufficient oxygen to tissues and cells).
• Vitamin B15 has been used to treat cancer, schizophrenia and heart disease.

Deficiency symptoms of Vitamin B15

There is no evidence to suggest that a lack of pangamic acid has any adverse effects

Best food sources of vitamin B15

Seeds, nuts, brown rice, brewer's yeast, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds .