Bananas for Life (What it can do to You):
June 6th, 2008
“Bananas for Life“
A banana “finger” consists of the fruit encased in a thick, fibrous skin, called the “peeling.” Both the flesh and skin can be eaten, In fact, people in some Western countries do eat the entire fruit, peeling and flesh in one go. I saw a Brazilian do it. Don’t be taken by the picture of a chimpanzee eating a peeled banana as a sign of more sanitary habits. Regardless, the health benefits of the banana are not diminished.
Bananas are rich in vitamin B6, which, among other things, is necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous and immune systems; vitamin C and potassium, which, together with sodium, is responsible in keeping tissue cells alive. I have a friend who had a drastic depletion of potassium. He was saved through a fast-track diet of bananas. Another friend, had a slow depletion of potassium. He died due to untimely diagnoses of his fatigue problems.
I said earlier that “depression” is all on the mind. Unknown to me was that the banana “fingers” I was consistently taking was probably more to it than my will to get out of my mental state. Bananas are rich in trytophan, a protein that converts into the mood-controlling enzyme, serotonin.
Being a widower has spared me the post menstrual syndrome affecting other husbands. A good serving of bananas can go a long ways towards showing thoughtfulness and, in the more shady side, control the oftentimes unwholesome side effects of women’s biological cycle. The vitamin B6, and blood glucose levels and the serotonin by-products of the fruit can alleviate this problem
I don’t know of any chimpanzee dying of high blood pressure, but the high potassium/low salt content of bananas make them perfect to beat blood pressure problems. Maybe that’s how I get by with 5 mg of Norten every other day.
Aside from the above, the banana is also a viable eat for those with anemia (bananas stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood), constipation (the fibers in the fruit help restore normal bowel movement), heartburn, morning sickness, ulcers, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), hang-over etc.
And if these are not enough, take a lesson from the chimps. See how lithe and lean they are? It’s because they don’t gorge on chocolate and chips – comfort food for high-pressure jobs. So take a step back, look at how you are managing yourself, your time, your job and take a bite-full of bananas.
Then kiss your obesity goodbye.
