HAVE A GOOD READING ABOUT BANANA..

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: 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 the perfect way 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 Eng land Journal of Medicine, “eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

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 carbohydrates, 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!”

How to lower cholesterol through your diet

Although most people believe that the trend towards cutting off cholesterol in diets is brought on by the fact that the young generation is dieting themselves to death; it is not so. Limiting the body’s cholesterol levels is not only for appearance’s purposes but also for health reasons. Cholesterol levels in the body, when at a certain level, can cause a host of body complications and disease that can even eventually cause death.

Problems like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes come in mind. This is especially true with people who are already old and in their middle ages because of the slowing down of the bodily processes particularly the digestive system and the body’s ability to convert fats to energy. This is perhaps why most older people, especially those that have weight issues, are being asked by their doctors to lessen their cholesterol intake.

What is cholesterol?

People have been talking about cholesterol but do they what it is and how it affects the body. Because of news about rising cases heart problems in the country, cholesterol has become an overnight antagonist. Everybody thinks that cholesterol is bad.

Actually, not all cholesterol is bad for the body. In fact, our bodies need cholesterol to make bile salts. It is also a major ingredients in maintaining hormonal balance as well as in the production of Vitamin D. Things become troubled when the levels become too high that the cholesterol already clog the arteries, making it hard for the blood to flow and the heart to pump.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad. The LDL, which is the bad kind, adhere to the arterial walls, forming plaques that eventually clog the passageway. Saturated fats and the trans fatty kind are sources of this kind of cholesterol. This is frequently found in pre-packed foods like potato snacks and canned goods.

The HDL, on the other hand, can lower the levels of LDL cholesterol. This is because the good HDL helps transport the LDL cholesterol from the arterial walls back to the liver where it is excreted out. These are found in nuts and in seafood particularly fishes.

People who want to lower their LDL levels are also advised to eat a lot of fruits because of the fiber that they bring to the body. Oats, cereals, and legumes are also great sources of fibers that can help combat the rise of LDL cholesterol, eventually decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Factors that affect cholesterol levels

Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just the diet that should be taken into consideration when dealing with high cholesterol levels. There are actually a lot of factors that affect the condition. One of these is the age and the gender. Older people are more affected by increased levels of cholesterol because of their bodies’ slowing processes. Another factor is the level of physical activity. Exercise can actually help in lowering down of LDL cholesterol. Also, it can help in strengthening the body and in toning the muscles.

Lowering cholesterol levels

From what was mentioned above, it seems remarkably simple to lower the body’s cholesterol levels… that is if one has the discipline to see it through. Just eat right and exercise regularly, avoid canned and pre-packed foods and you are on your way to lower cholesterol levels.

Eating right to lower your cholesterol

We are raising an obese society. With big-sizing everything that we eat especially in fast food chains, we are slowly clogging our arteries with unnecessary fats and cholesterol that our bodies do not actually need and cannot use.

The result is of course a society that is pestered with different kinds of cholesterol complications such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and overweight problems. In fact, one of the problems that the country is facing is the rising prevalence of people with hypertension, which can lead to a possible heart attack when not taken cared of.

So what can you do lower your cholesterol levels? The first line, perhaps the only one that is truly effective is a combination of regular exercise and proper diet. These two activities go hand in hand. Without one factor, you cannot succeed. Dieting without exercising the body will only lead to weak muscles, which will eventually weaken the body’s resistance.

It may also lead to fatigue and sore muscles because there is not enough nutrients in the body. Exercising, on the other hand, without the proper diet is useless because you will only be maintaining your usual weight.You will not be gaining of course, because you are burning whatever you need; but you will not be losing any pound either.

Besides, exercising too much will strain the muscles and might even lead to a possible heart attack because of too much strain to the heart.

So what do you have to eat in order to lower those cholesterol levels in the body and ultimately prevent the occurrence of hypertension?

Eat less oil

One of the first things that a person dieting should avoid is to eat foods that are deep-fried or those that are cooked using oil. These include potato chips, fries, fried meat, fried seafood, fried veggies and a whole lot more.

Oil, when taken into the body translates to cholesterol. What you should be eating are foods that are boiled, steamed, baked and braised. Grilled foods may also be eaten but not so much. 

Eat less meat

The fats from meat contain a lot of cholesterol. If you can avoid eating meat all the frequently, better; but if you can’t stop munching those meat, just remove the fats that hang on the side. Chicken and Turkey meat is a lot healthier so if you can have a choice, opt for these kinds of meat products. Don’t forget to remove the skin though as cholesterol concentrate in white meats can be found on the skin.

Eat vegetables

Vegetables do not only contain zero cholesterol, it is also a great source of fibers that help the body in digesting the food that we take in.

As much as possible, steam the vegetables that you eat to maintain the nutrients in it and of course avoid fatty and cholesterol additives like oils.

Eat less period

Try to curb that appetite slowly by taking in less food that you normally take in. If you can lessen the number of times that you eat or of you do want snacks, eat healthy snacks like fruits.

Try to also lessen the carbohydrates that you take in, which can be found in rice, cereals and bread. If you must eat these staple opt for the healthier kind like brown rice and wheat bread.

SELECTING CHOLESTEROL-FREE FOODS

Almost everybody knows the effects of bad cholesterol in the body.  By bad cholesterol, it literally has to do with low-density lipoprotein’s molecular transport deposits that thicken in the walls of the arteries hindering the flawless passage of blood affecting the atherogenic status of the arterial walls. While few people do not fully appreciate the importance of cholesterol in the body, this non-soluble waxy substance is essential to aid in building membranes, manufacture of bile, cell walls, nerve sheaths, and produce hormones.

However, exposing the body to high cholesterol supply result to hypertensions and other cardiovascular disorders or lead to atherosclerosis, a disposition of fatty substances, and fibrosis of the inner arteries.

Certain ways to check and reduce high levels of cholesterol are *practicing good eating habits accompanied by regular exercise.  *Indulging in a wrong kind of lifestyle or over indulgence enhances the rise in cholesterol levels. 

Good Eating Habits include:

1. Pre-arranging a total cholesterol-free daily diet by creating a whole week menu with vegetable-packed recipes, accompanied by good supply of fiber-filled fruits. If you could possibly buy or produce organically produced food types from such sources as organic gardens, so much the better.  Chemicals enhance the increase in cholesterol level. Carbohydrates should be of high complex standards.  

Some supermarkets abound in the availability of fresh organic vegetables like lettuce.  The high fiber-content of vegetables that you eat will reduce the LDL cholesterol, because these foods are very low-cholesterol-content, or non-containing at all.  There are of course foods that enhance low-density lipoprotein to develop to be a total risk, and settle in the arteries during the process of the lipoprotein molecules travel to the blood stream.

2. If egg is included in your meals, eat more egg white, never the egg yolk if you’re already an LDC possibility-individual.  Concentrate on baked foods that are made from whole wheat, and noodles made from cereals.   Use unrefined sugar in your light beverages.  Fully refined food preparations are processed thru certain chemicals for fine or whitening effects for marketing ends, but are in fact health hazards.

3. Water is the universal solvent. There is no harm in drinking more water, following the daily water requirements standard to aid in the total digestion process to balance body equilibrium in cleaning the body to improve blood circulation.

4. Eat more root crops than artificially made or baked foods that are prepared with certain additives, coloring, and extenders for commercial purposes. 

5. Drink fresh fruit juices, instead of manufactured soft drinks with high sugar content and artificial colorings and additives.  Practically, anyone who drinks chocolate beverage, or any chemical drinks and caffeine-filled, like strong coffee risks himself or herself to certain cholesterol levels.

Always remember that trans fats and hydrogenated fats or oils used in the baking or in food processing are even more destructive the saturated fats of some oil origin.  Use in preparing your food selected palm oils, especially “olive oil.”  It may be costly, but it is the safest oil to use in the kitchen for overall safety of all family members against the ill effect of too much cholesterol.

The best habit to consider is a regular check up of your cholesterol count, so as to safeguard against instant increase that might lead to unaware possible consequence of a fatal hypertension, or stroke due to unprecedented cholesterol rise.

Phytonutrients Supplements

Even though a lot of people don’t actually realize it, a lot of antioxidant foods that we consume are from vegetables.  Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and peppers are all excellent choices with some great benefits for your body.  When consuming vegetables, you should always go for those that are rich in color, as they are high in what is known as phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients are nutrients found in the skins of several fruits and vegetables, which give the food color as well as flavor and scent.  Phytonutrients are quite simply the best types of antioxidant foods that you can find anywhere.  If you are looking for a supplement value, the coq10 offers you a high level of antioxidant value.

Although fruits and vegetables are the best sources for antioxidants, the problem with them is that they are produced by the use of chemical herbicides, pesticides, and different types of fertilizers.  Over the years, studies have shown that fruits and vegetables which are organically grown are high in antioxidants, and boast a much higher concentration than those that have been produced commercially.

In the busy world of today, it can be very tough to eat like we should, nor can we eat organic fruits and vegetables all the time.  If you can’t or don’t have access to organic fruits or other sources of antioxidant foods, you should look into nutritional supplements that offer you the phytonutrients you need in your diet.

Supplements that contain phytonutrients do have advantages when compared to certain fruits, such as carrots – which can elevate your blood sugar level to a very high level.  Phytonutrients found in supplements are the extract of pigments where nutrients are concentrated, meaning that they draw the best from antioxidant foods, leaving the calories and sugar behind.

Don’t get the wrong idea here, fruits and vegetables are indeed good for you.  They are high in antioxidants, although those that are produced commercially generally come with chemicals and such that aren’t so good for you.  Canned fruits and vegetables come with high levels of sugars and calories, which antioxidant supplements don’t have.  The supplements offer you the levels you need, without any chemicals, sugars, or calories.  This way, you don’t have to worry about consuming anything that isn’t good for you.

No matter how you look at it, healthy eating for your body starts and end with foods that contain antioxidants.  There are several types of foods that contain antioxidants, although fruits and vegetables contain the most amounts.  Steak and meat are also great sources of antioxidants, along with other great benefits, such as protein.  Anytime you can’t get foods that contain antioxidants – you can count on supplements to deliver the amount you need to stay healthy.

Antioxidant Supplements

A key ingredient to improving your lifestyle and living a healthy life is antioxidants.  There are several antioxidant supplements out there that can help you live a healthy life, that are natural and won’t cause you any damage.  You can also eat different types of food that contain antioxidants as well, although supplements are the ideal way to get the right amounts of antioxidants.

If you take in more antioxidants through food and supplements, there are a few benefits that you’ll have, with the first being cell protection.  Antioxidants can help to protect your cells from damage, which helps to fend off diseases.  Many times, you can have a lack of vitamins in your body, which will cause you to recover from diseases or injury very slow.  If you have the right amount of vitamins and antioxidants in your body, you’ll notice the differences.

In most cases, you can get antioxidant supplements in the form of herbal or natural, which will greatly help your body.  They have a lot of benefits as well, such as preventing various diseases, keeping blood clotting under control, and restoring libido.  Nutrition and proper dieting is a very important part of life, therefore you should always keep your health under control and make sure you eat well.

There are non synthetic supplements out there as well, that are ideal for keeping your health maintained.  They can be easily absorbed by your body, unlike that of synthetic supplements.  Synthetic supplements are well known for their absorbing, as it can take a long time before you see any type of results.  Non synthetic on the other hand, gives you almost immediate results, as they are easily absorbed by the body and don’t have any type of side effects.

Keep in mind that even though you may be taking vitamins that contain antioxidants, you’ll still need to remain on a healthy diet.  You’ll need food that contains the minerals and vitamins you need as well, although the supplement vitamins will give you more.  You can also use vitamins and supplements that contain antioxidants if you aren’t able to eat the right foods that contain these precious nutrients.

For more reasons than one, you should always make sure that you include foods and supplements that contain antioxidants in your diet.  If you aren’t taking in the right amount of antioxidants, you’ll be at a risk for disease or other harmful effects.  Antioxidants do a lot for your body, which is why you want to ensure that you are taking in the right amounts.  You can find many different vitamins and supplements that include them, all you need to do is make sure that you are eating right and doing all you can to lead a healthy lifestyle.

A Lack Of Vitamins

The human body needs a certain amount of vitamins and minerals everyday to function properly and remain healthy.  A well balanced diet can supply your body with the vitamins it needs, although problems and disorders can arise if your diet doesn’t supply your body with the vitamins it needs.  The symptoms of vitamin deficiency will normally present themselves when the lack of vitamins is at an advanced level.

Those who don’t get enough of vitamins A, B1, and B2 for example, will always feel tired, along with a loss of appetite.  Other symptoms include mental and emotional stress, chapped lips, and other annoying or painful habits. 

The most common causes of deficiency include a poor diet, alcoholism, stress, a lack of vitamins, or medicine that interferes with your ingestion of vitamins.  If you are always feeling tired or feeling a lack of energy, you are probably short on the vitamins that your body needs to have on a daily basis.  If you visit your doctor and tell him the problem, he will probably recommend vitamins and supplements that will give you want you need.  Whatever you do, you should never overdo it and try to catch up on what you’ve been missing – as this will do you more harm than good.

Even though you may be following a healthy diet, you’ll still need to take vitamins and supplements.  No matter how healthy you eat, you should still use the right vitamins and supplements to give your body what it needs.  Vitamins are a great back up source, as they will provide your body with the minerals and nutrients it needs in the event of your diet failing you.

Before or after every meal that you consume, you should take vitamins or supplements.  If you have a deficiency in a certain vitamin or vitamins, you should make sure that you never miss taking the vitamin you need.  Even though you may not realize it, being deficient in a vitamin can greatly damper your performance as well as the overall health of your body.

When you look for supplements, you should always look for those that contain vitamins B6, B12, D, E, and folic acid.  Along with being considered dietary supplements, these well known vitamins will help to fight cancer and help your heart remain healthy.  The combination of these vitamins will help your body to remain healthy, boost your immune system, and keep you feeling refreshed.

To remain healthy and keep your body operating as it should, you’ll need to invest in vitamins and supplements.  You can find them online or at local nutrition stores, many of which won’t cost you much money at all.  No matter what your age may be, you’ll need to ensure that you are eating the right foods and taking the right foods.  Keep in mind that you should never replace food with vitamins, as they are more less meant to give you additional nutrients and minerals. 

Anytime you aren’t able to eat the right food, you should always turn to vitamin supplements to give your body what it needs.  Supplements and vitamins are one of the best investments you can make, as everyone needs vitamins in their body.  Even though the costs may add up over time, it is more than worth it when you think about.  For what you spend in vitamins and supplements, you’ll be keeping your body healthy – and preventing a deficiency in vitamins. Although vitamin deficiency is very common these days, it doesn’t have to be.

Stop Smoking in Healthy Aging
 
Stop smoking now means you could live a happy and healthier life. As you already know smoking is bad for everyone, not just the ones that smoke but the ones that breath in the second hand smoke. Second hand, smoke is harder on you then smoking. Forty-five hundred Americans start smoking every year. Why would they want to do this to them self I can’t truly answer you. Because once you get started, you cannot stop. You are hooked and that is not very good for you. Most people start at an early age in life, they are curious or they want to be cool. The biggest problem is most people lack education that helps them to see how smoking causes them to age faster.
 
The problems smoking can cause:
Smoking can cause many problems when it comes to your health not to think about the expense. Smoking can cause cancer, heart disease, and strokes, increase cholesterol and so on. Your heart is affected, since smoking causes your blood vessels to build up with cholesterol and fat. The results leads to harden of the arteries. Harden arteries mean that the blood flow will not pump fast enough to support the heart’s natural requirements. This starts blood clotting, broken blood vessels etc. It can also cause angina which will make you think that your having a heart attack but your aren’t its just not getting enough blood to the heart to make it pump right. Then it can cause you to have a heart attack, since smoking is a blockage so that there is no blood going to the heart.

Smoking can cause strokes or bronchiolitis. This disease is contagious, which most people do not realize it. The viral infection affects the airway, which affects breathing. The common cause of this contagious disease is smoking or second hand smoke. Smoking promotes bad breath, stained teeth, smelly furniture and clothes. You also get common colds and flu more often. You will start to cough and then you won’t be able to breath they even may put you on oxygen. In addition, smoking is so expensive now days. It is not worth it you will end up regretting it in end. On top of this, you get addicted to the nicotine once you are hooked your hooked.

Bronchiolitis is a common viral infection, which affects the respiratory syncytial. The condition causes inflammation. Once the inflammation accumulates the airway is blocked, since the nicotine consumptions and infections causes the airway to narrow, which the flow of air is obstructed.
 
Why is nicotine addictive?
You get addicted to the nicotine because of all the chemical put into the tobacco. It’s not so much as the nicotine that makes you sick it’s the chemicals that they put in the tobacco, that cause you to get the disease like lung cancer and heart disease. In addition, what ever you get from smoking. Nicotine or cigarettes have several chemicals incorporated into it to causes addictions, and finally death.
 
How can I quite smoking?
Once you are hooked, it is going to be hard to quite. You have to decide that you’re going to quite regardless of what it causes, such as weight gain or being on edge.

You have to pull up the will power to do this and stick to it. You can say I will have one now and no more, yet it don’t work that way. You have to find the way that best fits your needs and build the will power. You may want to consult with your doctor who can offer you helpful suggestions on stop smoking.