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 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 chips. 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%!

 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!"