Monday, December 14, 2009

Going Bananas



I read this post that was shared by my friend Lowanna. I would love to know who originally posted this information so that I can give credit for their information.
I love you. Now go eat a banana!


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, glucose
combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained &
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 &
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 & 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 & 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 & Drug Administration has just allowed the
banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability
to reduce the risk of blood pressure & stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school
(England) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas
at breakfast, break, & 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
witout 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
&, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar
levels, while the milk soothes & 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 & 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 & irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in
Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like
chocolate & 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 & smoothness. It is the only raw
fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It
also neutralizes over-acidity & 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 & 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
& 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 & 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%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to
kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin & 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, iron, &
twice the other vitamins & minerals. It is also rich in potassium & 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!"

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!
I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE
of the banana skin, & rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth.
Amazing fruit!!!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Pomegranate Cranberry Salad & Pumpkin Pie




I thought I'd share a few of the Thanksgiving goodies that I whipped up this year. Actually, these were my favorite two, the absolute best being the raw pumpkin pie! I can not stress enough how wonderful this pie really is. It is the best pumpkin pie recipe I've ever had. Better than anything I ever ate cooked and I only wish I could take credit for the recipe. However, I can't, but I can give a darn good review and if you want to try it out, I can tell you where the recipe is! (I never publish recipes that are not my own out of respect for the creator - just my little quirk.) This pie is so creamy and so fulfilling that you will never, and I mean NEVER want to use another recipe for punmpkin pie again. It is perfect to prepare for your non-raw friends. Trust me, they will never know the difference. I've done it many times. It's simply amazing. For more information on this recipe contact the creator, Jackie Graff or Gideon Graff at http://www.sproutrawfood.org/. I am not sure which of their recipe books this creation will be found in, but trust me you will love it!





I've never been a big fan of cranberry anything when it comes to the seasonal salads. Especially not the canned jellied stuff. I remember that I always passed it up as a child. This year I decided to tackle the cranberry salad for myself and put my own spin on it. It turned out much better than I expected. In fact, I loved it and wanted to share the recipe.

Pomegranate Cranberry Salad
- 1 & a half cups of fresh chopped cranberries
- 1 cup of pomegranate seeds
- 1 orange peeled & chopped
- 6 apricots chopped
- agave or honey to taste


Very simple with layers of flavor. I used a local raw honey that trully made this dish. The tartness of the cranberries marries well with the pomegranate, but the true rockstar of this dish was the apricots. I added them on a whim and I'm so glad I did.


Enjoy!

Persimmon Pudding!


Ok, I obviously made this recipe awhile back based on the picture - Halloween! However, I really wanted to share this delicious recipe before all the persimmons are gone! Bare with me because nothing will be exact because I tend to not measure when I'm creating in the kitchen. I just taste and play. If you are willing to experiment I promise that you will be pleasantly surprised. This is just such a yummy treat.
I used:
- about a cup of persimmon puree
- the meat of 2 young Thai coconuts
- and about 1/2 cup of either coconut water or brazil nut milk - I've done it both ways
- about a half to one teaspoon each of cinnamon, tumeric and ginger (1 inch of fresh ginger root)
- 1 Tbs of agave nectar
I topped off the pudding with hemp seeds for an very seasonal & delicious treat.
Sorry that this is so breif and not very informative but I've been promising to share this for awhile so it's kinda a quick treat. Feel free to experiment and enjoy!
I love you!

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