Medicinal+Uses+for+The+Banana

**__Anaemia:__** High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia. **__Blood Pressure:__** This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping 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 an English 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 fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. **__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. **__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 heart-burn, 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. **__Nerves:__** Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. **__PMS:__** Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. **__Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):__** Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan. **__Smoking:__** Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1, 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 normalise 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 re-balanced 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%! **__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-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralises over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

(Information used for this webpage is from http://www.banana.com/medicinal.html)