Thursday, March 16, 2006

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 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 perfect 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 & Tobacco Use: 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%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and 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 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!"

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, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Humor - Ten Ways Dick Cheney Can Kill You


Please understand that this picture is not meant to disparage the vice-president in any way. It is just a funny photo I found on the internet. Enjoy!

Monday, February 13, 2006

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Update on the Shirataki Noodles

Since last writing about the Shirataki Tofu Noodles, I have actually cooked with them. Not bad! You boil them for about 2-3 minutes, drain and serve. They actually taste like Japanese rice noodles. For 20 calories, I thought they were pretty good. I also tried Shirataki Yam Noodles which also had a similiar taste to the Shirataki Tofu Noodles. These noodles only had 5 calories, but were a little pricier. Another product we saw while we were at the Mitsuwa Japanese grocery store was Konnyaku or Yam Cakes. These little buggers had the strangest look and feel to them. They looked like breast implants packaged in water. I did a little research on them and found some interesting information and recipes. They are considered a Japanese health food.

Click here for recipes

Click here for information

I made some stirfry with the Shirataki Yam Noodles last night. I used Kirkland (Costco) stirfry vegetables, some calamari from Trader Joes, Yam Noodles, garlic and Trader Joe's General Tsao stirfry sauce. It was tasty and under 400 calories!

Christmas Toys We Did Not See in 2005












Monday, February 06, 2006

Superbowl Party

Went to a great party at our friends John and Melissa Sirridge. The menu was great and the company even better!

Menu:

Beer batter deep fried fish
Deep fried Waffle Cut French Fries
Homemade Clam Chowder
Homemade Hushpuppies

And appetizer galore! I think I ate enough crap to clog my arteries for a year!

John and I setup turkey fryers in his backyard and fried everything there. It was a huge undertaking since he had a ton of people to feed! Everything worked out great, except for my Tirimisu. It turned out a little runney. It did taste good though!

Also went to a Japanese grocery store this weekend and found the Shiritaki Tofu Noodles we have been looking for everywhere! These noodles taste just like regular noodles and are just 20 calories per serving! Wow! I will let you know my opinon on how they taste.