The Newest Health Food: Bananas?

The Newest Health Food: Bananas?

What is the highest selling fruit in the United States? You can probably guess that it is the banana. Contrary to popular belief, the banana actually grows on a bush-like plant, and not a full on tree. These popular yellow fruits can be an incredible help to your health.

Nutrition Benefits

One reason that bananas can be beneficial to you is their high levels of potassium and magnesium.   These nutrients are responsible easing aching muscles and often recommended for muscle cramps.  Bananas are also a fantastic source of vitamin C, B6, and folate (B9-which helps metabolism and cell growth and are GREAT for pregnant woman).  Bananas provide a good dose of protein, and all while being low in fat and about 100 calories per banana. Bananas contain about 4 grams of fiber per banana, which is helpful in creating bowel regularity.

The average banana contains about 14 grams of sugar -some might think that is way too much, but one thing that has to be considered is the source of the sugar. In the case of natural sugar, it is not nearly as damaging to people as refined sugar, though those with blood sugar sensitivities should be careful of bananas as they have a moderate glycemic index.

Why They Help

Bananas are good for a wide range of problems. They are often used for the treatment of anemia, an iron deficiency disorder. They have also shown to help with low blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, heartburn, nausea from various causes, stress control, and a host of other problems.

Athletes are particularly fond of bananas because the sugar and carbohydrates provide an added burst of energy that can help get them through a workout, but they are beneficial for everyone.

How You Can Benefit

Bananas are one of the few fruits that are easy to find all year long no matter where you live. As they ripen, they get sweeter so the greener they are, the more tart they are. Incorporating one banana per day can dramatically improve symptoms you may be having from various medical ailments. For a balanced diet, it is best to incorporate your fruit into your morning meal and avoid the sugar intake later in the day. Another option is to eat your fruit after a workout. Your body is best equipped to handle the carb and sugar intake after a workout.

The Real Cost Benefit to Eating Healthy

One of the biggest complaints of people, when faced with making the change from an unhealthy lifestyle to a healthy one, is the cost of food. There have been many studies that prove that yes, financially, at the supermarket, eating healthy can cost you more at the cash register. However, the costs and savings are not all at the register.

The generally accepted range is anywhere from one to two dollars per day that a healthy diet will cost over an unhealthy diet when you only look at the grocery store sales alone. Healthy diets are those that are rich in veggies and fruits, as well as healthy proteins like fish and chicken.

Obviously there are many things that go into a healthy diet that drive up the price. Transportation, refrigeration, preservation, and ingredients all play a role in higher costs of food. Prepackaged, processed foods are designed to have a long shelf life and are not in a rush for delivery. That is not true for fresher foods and meats, so there is an added cost associated with that.

That part is often realized by many people, but what is not always realized or easy to calculate is the costs that are saved from chronic, long term illness associated with poor health. The long term effects of obesity manifest themselves in things like heart disease, diabetes, chronic pain, and a host of other illnesses that lead to medical costs, prescriptions, and rehabilitation.

While the food costs at the store may be more at the register, they are going to save you a lot in the long run financially, but also medically and for your overall wellbeing.

Photos courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

The Failure of “Dieting”

All of us know people that have been on a diet, let alone the number of us that have been on a diet ourselves. For most of the population, diets do not work. It is has gained more and more momentum that diets are not the right way to go, but new research might indicate that dieting is an exceptionally bad choice for those that are obese.

There is a distinct signal that is transmitted from the stomach to the brain when people are full to tell people to stop eating. When people get obese that the signal does not work correctly. Even after people lose the weight they want to lose, it takes time for that signal to work properly, if it does, in fact, return to normal functionality.

In theory, people who are unhealthy are required to eat more food to feel the same level of fullness compare to someone that is healthy. This is why it can be incredibly hard for people to not feel hungry and actually find success in a yo-yo diet. The statistics show that anywhere from five to ten percent are successful with their diets over the long run.

The best way for people to find success in their weight loss is the slow, steady, consistent method. Lately, lifestyle changes are becoming more and more popular. By making healthy changes from unhealthy changes, people can change their signaling responses over time, so they start making healthy choices and decrease their response for hunger.

Yo-yo diets may provide some short term results, but it does not take long for the weight to come back on. Making long term healthy lifestyle changes are the best way to see long term success, though this can be a difficult change, there are professionals that make it easy to start getting results.

Photos Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

No Equipment Needed Workout

The No Equipment Workout (or Travel workouts)

Need to get a great workout in, but don’t have access to the gym? No problem. There are lots of great exercises you can do to get in a workout without a single dumbbell.

Here is a sample workout for four days without any equipment needed!

Day 1: Workout for Time

Do ten reps of each exercise. Do as many sets as possible in 15 minutes and do not rest between exercises.

Jump Squats: Butterfly Sit-ups: Burpees: Tricep Dips: Split Lunge Jumps: Push Ups

Day 2: Workout for Count

This workout decreases the number of reps with each exercise.

Butterfly Sit-ups: 60 reps

Jump Squats: 50 reps

Push Ups: 40 reps

Split Lunge Jumps: 30 reps

Tricep Dips: 20 reps

Burpee: 10 reps

Day 3: Workout in Rounds

Complete five rounds of 12 reps of each exercise. Try not to rest between exercises, but finish all rounds.

Burpee: Tricep Dips: Split Lunge Jumps: Butterfly Sit-Ups: Push Ups: Jump Squats

Day 4: Workout for Reps

This is a workout to maximize reps in one minute. Complete as many of the exercise as possible in one minute. Do not rest between exercises, but you will do the circuit twice through so rest one minute between circuits. Try to beat the number of reps exercise to exercise. If you can do 20 pushups, then try to do 21 of the next exercise.

Split Lunge Jumps: Push Ups: Butterfly Sit-Ups: Burpee: Jump Squats: Tricep Dips

You Need to Know More About Restless Legs

Many people have heard of Restless Legs Syndrome from infomercials on TV, but few really know what it is and why they need to know more about it. Think about anytime that you have had a constant urge to move your legs. This usually happens right before you fall asleep. Ever have that feeling? Maybe you experience weird sensations after you have been sitting for a long period of time and feel the need to move your legs. These are all signs that you may actually have Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).

In North America and Europe alone, almost ten percent of the population suffers from RLS – and that is the number that actually seek help for the problem. RLS is considered to be the most common neurological condition that people experience.

Symptoms

There are many symptoms that go along with RLS.

·       Insomnia

·       Flailing limbs

·       Involuntary movements

·       Fatigue

·       Poor quality sleep

·       Daytime sleepiness

Contracting RLS

While this is one of the most common neurological disorders, doctors are not sure exactly why people develop RLS. There is a lot of information being found in an array of studies. Some suggest a genetic component while others indicate side effects from medications.

Getting a Diagnosis

Usually the diagnosis for RLS is fairly straightforward. A doctor will want a full physical and medical history along with an overnight sleep study to watch sleep patterns. Sometimes RLS can be brought on by other sleep disorders and doctors will want to rule that possibility out.

The Natural Side

There are other explanations for RLS that fall to the natural, organic side of science. The first of these is dehydration. Water is one the most vital elements, aside from oxygen, in the human body. When the water, oxygen, nutrient, and mineral levels of the body are not balanced, it can cause the symptoms of RLS. One way to test this theory, if you are suffering from RLS symptoms, is to make sure that you are getting the recommended amount of water every day. This will help to deduce whether your symptoms are associated with dehydration.

Another potential culprit for RLS symptoms is a deficiency in various minerals. Anytime there is a deficiency in minerals or nutrients, the body reacts badly. One of these minerals is magnesium. The common diet of the Western world is often lacking in many nutrients. Other minerals that can imitate RLS are iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc, often seen in female athletes, vegetarians, and women who are menstruating or pregnant.

Getting the Help You Need

The very first thing to do if you are experiencing RLS symptoms is to make sure you are getting plenty of water. This will rule out dehydration. Next, take a daily multi-vitamin or specific vitamin supplements to keep your mineral and nutrient levels in check. Blood tests can also be done by a doctor to determine if you are experiencing deficiencies and always talk to a doctor before starting a supplement regimen.

If you do suffer from RLS, there are things you can do to ease the symptoms. Consider stretching, walks, massage, meditation, acupuncture, and salt baths. These can all help to increase blood flow and relax the muscles. Making sure to take care of your body is the biggest component to controlling your RLS symptoms.

Photos courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net