Bananas claim the title of the world’s best-selling fruit and are more popular around the world than apples and oranges. Though we say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” a banana is a healthier fruit than an apple. Bananas are available in India in many sizes and colors. In south India, you start a diet of bananas as early as infancy. Babies receive the first solid-food with banana as the primary ingredient. It grows along with you to become a snack and to become a major part in your old age frugal diet.  In America, it is estimated that in a year at least twenty-five pounds of bananas are consumed by a single person. The yellow Cavendish banana is the most favored one in America.

There are over four hundred varieties of banana. Bananas grow in bulk not on a  tree but on a large plant which is known as a plantain. And the best part is that one can find use for each and every part of a plantain.

Banana would stand for instant energy. Even if you skip a meal, having a banana can meet your nutritional requirements. It is rich in iron and potassium while being low in salt. A banana would consist of 4 times the proteins, twice the carbohydrates,3 times the phosphorous,5 times vitamin A than an apple. It also has vitamin B6 and B12, vitamin C and magnesium. Let’s not forget the vital fiber content of bananas too.

Including bananas in your diet can  boost up your brain power, regulate blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke, cure psychological problems like depression and irritability, while also dealing with weakness and insomnia. By stimulating the production of hemoglobin bananas can also help with anemia. Experts say the banana’s are great mood enhancers and can enliven your bad mood. Bananas can be taken along with your dinner if you have constipation or any intestinal disorders.

If you are very fond of sweets, replace your sweet with a ripe tasty banana and say  thanks to the natural sugar content in banana: glucose, sucrose and fructose. Add ripe bananas to your pudding or your desert or even better have boiled bananas as an evening time snack. Banana chips cannot substitute for a ripe healthy banana but it may very well replace some potato chips.

Bananas are quite convenient as a refreshment during travel as they provide a perfect fill and would not dirty your hands. They are great after a vigorous physical activity as they boost up your spirits as well as your energy. Bananas can be eaten a few times a week as part of a healthy diet. But it is best to avoid them if you are diabetic or fat.

-Aparna K V

Tags: obesity, chinese, blood pressure, asthma, herbs, alternative, homeopathic, herbal, remedies, acupressure

If you have red dry patches of thick skin you probably have psoriasis. But don’t fret. It is not contagious. It does not cause hair fall. And, you can treat it at home with good effect.

Psoriasis is a non-contagious chronic skin disease seen worldwide affecting at least 1% of the population. It is commonly seen on the knees, elbow, scalp, hands, feet or lower back. If it is mild you might not even recognise it. With Psoriasis the skin becomes inflamed with dry, red, thick patches. These patches have well-defined silvery and flaky skin.Psoriasis usually has periodic ups and downs. In severe cases, it spreads over much of the body.

There are five types of psoriasis namely Plaque, Guttate, Inverse, Pustular and Erythrodermic. Out of this, the most common is the Plaque. Psoriasis also can occur on different parts of the body like nails, around the eyes, ears, nose or mouth, and even on the genital areas.

The exact cause of Psoriasis is unknown. The genes and a disorder in the immune system combined with environmental factors might contribute to Psoriasis. Other factors like smoking, drinking, exposure to sun and an HIV infection can worsen Psoriasis, according to doctors. An inheritable disease, psoriasis affects both children and adults alike. Psoriasis may be combined with arthritis. People with psoriatic arthritis have inflammation on their joints and symptoms similar to those of arthritis. Psoriasis would definitely need medical attention. In some cases, ultraviolet light treatments are suggested. But mild psoriasis can be treated at home and with great care.

What to do?

Forget Stress. Stress is linked with psoriasis.

The easiest and the most effective thing to do is to keep skin damp and moist. Avoid soap or use mild soap.Do not rub the skin with your towel after bath. Try to seal in the moisture apply medicated moisturizing lotions.

Using hydrocortisone creams on the patches can help. But do not expose the areas to sun as products for psoriasis can make skin sensitive to the sun.

Avoid Sun! Be particular on using sunscreen lotions before going out. Long exposure to sun or sunburn can worsen psoriasis while a little exposure may help psoriasis too. Sunburn can even cause it to appear on the new areas.

Be gentle to skin. No harsh skin treatments to make skin “beautiful”. Say “no” to cosmetics for a while. Skin treatments containing alcoholic ingredients can cause more trouble.

Humidifiers can often with skin problems and allergies. Use humidifiers or coolers in the house to add moisture indoors.

However, if psoriasis is beginning to spread all over and is painful with fever consult a doctor immediately.

-Aparna K V

Tags: diabetes, chinese, obesity, herbal, diabetes, acupressure, weight loss, Ayurvedic, alternative, medicine

Cardamom is nothing new to Indian cooking. If there is a sweet dish, it is most likely that it will have ground Elaichi or Cardamom in it. It is used unanimously in both Indian and Western Sweet dishes, be it Kheer or Pudding. My friend’s expertise is in Cardamom tea which I get to sip whenever I visit her. I never bothered about how expensive Cardamom (Elaichi) is, or rather whether it is so or not, until I read about the medicinal values of cardamom. Perhaps, being expensive is the main reason why we bought it in small packets and used sparingly and on special occasions.

If