HEALTH BENEFITS OF BANANA

Bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world for good reason. The curved yellow fruit packs a big nutritional punch, wrapped in its own convenient packaging. Some scientists believe that the banana may have even been the world's first fruit.

The possible health benefits of consuming bananas include lowering the risks of cancer and asthma, lowering blood pressure, improving heart health and promoting regularity.

Blood pressure: Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, fewer than 2% of US adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation.

Also of note, a high potassium intake is associated with a 20% decreased risk of dying from all causes.

Asthma: A study conducted by the Imperial College of London found that children who ate just one banana per day had a 34% less chance of developing asthma.

Cancer: Consuming bananas, oranges and orange juice in the first two years of life may reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia. As a good source of vitamin C, bananas can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables like bananas are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.

Heart health: The fiber, potassium, vitamin C and B6 content in bananas all support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Mark Houston, MD, MS, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St Thomas Hospital in Tennessee.

In one study, those who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium (about 1000 mg per day).

High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.

Diabetes: Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels. One medium banana provides about 3 grams of fiber.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 21-25 g/day for women and 30-38 g/day for men.

Treating diarrhea: Bland foods such as apple sauce and bananas are recommended for diarrhea treatment. Electrolytes like potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can help to promote regularity and replenish potassium stores.

Preserving memory and boosting mood: Bananas also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that studies suggest plays a role in preserving memory and boosting your mood.

SOURCE:www.medicalnewstoday.com

NASPA PRESIDENT FINALLY BREAKS HIS SILENCE AFTER AN ALLEGED GH¢30 DEDUCTION FROM THE ALLOWANCE FOR CITATION

This was the first post that actually caught the attention of NSS personnel on their facebook page:

Comrades, I write to inform you that the leadership of NASPA is currently in a national meeting at the Headquarters of the Secretariat, to fashion out a means to levy each of us (personnel) some GH 30 cedis for what they called citation aside the usual NASPA CERTIFICATE. It is unconstitutional and as such must be resist by all right thinking personnel. No employer, be it Government or Private would ask for citation from personnel before employing same.
This is broad day light robbery, and some of us will not be the first to be used. There is accommodation issues to be talked about.What about the office space for District and Regional Offices for our Representative? I taught we were promised some job fairs and what have you. What has changed? Where are we heading to?.
Please lets put on our thinking caps and resist to the core any attempt to levy personnel illegally
Stand by for updates as and when the meeting progresses.
Posted by: @Comrades, I write to inform you that the leadership of NASPA is currently in a national meeting at the Headquarters of the Secretariat, to fashion out a means to levy each of us (personnel) some GH 30 cedis for what they called citation aside the usual NASPA CERTIFICATE. It is unconstitutional and as such must be resist by all right thinking personnel. No employer, be it Government or Private would ask for citation from personnel before employing same.
This is broad day light robbery, and some of us will not be the first to be used. There is accommodation issues to be talked about.What about the office space for District and Regional Offices for our Representative? I taught we were promised some job fairs and what have you. What has changed? Where are we heading to?.
Please lets put on our thinking caps and resist to the core any attempt to levy personnel illegally
Stand by for updates as and when the meeting progresses.

It was alleged that, @Ekow_Vincent was somehow online as he monitored the insults hurled at him on the NSS facebook page by his comrades. However, @Speak Up Ghana, who has been tagged as the "ANAS" of the page kept updating members as the meeting transpired.
#Ekow, who could no more bare what was going on had to finally break his silence.
Below is what he posted:


ATTENTION
I agree with those who have said that my deafening - silence over the last few hours may not have helped situations. As you may imagine, I have been on quite a journey these few days to get to the to rock bottom of this cold war on our Facebook pages and to bring absolute finality to the alarming circulation about the issue of citation; particularly about the so-called intention to deduct some 30Cedis from your allowances.
Though I’ve been earlier guided by E.B.White that “the cure for free speech is more free speech”, I have decided now to make my position known and bring finality to this matter for the dignity of NASPA’s leadership and the destiny of our democracy.
Indeed, it would be unfair on my part to say that there hasn’t been like proposals on our table as National Executive Committee, in fact the matter about citations came up at the last held Congress in Tamale when a delegate proposed that service personnel deserves some honorable appreciation apart from their certificate to show for, at the end of the year.
However in discussing the funding of the project, the highly probable option has always been to seek corporate sponsorship, though some suggestions did come up about a last alternative to seek procedure to effect some deductions if needs be or if it may so please you. Indeed in my right as President like its always done, I chaired a delegate meeting on this issue among others.
However reasons have always prevailed that it would be utterly inhumane to wantonly make any deductions from our meager allowance no matter how insignificant the deduction may be. I dare say that neither I nor anybody has brought the resolution to this matter of citation. More reason why I find these wild aspersions on my leadership as unfortunate, mischievous or too early.
It's encouraging to hear us fight for what displeases us but in showing protest to this matter, my name and integrity has been dragged to the mud unnecessarily. Like all of you, I have family and friends too and I'm like any other ordinary service personnel. It is too early to get myself dirty and like the disciplined young catholic I’ve always been, this is not time to trade insults with anybody, I concede that your name-calling and wild accusations are collateral damages to the many hard decisions we consider as your leaders and in choosing the ones we should take ultimately in the end.
AND SO IN THAT SAME CONSCIOUSNESS LET ME STATE WITH ALL THE EMPHASIS AT MY DISPOSAL THAT NEVER CAN/SHALL EKOW VINCENT OR ANYBODY BE ALLOWED TO DEDUCT A PENNY FROM YOUR ALLOWANCE WHATSOEVER THE SITUATION MAY CALL FOR THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR. ANYBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES OF NASPA AND NSS SHOULD KNOW THAT IT IS NOT IN MY PLACE TO MAKE PERSONAL WEALTH OUT OF YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. EVERYTHING IN ME AND EVERYTHING I STAND FOR WOULD NOT COUNTENANCE THAT; AND I’M PREPARED TO PROVE THIS IN THE COMING MONTHS.
Finally, I will intensify my efforts to lead our association towards harmony, in the hope that we would find answers to the questions that really matter to you knowing that we have many blessings and many challenges and so much work to do.
I thank those who have believed in me so far and I ask you to share my prayer "that God will search me and my leadership and know our hearts, try us and know our anxious thoughts, see if there is any hurtfulness in us, and lead us towards the desired goal of NASPA. I ask that God give us a cleaner heart, for we walk by faith and not sight".
Thank you
God bless us all.
SIGNED
VINCENT EKOW ASSAFUAH JUNIOR
NASPA - PRESIDENT.


Members seem to have toned down a bit after breaking his silence, but ears are still on the ground.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

EFYA nominated for world's best female artist

Let's all support our local artiste when they get nominated for international awards. I just did mine, please support a sister by also casting your vote on the link below:

EXTRACT from EFYA'S Facebook post

To all my beautiful GINGAMS, i have thrilling news,i am so excited to announce that i have been nominated as "WORLD BEST FEMALE ARTISTE" @ the "WORLD MUSIC AWARDS". Lets put Ghana on the map, together we can make it happen, Click on the link below to cast your votes. God bless you.

http://vote.worldmusicawards.com/vote.asp?intNominationID=2452&cat=worlds%20best%20female%20artist&cats=4

OMG! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. SPEAKER BARNS THE USE OF "TWEEA" IN PARLIAMENT

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, has banned the use of the Akan word ‘tweaa’ in Parliament.

He said the use of the Akan word tweaa was un-parliamentary and should not be part of the “Parliamentary lexicon.”

Mr Adjaho banned the word after the member for Subin, Mr Isaac Osei (NPP), had drawn his attention to the fact that the word had gained currency in the House lately and sought to find out if that word could be used.

Tweaa is an Akan interjection used mainly to express contempt for a statement made.

Its use has gained currency since the District Chief Executive for Ahafo Ano South, Mr Gabriel Barima, flared up when a member of an audience he was addressing at Mankraso in the Ashanti Region used it to express contempt for a statement he had made.

The enraged DCE stormed out of the meeting after stating, among other things, that the person who made the statement was not his “co-equal.”

For the past three weeks, some Members of Parliament have used the word against their colleagues making statements or contributions to statements on the floor of the House.

The use of the word usually leads to laughter and takes the focus off the issues being discussed for some minutes.

SOURCE: Daily Graphic

TOP TEN HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC

A little garlic every day can go a long way in helping you to protect, as well as boost, your health. To reap the most health benefits from garlic, eat it in its raw state. Cooked garlic loses a significant amount of its medicinal qualities.

1. Lowers Cholesterol Level

Studies have shown that eating 600mg to 900mg of garlic everyday lowers cholesterol level and reduces arterial plaque formation by 5% to 18%. The antioxidant properties in garlic help scavenge harmful free radicals, which can contribute to damage caused by LDL (“bad cholesterol”) in the blood. Garlic also blocks the liver from making too much LDL. So, when fresh garlic is consumed on regular basis it can significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels without hurting beneficial HDL cholesterol levels.

2. Reduces Arthritis Pain

Garlic has also been shown to reduce pain and other symptoms in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Ground garlic mixed with hot aloe lotion calms and eases pain in inflamed and aching joints due to rheumatism. Various chemical compounds present in garlic also are believed to aid in reducing inflammation associated with various forms of arthritis.

3. Reduces Weight

Many researchers believe that the anti-inflammatory property in garlic helps regulate the formation of fat cells in the body, one of the primary factors in obesity. Garlic also is highly diuretic in nature due to its essential oils and its low molecular weight sugars. Regular consumption of raw garlic or garlic supplements can help you maintain a healthy body weight.

4. Inhibits Cancer

Garlic helps to prevent cancer, especially of the digestive system, while also prevents certain tumors from growing larger and reducing the size of certain tumors. The presence of allyl sulfur in garlic can slow down the progress of cancerous cell growth. Daily intake of garlic is important for those who have a family history of cancer to lower their risk of many types of cancer.

5. Prevents Hypertension

Studies have shown that garlic also reduces high blood pressure. Garlic acts as a vasodilator which helps to widen the blood vessels, making blood flow smoother. Also garlic plays a huge role in preventing the formation of blood clots. This helps to lower blood pressure. People with high blood pressure must take garlic capsules daily for up to five months to lower blood pressure level. It is essential to consult a health expert before taking garlic supplements.

6. Combat Allergies

Garlic has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties that help the body fight different types of allergies. It also has been shown to reduce airway inflammation due to allergies (allergic rhinitis). It is highly recommended that people with allergies take a daily garlic supplement during the allergy season. Raw garlic juice is a good option for rapid relief from itching due to rashes, bug bites or any other kind of allergy.

7. Treats Cough

Garlic is a surprisingly good source of vitamins C, B6 and the minerals selenium and manganese – all of which strengthen the immune system. Also, its antibacterial properties make garlic a wonderful treatment for coughs and other throat irritations. Garlic may also reduce the severity of upper respiratory infections. Garlic supplements can be taken on a regular basis to reduce the frequency of colds. Garlic also is highly beneficial in treating various disorders of the lungs such as asthma. It also promotes expectoration with coughs, making it irreplaceable for those with chronic bronchitis.

8. Lowers Sugar Level

Garlic is believed to help regulate blood sugar levels by increasing the secretion of insulin in diabetics. Taking a daily garlic supplement can help stabilize blood sugar levels as well as prevent diabetes among people who have greater risk of developing the disease.

9. Cures Toothache

The antibacterial, analgesic and anesthetizing properties in garlic can help cure a toothache. Simply put some garlic oil or a piece of crushed garlic clove directly onto the affected tooth and surrounding gum for instant relief. Keep in mind that garlic can be irritating to the gums.

10. Aids Digestion

Garlic helps promote, relax and tone the digestive system. It can prevent blockage of gastric pancreatic and intestinal juices that are responsible for digesting nutrients. Garlic also triggers the liver to release toxins from the body, while at the same time protects the liver from harm.
To get the full benefits of garlic, try to eat it fresh and raw. Those who can’t tolerate the taste of raw garlic can take it in powder, flake, paste or pill form. For most individuals, garlic does not cause any serious side effects. However, when consumed in large quantities, garlic may cause stomach irritation, heartburn or flatulence.


SOURCE: http://www.top10homeremedies.com