Humble Bananas

Hi everyone. In tough times like this we need to watch what we eat. Here's a great value added fruit.
Did you know that bananas are one of the most popular fruits worldwide? They contain essential nutrients that can have a protective impact on health. Here are some of the benefits:

• Blood Pressure - The American Heart Association (AHA) encourage people to lower their intake of salt, or sodium, and increase their consumption of foods that contain potassium. Potassium can help manage blood pressure and reduce strain on the cardiovascular system.
• Asthma - A 2007 study suggested that eating bananas might help prevent wheezing in children with asthma. One reason for this could be the antioxidant and potassium content of bananas.
• Cancer - Laboratory investigations have suggested that lectin, a protein that occurs in bananas, may help prevent leukemia cells from growing.
  
• Heart Health - Bananas contain fibre, potassium, folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C. All of these support heart health.
  
• Diabetes - The American Diabetes Association recommend eating bananas and other fruit as they contain fiber. They note that eating fibre can help lower blood sugar levels.
• Digestive Health - Bananas contain water and fibre, both of which promote regularity and encourage digestive health. One medium banana provides approximately 10% of a person’s fibre needs for a day.
• Preserving Memory and Boosting Mood - Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that may help preserve memory, boost a person’s ability to learn and remember things, and regulate mood.

These are just some of the benefits of eating bananas. However, take note that there are some risks in eating too many bananas in some groups of people:

• Bananas contain potassium and can be harmful to those whose kidneys are not fully functional.
• Bananas may trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Anyone who experiences itching, hives, swelling, wheezing, or difficulty breathing should seek medical help at once.
• Bananas may trigger migraines in some people.
  
  

The above was a summary of an article from Medical News Today - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271157  I hope that's been helpful, let me know what you think.

Play the drums!

Hi friends, hope everybody is keeping safe. For a change of pace, why not try something new? Maybe you've always wanted to play the drums? Whether you want to do this for fun, the health benefits or starting a new hobby....here's the video that can help you. (You don't need a drum set by the way nor do you need to have any experience).....enjoy!

Gratitude

Hi friends, in my previous post one of the things suggested there was to be grateful. To reinforce that, take a look at this video. This happened on the 26th of March 2020 in India. The country wide lockdown was announced and it left many people who sometimes live hundreds of kilometres away stranded!

This poor lady had to bring her 3 young children from Delhi to their home in Kanpur, a distance of 475 Km!
For most of the journey they walked!

So, moral of the story is, even though most of us are going through hard times right now being cooped up and unsure of what lies ahead, after watching this video, we have lots to be grateful for!

How to stay positive

Hi friends, most of us around the world are in some sort of movement restriction or another. That makes feeling positive a challenge.

Here are some tips from Meditation and Life Coach Donny Starkins on how to stay positive during tough times.

In brief he says:

• Do simple gratitude practice each morning
• Establish a routine to build positive momentum
• Help others
• Move your body
  

Safe Grocery Shopping

Hi everyone. Today I'm going to share CNN's Dr Sanjay Gupta's tips on how to shop safely at grocery stores:

In essence some of his suggestions are:

1. Make a list of things that you want
2. Gloves is a good idea but don't touch your face!
3. Bring along hand sanitizer (just in case)
4. Get in there and don't waste time longer than you have to
5. Be focussed don't let yourself be distracted
6. Limit your trips to the grocery store
   

Visit a Museum!

Yes, that's right - visit a museum - virtually of course. Just because you're stuck at home it doesn't mean you only have to browse the internet or watch Netflix all the time!

These are 12 Museums listed on Google Arts & Culture’s collection which include the Guggenheim Museum in New York,Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, British Museum in London and the The Museu de Arte de São Paulo which is Brazil's first modern museum.

To see more of Google Arts & Culture’s collection of museums, visit the collection’s website.

We are Warriors!

This is a very apt song for tough times! Very encouraging song from Avril Lavigne.

Coronavirus: Doctor demonstrates breathing technique

A British NHS doctor has developed a breathing technique that he says can help coronavirus patients.
Renowned author JK Rowling also claimed Dr Sarfaraz Munshi’s technique, which he devised while helping his mother, helped her when she was suffering from coronavirus symptoms.
Dr Munshi has warned, “The point here ... was that it’s not formal advice, but it’s a simple breathing technique that you can use that can help to oxygenate the lungs and open up the small airways."

Coping with Covid-19 anxiety

The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting a huge number of people around the world. Some of us more than others. Here is a useful video and if it doesn't help maybe you could share it with a friend that does need help. Here Washington Post reporter Nicole Ellis speaks with a mental health expert about ways to cope with anxiety, stress, and adjusting to how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing our everyday lives.