Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber gives an instant, sustained & substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just 2 bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout, making it 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 & 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 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 the perfect way 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 school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break & 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 & with the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while milk soothes & 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 chips. Looking at 5000 hospital patients, researchers found that 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 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 it's 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 temperatures 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:
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 re-balanced 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%.

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 carbohydrates, 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 it's time to change that well known phrase so that we say " a banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Custom Ranch In N. Encanto Historic Dist
Type: Single Family Home
Location: 3332 N. 17th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85015
Bedrooms: 3, Bathrooms: 1 full, 0 half, 1 three-quarter bath
Price: $180,000
Description: This ‘50s ranch home is in the North Encanto Historic District of Phoenix. This home is full of color, from the festive walls, to the original bathroom and kitchen tiles, to the linoleum floors found throughout the house. Both the living room and dining room are brightened by two large windows. The kitchen offers a 1930s Wedgewood stove, a breakfast nook, large walk-in pantry, plenty of oak cabinets and a corner window over the corner sink. Features of the three bedrooms include large windows, ceiling fans, original closet doors and colorful walls and linoleum found throughout the house. The main bath features original black and white tile, and the ¾ bath has its original green tile. The front yard is shaded by mature trees. You’ll find plenty of storage in the carport. The shade in the back is provided by a large covered patio. The backyard is framed by a fence and oleanders. This Central Phoenix home is convenient to shopping, entertainment, arts, museums, restaurants, transportation, schools and sports venues.

Wonderful Home With Pool In Gilbert
Type: Single Family Home
Location: 113 W. Ivanhoe St., Gilbert, AZ 85233
Bedrooms: 3, Bathrooms: 2 full, 0 half, 0 three-quarter bath
Price: $260,000
Description: Both the living room and family room have lovely wood floors and vaulted ceilings. The family room has arcadia doors leading to the pool. The kitchen offers a tile floor, numerous oak cabinets, breakfast bar, vaulted ceiling, and includes a dishwasher, range, disposal and microwave. The adjacent dining area has two large windows with a view of the pool. The master bedroom has a large picture window, walk-in closet, separate dressing area, vaulted ceiling and a full bath with separate tub and shower, double sink vanity and a large window with a view of the backyard. The backyard has been beautifully landscaped with 2 large trees and 8 palm trees around a sparkling pool all framed by a high block wall. There is a covered patio with ceiling fan and a raised patio near the end of the pool.

Craftsman Bungalow In Roosevelt HD
Type: Single Family Home
Location: 339 W. Lynwood St., Phoenix, AZ 85003
Bedrooms: 3, Bathrooms: 1 full, 0 half, 1 three-quarter bath
Price: $450,000
Description: This Craftsman Bungalow is located on one of the most beautiful streets in the heart of the historic districts of Phoenix. It has great curb appeal with its magnificent wrap around porch, impressive welcoming door, mature trees and sculpted shrubs. This home has numerous architectural details. You’ll find beautiful built-ins in the living room, dining room, hall and bedrooms. There are hardwood floors beneath the carpeting. The bright kitchen offers a breakfast bar, pantry, tile floor, and numerous cabinets, counter space and windows. The master bedroom has a three quarter bath, sitting room and four deep closets. The home also has a basement and an upstairs guest quarters with bath. This lovely home is near downtown, museums, theatres, library, restaurants, light rail, freeway access and schools

Great Find! Golf/Rec Adult Community
Type: Single Family Home
Location: 6771 S. Granite Dr., Chandler, AZ 85249
Bedrooms: 2, Bathrooms: 1 full, 0 half, 1 three-quarter bath
Price: $265,000
Description: This Tuscan style 2 bedroom home is located within an adult gated and guarded golf community. The great room design offers a built-in entertainment center in the living room. Arcadia doors can be found in the dining room. The spacious kitchen features stainless dishwasher, stove and microwave, a large kitchen island, breakfast bar and a corner breakfast area. The master bedroom has a walk-in closet, expanded bay area, and a bright ¾ bath with double sinks and upgraded fixtures. You’ll find ceiling fan/lights and wood blinds in the guest room, the office and throughout much of this home. The bedrooms are carpeted and the remainder of the rooms feature 13 inch diagonal floor tile. Outside you’ll find a two vehicle extended garage, granite landscaping, a covered flagstone patio with 2 ceiling fans, a built-in BBQ and views of the golf course from the front of the home. The community has a recreation center, gym, large pool, shuffleboard and tennis courts.

We all know about the original Ten Commandments, but have you ever heard of the Second Ten Commandments?  I don't remember who sent them to me -- these pearls of wisdom have been often attributed to one Elodie Armstrong -- but I sure would like to thank him or her for sharing this wisdom. Here they are with my spin on them:

1.  Thou shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.  A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work.  People get so busy worrying about yesterday or tomorrow, they forget about today.  And today is what you have to work with.

2.  Though shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.  Every crisis we face is multiplied when we act out of fear.  When we fear something, we empower it.  If we refuse to concede to our fear, there is nothing to fear.

3.  Thou shall not cross bridges before you come to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.  Tomorrow's problems may not even be problems when tomorrow comes. 

4.  Thou shall face each problem as it comes.  You can only handle one at a time anyway.  In one of my favorite "Peanuts" comic strips, Linus says to Charlie Brown, "There is no problem so big it cannot be run away from."  I chuckle every time I think about it, because it sounds like such a simple solution.  Problem solving is not easy, so don't make it harder than it is.

5.  Thou shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.  If I wake up thinking of a problem, I tell myself that it will seem lighter in the morning, and it always is.

6.  Thou shall not borrow other people's problems.  They can better care for them than you can.  I confess that I have broken this commandment because I wanted to help someone, without being asked, or I thought I was more equipped to handle a situation.  But I wouldn't have to deal with the consequences, either.

7.  Thou shall not try to relive yesterday.  For good or ill, it is forever gone.  Concentrate on what is happening in your life and be happy now.  We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get a better job, make more money, get married, have a baby, buy a bigger house and so on.  Yet the accomplishment of any of these events may not make any difference at all.  The Declaration of Independence says we are endowed "with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  You are responsible for your own happiness.

8.  Thou shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own.  You can win more friends with ears than with your mouth.  Hearing is one to the body's five senses, but listening is an art.  Your success could hinge on whether you have mastered the skill of listening.  Most people won't listen to what you're saying unless they already feel that you have listened to them.  When we feel we are being listened to, it makes us feel as if we are being taken seriously and what we say really matters.

9.  Thou shall not become bogged down by frustration, for 90 percent of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action. Seriously, has frustration ever improved a situation?  Better to take a break, collect your thoughts, and redirect your attention to a positive first stop.  Then, go on from there.

10.  Thou shall count thy blessing, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessing add up to a big one.  We all have something to be grateful for, even on the worst days.  Hey, you're still on the green side of the grass, aren't you?

Makay's moral:  These may not be chiseled in stone, but try them; they make your life less rocky

Harvey Mackay - can be reached through his Web site, www.harveymackay.com

Mario Romero - The Romero Team published a new entry entitled "$345000 Wonderful Home With Pool In Gilbert" on 2/12/2009 11:57:09 AM, written by Mario Romero.

$345000 Wonderful Home With Pool In Gilbert

Wonderful Home With Pool In Gilbert
Type: Single Family Home
Location: 113 W. Ivanhoe St., Gilbert, AZ 85233
Bedrooms: 3, Bathrooms: 2 full, 0 half, 0 three-quarter bath
Price: $345,000
Description: Both the living room and family room have lovely wood floors and vaulted ceilings. The family room has arcadia doors leading to the pool. The kitchen offers a tile floor, numerous oak cabinets, breakfast bar, vaulted ceiling, and includes a dishwasher, range, disposal and microwave. The adjacent dining area has two large windows with a view of the pool. The master bedroom has a large picture window, walk-in closet, separate dressing area, vaulted ceiling and a full bath with separate tub and shower, double sink vanity and a large window with a view of the backyard. The backyard has been beautifully landscaped with 2 large trees and 8 palm trees around a sparkling pool all framed by a high block wall. There is a covered patio with ceiling fan and a raised patio near the end of the pool. Call our office at 602-252-4191 to arrange your personal showing.