Real food for real people

The world these days is without patience. Life has become so fast that even a moment of waiting for ‘your turn’ has people on edge and they bring that same impatient attitude to proper nourishment. Many of us want health and well-being, but cannot afford, or don’t like to spend the time on it given our busy schedules. We want it all ‘Now’ and in an ‘Instant’… pop a pill… down a juice or swallow that salad, because who has time for a relaxed sit-down breakfast, lunch, or dinner these days. No wonder health seekers worry if they are getting enough valuable nutrition in their rushed diet. The solution is thought to be in the countless variety of supplements that are on the market as after all, nothing is faster than taking concentrated doses of nutrition in the shape of a pill or adding a ‘Superfood’ to your meals. So in our hurry we have forgotten to focus on the ‘Real Thing.’
The true source of real nourishment comes from ‘the whole package’ of food as it comes from Nature, and not from the dried and manufactured versions that cost a dear penny. Actual nourishment has all the essential elements present so that they can help assist in the assimilation of the food and bond chemical elements together. These elements also encourage food’s movement through our digestive track by aiding our natural process of peristalsis and keeping it fine-tuned to prevent future problems with our digestion. Tied-in with the lack of time for proper sit-down meals is the fact that we do not chew our food properly. We hasten our chewing, swallow too soon, and wash it all down with liquids which dilute our digestive stomach juices resulting in poor digestion. I guess Mom was right when she told us to chew our food well.

Let’s take a look at bananas to give you an example of a perfect whole food. They have all the nutrition you need under one yellow ‘jacket’. Its ‘inner-pockets’ contain all of the amino-acids one needs for a perfect natural protein source. Furthermore the banana holds plenty of water and fiber needed for that digestive boost. When it comes to vitamins and minerals there are just too many to mention. They are of course sweet and creamy, but they have a low glycemic index which means that they do not create a large rise in blood sugar levels (that is good). Athletes have learned about the power under the ‘banana hood’ and many prefer it now instead of the grains and heavy meat diets for better performance. We all know that bananas contain plenty of potassium which is good for your blood pressure and heart. Make sure you ripen them at room temperature and consume when they have developed brown spots, as it is less beneficial to eat an unripe banana.
If all that isn’t enough, bananas also contain tryptophan which promotes the production of serotonin. This is the hormone which helps us to find our state of happiness by increasing calmness and improving our moods. No wonder bananas have become the largest selling fruit in the world. And there is one more final benefit: the next time you find yourself again in a hurry, late for your board meeting, and out of shoe polish, remember that you can resort to the inner-side of your banana peel for an impressive shine. •