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6B Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011 Bulletin, Progressive, Record, Reporter
One banana, two banana nature's energy drink
C-FORCE
HEALTH AND
FITNESS
CHUCK NORRIS
Q: Chuck, my college-age
son drinks those new ener-
gy drinks daily. It concerns
me. What do you think
about them? What do you
do to boost your energy
level?
"Fatzgued" in Lewiston,
Maine
A: Energy drinks have be-
come a multibillion-dollar in-
dustry. You can find them at
nearly every checkout stand,
promising immediate and
sustained energy.
Energy drinks claim to con-
tain performance enhancers,
such as tyrosine or phenylala-
nine, and antioxidants like
green tea, as well as megados-
es of B vitamins. Some pur-
port to be sugar- and caffeine-
free, but the primary stimu-
lants in most are sugars and
caffeine (sometimes in the
form of guarana or mat6).
Alcoholic energy drinks are
the latest craze, being mar-
keted as a way to get drunk
without feeling drowsy.
These dangerous premixed
concoctions can have an alco-
hol content as high as 12 per-
cent.
Though some reports boast
of increased mental alertness
and body performance, others
detail risks of overconsump-
tion. Some of the negative ef-
fects include increased ner-
vousness, agitation, irritabili-
ty, anxiety, insomnia, caf-
feine headaches, nausea and
abnormal heart rhythms.
These detrimental reper-
cussions have prompted a few
countries, including France
and Denmark, to ban certain
energy drinks. A host of Unit-
ed States schools and organi-
zations has sought the same.
Regarding even the more
natural among them, a recent
Berkeley Wellness Alert re-
ported, "The claim that vita-
mins or herbal cocktails are
'energizing' is false. Vitamins
and herbs do not give you en-
ergy."
In the end, one won't get
much more from these energy
drinks than what one could
get from a strong cup or two
of coffee.
I'll be straight with you'." IfI
have a chance to go natural
over synthetic, I'll go natural
every time. If you want a
quick and sustained energy
boost, then here's what I pro-
pose: Eat a banana.
Every ripe banana provides
a great blend of vitamins,
minerals and carbohydrates
that bolsters the body's opti-
mal performance. The combi-
nation of a banana's carbohy-
drates, simple sugars, starch
and dietary fiber provides a
rapid boost Gnd sustained re-
lease of energy to help im-
prove endurance and concen-
tratiom
Our bodies convert foods
into simple carbohydrates
(sugars) for fuel, so the carbo-
hydrates in a ripe banana, .al-
ready in their simplest form,
are easily digested. Yet a ba-
nana's soluble fiber (3 grams)
slows digestion and absorp-
tion of carbohydrates, leading
to a more tempered and
steady release of natural en-
ergy. The carbohydrates in a
banana are both simple and
complex, forming three nat-
ural sugars fructose (or
fruit sugar, 4.9 grams), glu-
cose (5 grams) and sucrose
(2.4 grams) -- and giving the
consumer instant and lasting
energy.
In addition to a banana's
being a good source of man-
ganese, vitamin C (20 percent
of the recommended daffy al-
lowance or RDA), vitamin B6
(25 percent of RDA) and di-
etary fiber (16 percent of
RDA), each contains a gram
of protein and small amounts
of calcium and iron, among
other vitamins and minerals.
And bananas have no fat, cho-
lesterol or sodium.
A single banana is also a
fantastic source of the miner-
al potassium (11 percent of
RDA). Potassium is involved
in proper muscle contraction
and electrolyte balance in
blood andtissue cells, includ-
ing in the heart. It is an essen-
tial mineral for protein syn-
thesis and the building of
muscle because it stimulates
nerve impulses for muscle
contraction.
The body also uses potassi-
um to convert glucose into en-
ergy, which then is stored
and utilized by the muscles
and liver. Potassium can re-
duce blood pressure and the
risks of heart disease and
stroke, and it assists in get-
ting oxygen to the brain and
enhancing mental clarity. An
insufficient potassium level
is one of the main causes of
fatigue and cramping.
Therefore, bananas have
been used as nature's pre-
scription to prevent or relieve
the following: tiredness, mus-
cle spasms, stress, anxiety,
heartburn and nausea. Some
even believe the rubbing of
Where in the world?
The Kuipers family of
Meadow Valley went to
Costa Rica over the holi-
days. They are pictured at
Rincon after a day of horse-
back riding, zip-lining, mud
bathing and water sliding.
Next time you travel, share
where you went by taking
your local newspaper along
and including it in a photo.
Then e-mail the photo to
smorrow@plumasnews.com
the inside of a banana skin on
the infected area of a mosqui-
to bite can soothe the irrita-
tion and itching.
Internet folklore has falsely
reported that two bananas
can provide enough energy
for a strenuous 90-minute
workout; even this wonder
food cannot deliver that in-
tensity. But a banana can pro-
vide a lift from afternoon
drowsiness, enhanced mental
performance or a dose of en-
ergy for moderate aerobic ac-
tivity. Bananas' carbohy-
drates also are used to replace
the muscle glycogen (muscle
sugar) used during exercise.
Because bananas rank high
among fruits in carbohy-
drates (26 grams) and calories
(105), some people on low-carb
diets avoid them. But as
we've seen lately in Japan,
where the "morning banana"
diet is taking the nation by
storm, bananas are helping
people to lose weight. That is
likely because of their prebi-
otic fiber and resistant
starch, two compounds that
can increase fat burning and
lessen appetite. Similarly, the
Dole Nutrition Institute has
created the "go bananas two-
a-day challenge," in which
participants consume two ba-
nanas and a glass of water in
the morning to jump-start
their metabolisms and bolster
weight loss.
All of these benefits of ba-
nanas are yours for a fraction
of the price of an energy drink.
In fact, for the price of one of
those herbal cocktails, you can
get a bunch of bananas: and
they are 100 percent natural
with no side effects.
When one compares an ap-
ple with a banana, an apple
has less than one-tenth of the
vitamin C, less than half the
potassium, less than half the
protein and twice the carbo-
hydrates of a banana.
So if it's true for an apple,
it's definitely true for a ba-
nana: A banana a day can
keep the doctor away.
And if you cut up one and
put it on a slice of multi-grain
bread with organic peanut
butter, you will have the se-
cret recipe for the Norris fam-
ily breakfast of champions.
Write to-Chuck Norris
(info@creators.com) with
your questions about health
and fitness.
Copyright 2011 Chuck Norris
Distributed by creators.corn
Pertussis boosters required
Under a new law that takes
effect this year, California
students in middle and high
school must be vaccinated
against pertussis (whooping
coUgh).
Beginning July 1, all stu-
dents entering seventh
through 12th grades in both
public and private schools
will be required to show proof
of a Tdap booster shot before
starting school.
This requirement applies to
all public and private schools.
Then-Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger signed the
new requirement into law last
year.
"With more than 7,800 con-
firmed cases and the deaths of
10 infants, California experi-
enced its worst outbreak of
pertussis in more than 50
years," said Dr. Mark Horton,
director of the California De-
partment of Public Health
(CDPH). "Protecting the
health of California's youth is
one of our most urgent priori-
ties. This new legislation will
HEAD START OPENINGS
for birth to age 5, and pregnant mothers.
With lots of opportunity for parent involvement.
• Secure and caring relationships
• Self help and social skills
• Develop strong sense of self and attachment
Dental/Physical Exams • Vision~earing Screenings • Service for Children with Disabilities
• Social Services for Families * Reading Readiness Activities
• Meals provided through funding from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture Child and Adultcare Food Program
Please call for eligibility information:
257.2343. Susanville Center
827.2922. Herlong Center
832.1029- Port01a Center
1-800-404.1242. Business Center
+>p,D sTa4>
257-7530 - Leavitt Lake Center
' 257°8220! UnionSt. Center
283.0592 Quincy Center
251.4050 Lassen EHS Center
help us achieve our goal."
California's parents are be-
ing urged not to wait for the
new fall school year to get
their children vaccinated,
since there will be no grace
period and the regulations
will be strictly enforced.
CDPH recommends parents
have their adolescent chil-
dren vaccinated now in order
to protect them against per-
tussis and to meet the 2011-12
school requirements.
Parents should be aware
the protection from childhood
immunization to pertussis
wears off, and adolescents
may be.at risk to the highly
contagious disease without a
booster.
In addition to the Tdap
boostdr, "th'6re are several im-
portant vaccines recommend-
ed for preteens and teens, in-
eluding the meningococcal
vaccine, a second chickenpox
shot (for those who have nev-
er had chickenpox) and the
HPV vaccine serms. It is rec-
ommended that everyone old-
er than 6 months receive a
seasonal flu vaccine.
Visit ShotsForSchool.org
for more information.
The Plumas County Public
Health Agency provides daily
services at the Health and Hu-
man Services building in
Quincy by appointment only.
Services are also available at
the following clinic locations:
In Chester at the ABC Cen-
ter, 372 Main St., 10 a.m. - 3
p.m. the third Thursday of
each month;
In Greenville at 120 Bidwell
St., 10 a.m. - noon the first
Thursday of each month;
In Portola at the Eastern
Plumas Resource Center, 171
Nevada St., 10 a.m. - 3 p.m:
the first, second and fourth
Thursday of each month.
For more information, call
the Public Health Agency at
283-6337.
Need help
REP
If it's ~ng.we
can'~l[ find
some~o can.
CONSTRUCTION,
SINCE 1984
General Building Contractor
Calif. Lic. #453927
(530) 283-203.5