Memorial Day

First off I want to wish everyone a blessed Memorial Day particularly to all the loved ones of those who have perished protecting our freedoms. They have sacrificed so much for us and let us never forget how blessed we are today because of the men and women who have sacrificed to fight for the sake of our country and the freedoms presented to us. Secondly to all of those who have served or are currently served, Thank You!!! I am so blessed in what you are doing, and just want to honor you and offer my gratitude for all you have and continue to do for our country.
Now I wonder who really knows any of the history of Memorial Day, when and where it originated or why? Sadly not too much is known by the vast majority of people and it has become little more than a day off to picnic and enjoy the begging of summer. So let me reveal some facts for you.

So Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day originates back May 30th 1868, and was established in response to the loss of American lives in the Civil war. Although many places celebrated in a similar way 1868 was the first year that it was officially recognized as a holiday (was first declared a holiday May 5th 1868). The designated purpose of this holiday was to decorate graves of those that had died in defense of their country with flowers. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays).
Waterloo, NY, oddly enough has been declared as the “birthplace” of Memorial Day in 1966 by Congress and then by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Although a number of cities, argue Memorial Day/ Decoration Day and it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country. To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps." The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

So in honor of our beloved soldiers, Thank you and thank you to all the friends and family for making our country so great. God Bless, and let us not forget those that gave there lives for our freedom nor the real reason for this Holiday.

From Bible Belt to Stroke Belt

For anyone that hasn't heard of it, the Bible Belt is an informal term for a region consisting primary of the southern, and some southwestern states of the U.S., where socially conservative evangelical Protestantism dominates the culture of these areas. For your reference, to your left is a map of what is typically deemed the "Bible Belt" determined based on Baptist population.

Now compare that with the map on the right based on the highest percentage of strokes. Crazy right? It seems eating all that "good American food" very common in this southern portion of the country might just send us all to heaven sooner than we might think. New York Times reports that the Bible Belt, with its deep fat frying and bad eating habits could be renamed: Stroke Belt.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) age-adjusted annual rates of stroke mortality among adults 35 and older in the eight Stroke Belt states (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) were on average, 125 per 100,000 individuals, compared to 96 per 100,000 Americans in the remaining 40 contiguous states and the District of Columbia (2000-2006).

Preachers name all kinds of sins and their congregations know they should repent. Lying, stealing, drunkenness, cheating, disorderly conduct... Seems like they might have been leaving out one BIG one, Gluttony. We pig out as though this privilege of eating and drinking is ours to abuse any way we want. Big greasy breakfasts,large and hearty lunches,huge buffets of appetizers, followed by a main course, and then how could we leave out dessert! And don't forget calorie-rich drinks to get it all down. Yup it is all delicious, don't get me wrong, but it is killing you. Also, we can't compare ourselves to others and say, "Better than they are!" I'm not looking at anyone's sins because I know how broken my own heart is in this and other areas. I too love to eat unhealthy foods, drink soda, and sit around in front of the boob tube. But there comes a time when we have to step away and not overly indulge in such pleasures. Just because the bible belt is against other such sins gives them no right to jump to gluttony instead. It too needs to come to a halt.

On another, yet similar news a recent study has shown that this same Bible/ Stroke Belt has also been linked to Cognitive decline. Researchers believe shared risk factors among members of this population are to blame. The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, led by Principal Investigator George Howard, DrPH, recruited over 30,000 U.S. adults aged 45 or older from 2003 through 2007 and is following them for stroke and cognitive decline. REGARDS participants included 56% from the Stroke Belt states and 44% from the remaining states in the continental U.S. including D.C. which researchers collectively termed "non-Belt" states.

Researchers assessed brain function using the Six-item Screener (SIS)—a test of global cognitive function that includes item recall and temporal orientation. SIS scores range from 0 to 6 with a score of 4 or less representing cognitive impairment. Results indicate that 8.1% of participants showed cognitive impairment at their most recent assessment, over a mean of 4.1 years following the initial assessment. Stroke Belt residents had a greater likelihood of cognitive impairment than non-Belt residents (odds ratio=1.18); all demographic factors and time independently predicted impairment. Risk of cognitive impairment was 18% higher in residents of the Stroke Belt than in those living in non-Belt states after adjusting for the influences of age, sex, race, and education level.


I think this goes to show that the Bible Belt has much to fear, Damnation, Stroke, and Now Retardation. Yikes. Maybe I won't use my deep fryer tonight after all.

Bananas for Banana's

So perhaps it is the monkey in me, but I have always loved Bananas. I just recently learned of all these awesome facts and thought I would pass on my great knowledge. And just so you know I prefer my bananas slightly green when they are still a little hard. And now I shall enlighten you, as always.

First off with a little history lesson, Bananas have been grown and cultivated as a food source for nearly a million years. It is believed to have originated from the jungles of Asia, and is grown on the world’s largest herb plant, yeah herb plant turns out banana trees are not actually trees at all. Many experts believe that bananas were the first fruit cultivated by humans. Alexander the Great came across bananas in India in 327 B.C. and it is quite possible that they were the reason for his great military victory at least if you ask me. Bananas were then introduced to the United States at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Celebration, where they were sold wrapped in foil for 10 cents each. Since bananas have made their appearance in North America, the only time they have been conspicuously absent was in 1941 when both American and British governments requisitioned all large ships–including boats transporting bananas-- to aid in WWII war efforts.

India is the #1 banana producer in the world, and worldwide banana's are the fourth largest fruit crop. The most popular banana cultivar in the world is the Cavendish. This is the banana most often seen in U.S. and European markets. About four million bananas, grown and harvested year-round, are imported to North America each year.

The three largest banana companies in operation as of 1999 were Chiquita, Del Monte and Dole, and together they have cornered more than 60 percent of the world banana market. Chiquita was initially called the United Fruit Company. In the 20th century, they played a controversial role in the politics of Central America, where they had vast holdings. The company earned the nickname of "The Octopus" in the region because they had their hands in so many political pots.

Now just how popular is the banana? --- Well here are the facts
-The average American consumes 28 pounds of bananas per year.
-In Uganda, bananas are such a big part of the diet that the same word, matooke, is used for both "food" and "banana."
So I would say they are pretty darn popular, maybe this is where the whole concept of evolving from monkey's comes from?

Growing banana's is not too difficult if you live in the right climate that is. They are typically ready to be harvested 8-10 weeks after its appearance on the plant. Propagation of the banana plant is done through shoots from the rhizomes; banana seeds are sterile; in order to grown and propagate, the banana plant must have tropical sunny temperatures (not going to get to grow them here in Binghamton :( ), rich soil, and lots of water; virtually all bananas are grown in southern tropical countries. The fruit is harvested green :), then shipped to special ripening facilities where it will take anywhere from three and a half to seven days to finish ripening. It takes about two and a half weeks for the fruit to be harvested, ripened, and placed on supermarket shelves.

At home, bananas should be keep at room temperature, or hung on a banana hook for the best results. Bananas can be placed in the refrigerator for slower ripening. The peeling will darken, but the fruit will remain firm for several days. Green or green-tipped bananas are best for cooking and/or broiling. The fruit actually ripens best off the plant, so don’t be afraid to purchase green bananas. When left on the plant too long, they fruit tends to split open and become tasteless yucky. Yellow bananas are perfect for eating fresh or adding to your favorite salad or sandwich. Brown-speckled bananas, or ripe and/or overripe fruit are still good for baking. In order to ripen a green or green-tipped banana in your home, place it in a brown paper bag for a couple of hours. It’s possible to hasten the ripening process of other fruits and vegetables by placing them in a brown paper bag overnight with several ripe bananas. As a general rule the closer the bananas are to other food products the faster they will ripen.

Now for Banana Vocab....Bunches of bananas are referred to as hands, while a single banana is called a finger. A cluster of bananas is anywhere from four to eight individual fruits.The strings that go up and down the length of bananas are called Phloem Bundles. (They help distribute nutrients to every part of the growing bananas.) The yellow bananas that are most often sold in supermarkets are sometimes called "dessert bananas" because they are soft and sweet.

Now how about nutrition? Ounce for ounce, the fruit of a banana is a good source of Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, which also adds to its appeal. But wait, there are far more health benefits to this delicious yellow fruit. Such as ....

*Reducing Depression
Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood

* Helping Reduce Anemia
Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function

*Reducing Constipation and Diarrhea
Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.

*Eyesight Protection
Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

*Healthy Bones
Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase both in number and functionality, increasing our body's ability to absorb calcium.

In addition, green bananas- my favorite :-) contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently

*Healthy Kidney
About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year.
Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially- you guess it- bananas, is highly protective to kidney health. The results show that, over a long timeframe (13.4 years), women eating more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetable per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit. The conclusion of the study is that frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of kidney cancer. This is because bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds.

*Blood Pressure
Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high 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.

*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.

*Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

*Ulcers
This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid). Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.

*Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function

*Mosquito Bites
Many people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is very effective in reducing itching and swelling

*Stress Relief
Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the body's water balance. During periods of high stress, our body's potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs

*Stroke Risk
According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%

In summary if you have a problem no matter what it is eat a banana it will fix everything :-)

Banana peel has its uses as well and is also edible although not very yummy if you ask me. The peeling makes a good fertilizer for rose bushes. Simply dig a hole near the rose bush and bury the peeling, or use it to heal those mosquito bits.

Warning to those allergic to latex as About 50 percent of people who are allergic to latex are often also allergic to bananas. Stinks for you guys.

And some final random banana facts,
The song "Yes, We Have No Bananas" was released in 1923 and became a huge hit. It refers to the banana shortage at the time. Click the title to hear it.

In 2001, Britain recorded 300 incidents of injuries related to bananas. The majority of these involved people slipping on banana peels. Watch out!