Bananas

[sherry]

Just thought I'd pass on a tip with summer coming soon
take a banana on every outing!! no not for snack time it is for first aide.

If anyone is bitten by ants and other little bitters at parks and picnics you rub the inside of the peal on the bite!! no really it works the sting is gone and for children they are not affraid of it . I can usually get the tears to stop as soon as I ask them if they have ever been hurt by fruit!!

I'm not sure why it works I hust know we don't go to any outting or my neices ball games/ soccergames without one!

[Lady Tana]

also if you eat enough of them the mosquitoes will leave you alone
they raise the potassium (or however you spell that) in your blood and the little buggers dont like that :)

much better than that spray you use that can cause convulsions ya know

[belladonna23]

I didn't know either of these things! Thanks a bunch!!
(No pun intended!)

[folkwitch]

I used to just hang out close to my sister-in-law to keep the mosquitos off me. They were attracted to her perfume (Avon) and they ate her alive but they left ME alone! never did tell her what was going on......

[Silver Venus]

Thanks Lady Tana and Sherry for the info - unfortunately I live in England and we dont really get that many mossies over here, but I'll keep it in mind for my summers hols :)
I actually have to confess that I'm a bananna addict :p ~ absolutely love them! But I've never tried drying them or using them for anything else other than yummy snacks.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

Love and Light

[Litha]

mosquito's are drawn to people that have high Mg+ in their blood. apparently these buggers are so highly tuned that they can smell people with higher magnesium levels (like me) and you could be one in a 100 people and be the only one bitten (over and over and over...)
even avon skin so soft doesn't help!!!
now I'll just come armed with bananas (:

[folkwitch]

My neighbor peels and freezes the over ripe ones in the summertime and gives them to her kids instead if popsicles.

[mol]

Originally posted by folkwitch
My neighbor peels and freezes the over ripe ones in the summertime and gives them to her kids instead if popsicles.

Does she like her kids?

:p

[folkwitch]

Originally posted by mol


Does she like her kids?

:p

:) sometimes.

[Amora]

Few mosquitos in England??? I think I'm moving!!!

I live in New York...if it's not the bugs sucking us dry it's the politicians!!!

Oh and thanks for the advice about bananas!!

[Niamh]

I slice bananas and strawberries into vanilla yogurt. I can eat that all day it's so darn good!
And... I"m one of those people being eaten alive my mosquitoes, too! I always wondered why I was so popular at summer picnics...:)

[sherry]

I was very glad to learn this because if there is a bug in a 100 miles it will find me!!

[Semele]

Our son is the banana king. If we buy a bunch on Tuesday..they are gone by wednesday...but he always gets major attacked by skeeters. I believe he is allergic to them as the bites swell up to about the size of a quarter and get hard knots on them that stays for a couple of days then turns to a bruise. Looks great in shorts on summer days!! Perhaps it is the mg+. Thanks for the tips.

Semele

[LaDaya]

Thanks for the tip... I didn't know that about bananas...

[Nitefalle]

:abanana: Banana BUMP

:thewave:

[Cindlady2]

Wonder if I hang some on my deck it will serve as a warning to those beasties! LOL

[Darbla]

Here's a bunch (:D) more banana bits:

Bananas Amazing Foods

Bananas. containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is 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 and 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 can 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 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 (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and 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 and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and 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 crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found 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 levels 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 its 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 temperature 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 rebalanced 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%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

Rose Bushes:Blend one skin (soft Part) with blender full of water and pour on base of Rose Bush.Promotes healthy roots and new growth.

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 carbohydrate, 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 its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say,

"A banana a day keeps the doctor away"

[Willow Rosette]

I didnt know they could take the bite away. Ill be taking one along with me.

Semele a good non chemical way to keep biting bugs of any kind away is tea tree oil turned in to a spray. I spray it on Toria for mosquitoes, spray it in her hair to keep other kids lice away. Works for everything!

[Tranquility]

I always thought bananas INCREASED the desire for mosquitoes to bite you...Because of their potassium. Maybe that's an old wives tale though. Just the same as how mosquitoes like the elemental smells that some fungi give off.Either way I don't eat anything sweet before I'm out in the bush.

I found at least a dozen results on google saying this too. Maybe it's wrong also though..

Aside from all of these uses you mentioned, Bananas have a tremendous number of other great uses.

Edit: Oops, posted the same website as Darbla :)