primitive allergic to, addicted to, bananas

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=222x82327

Oh my.

Another primitive with one of those exotic ailments, in this case an allergy to bananas.

tridim  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 07:17 PM
THE TRIDENT CHEWING GUM PRIMITIVE
Original message
 
I think I may be developing a banana addiction.

I'm an interesting case study because I was very allergic to bananas as a child (my father is allergic too), so I haven't eaten bananas for 35 years.

Last week I decided to try one, I was no longer allergic and I loved it. Really loved it! The instant energy it gave me was absolutely amazing. It's good energy too, not just a quick rush and crash. It lasts for hours with no noticeable crash. I read up on them and it's fairly obvious the carbs, calories, vitamins and sugar are what I'm feeling. They're a healthy food and I'm not worried about gaining weight, so I've been eating one a day every day as a 4:00 snack.

Today was the first day I had a hankering. I wasn't home at 4:00 and I started getting really tired and cranky, almost immediately I thought that I could really use a banana right now. I drove home, ate a banana, and now I feel great!

I've never done addictive drugs, but I imagine this feeling is similar. Am I addicted to bananas, or to the sugar rush? I've never noticed this about any other foods.

Not that any of this matters, I just found it kind of interesting.

Ozymanithrax  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 07:24 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. I, too, am addicted to bananas... 

But there is no side affect that I know of. Don't worry unless you find yourself standing on street corners, begging passersby for a Chiquita.

paulsby  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-05-10 07:24 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. it could also be the potassium

they are quite rich in potassium. many americans have a diet that significantly weights sodium over potassium, and both are necessary

Lasher  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-05-10 08:01 PM
Response to Reply #2

8. If you get leg cramps, eat a banana.

The potassium is the cure.

endless october  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 07:27 PM
Response to Original message
 
4. me too. and just recently.

it is my 3 or 4 o'clock snack now. it was recommended to me for the potassium reasons. so i have one either right after the exercise bike or before getting on the treadmill.

and now, of course, i have to have a banana at that time. it really helps!

i discovered i enjoy the banana most if it's refrigerated, and i add a bit of low fat peanut butter occasionally for a healthy energy boost.

tridim  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 07:29 PM
THE TRIDENT CHEWING GUM PRIMITIVE
Response to Reply #4

5. I put them in the fridge when I see the first black spots forming.

Perfection!

I can't wait to cook with them. What's that flaming banana dessert called?

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 07:31 PM
THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE; #09 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009
Response to Original message

6. Most people eat them for breakfast but one a day won't hurt you and think of all the other things you could be addicted to and feel grateful.

Just be careful because a childhood allergy can reassert itself. If it doesn't, yabba dabba.

On edit: if you ever find yourself with a mushy one with black skin, freeze it and eat it over ice cream. Really.

shraby  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 07:53 PM
Response to Original message
 
7. Get yourself a dryer for food, slice the bananas and dry them.

Make a great snack..great way to use the ones that are getting real ripe. Also you can buy the ripe ones cheaper. Only downside is that you might find yourself snacking away several bananas at one sitting. They aren't as nice colored as the commercial ones, but they don't have any chemicals in them.

Schema Thing  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 08:33 PM
Response to Original message
 
9. just curious how your allergic reaction to bananas manifested itself?

tridim  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-05-10 08:53 PM
THE TRIDENT CHEWING GUM PRIMITIVE
Response to Reply #9

11. Itchy mouth and gums, a little throat swelling.

I was also allergic to watermelon and avocados. I think it's a fairly common allergy.

Thankfully I've outgrown almost all of my childhood allergies.

Oh wow.

First, we have Musa sapientum anaphylaxia, now we got Persea americana anaphylaxia and Citrullus vulgaris anaphylaxia; one wonders if one could get social security disability based on any of these ailments.

[Carl]

Good Lord...you just have to shake your head sometimes.

[The Village Idiot]

Maybe just maybe they're just getting a little hungry at 4pm?

Somehow the simplest answers elude them.

One banana a day is not an addiction. please.

[JohnnyReb]

Monkeys eat bananas. Civilized folks eat banana pudding.

[Randy]

Not all are claiming to eat their bananas....just sayin' 

[VivisMom]

It's not that exotic...I'm allergic to bananas (and melons, and berries, and certain greens) and the allergist told me it wasn't uncommon.

However, if you can collect disability for that...well, nothing would surprise me with Lord O in the WH.

[BlueStateSaint]

It's not that exotic...I'm allergic to bananas (and melons, and berries, and certain greens) and the allergist told me it wasn't uncommon.

However, if you can collect disability for that...well, nothing would surprise me with Lord O in the WH.

My daughter is quite the opposite when it comes to fruit--she loves it.  Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, apples, raspberries, oranges, pineapple chunks--it's all good.

[VivisMom]

My daughter is quite the opposite when it comes to fruit--she loves it.  Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, apples, raspberries, oranges, pineapple chunks--it's all good.

My kid loves blackberries. She will eat a whole pint in one sitting. She's never been keen on blueberries or raspberries, and lately she's been off bananas. But she loves apples...just peel it and hand it to her whole, and she's a happy camper.

I'm really sad, though...I'm allergic to strawberries, which are my favorite fruit. I miss them.

[franksolich]

I'm not so sure of this.

What, exactly, is the definition of "allergy," as compared with say, "making one slightly uncomfortable"?

I like apples, chicken noodle soup, and tea, but I usually avoid them like the plague.

They cause a minor "funny feeling" in the stomach (but no more than that), where one gets the sensation of cast iron.

In other words, not a "normal" feeling.

However, I think to call it an "allergy" is rather overdoing it.

[BlueStateSaint]

I'm not so sure of this.

What, exactly, is the definition of "allergy," as compared with say, "making one slightly uncomfortable"?

I like apples, chicken noodle soup, and tea, but I usually avoid them like the plague.

They cause a minor "funny feeling" in the stomach (but no more than that), where one gets the sensation of cast iron.

In other words, not a "normal" feeling.

However, I think to call it an "allergy" is rather overdoing it.

It may actually be the case, Coach.

Main Entry: al·ler·gy
Pronunciation: \ˈa-lər-jē\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural al·ler·gies
Etymology: German Allergie, from all- + Greek ergon work — more at work
Date: 1910
1 : altered bodily reactivity (as hypersensitivity) to an antigen in response to a first exposure <a bee venom allergy so severe that a second sting may be fatal>
2 : exaggerated or pathological immunological reaction (as by sneezing, difficult breathing, itching, or skin rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual
3 : medical practice concerned with allergies
4 : a feeling of antipathy or aversion

It seems that, especially #2, it's fitting.

[VivisMom]

I'm not so sure of this.

What, exactly, is the definition of "allergy," as compared with say, "making one slightly uncomfortable"?

I like apples, chicken noodle soup, and tea, but I usually avoid them like the plague.

They cause a minor "funny feeling" in the stomach (but no more than that), where one gets the sensation of cast iron.

In other words, not a "normal" feeling.

However, I think to call it an "allergy" is rather overdoing it.

I asked my allergist if what I had was an actual food allergy, and he said it was not like a food allergy (like a peanut allergy, which can cause severe anaphylaxis) but rather an allergic reaction to certain foods based on what allergen "family" they were in. For example, bananas and melons are part of the ragweed family and I have a severe allergy to ragweed; eating them will make my mouth and throat itch, and occasional difficulty breathing.

This link is a pretty good overview of what many people have when they claim a food allergy.

[crockspot]

I now take a horse-choking potassium pill twice a day, which is the equivalent of a tree full of bananas. I eat bananas purely for the pleasure.

[debk]

I asked my allergist if what I had was an actual food allergy, and he said it was not like a food allergy (like a peanut allergy, which can cause severe anaphylaxis) but rather an allergic reaction to certain foods based on what allergen "family" they were in. For example, bananas and melons are part of the ragweed family and I have a severe allergy to ragweed; eating them will make my mouth and throat itch, and occasional difficulty breathing.

This link is a pretty good overview of what many people have when they claim a food allergy.

I, too, am allergic to bananas. I don't know what the reaction is, because I was told by my mother I was allergic to them when I was little. Since she was a nurse, I figured she knew what she was talking about. I have no memory of eating a banana. I do know that I can't stand the smell of them, or even banana flavoring.

I love canteloupe and watermelon though.

And I have ragweed allergies. I did not know they were all related....

[VivisMom]

I, too, am allergic to bananas. I don't know what the reaction is, because I was told by my mother I was allergic to them when I was little. Since she was a nurse, I figured she knew what she was talking about. I have no memory of eating a banana. I do know that I can't stand the smell of them, or even banana flavoring.

I love canteloupe and watermelon though.

And I have ragweed allergies. I did not know they were all related....

I didn't either, until I asked my allergist. I haven't eaten a banana in probably over ten years. And I'm with you, I can't stand anything banana flavored. I avoid them like the plague and wash my hands very well after handling them.

I find it frustrating-I'm afraid to try new foods for fear that I will have that reaction and need to take a benadryl or (God forbid) need to go to the ER for an EpiPen.

[debk]

I didn't either, until I asked my allergist. I haven't eaten a banana in probably over ten years. And I'm with you, I can't stand anything banana flavored. I avoid them like the plague and wash my hands very well after handling them.

I find it frustrating-I'm afraid to try new foods for fear that I will have that reaction and need to take a benadryl or (God forbid) need to go to the ER for an EpiPen.

I used to carry an EpiPen....particularly when I went out of town. Had a severe reaction to - jelly of all things! - in Mexico. Fortunately - I was with a group of doctor wives when it happened and one was a nurse. Her husband always carried an extensive first aid kit and he had epinephrine in his kit, and gave me a shot. My throat got really scratchy and felt like it was stuffing up with cotton!! Scared the crap out of me.

Do you know what "Praise Allah" is? It's a seasoning FILLED with MSG. Most restaurants have stopped using it, but that stuff was what started me carrying the Pen. That stuff is wickedly awful for me. Along with nasty intestinal reaction....I feel like I am being sliced up inside the pain is so awful. It also makes my entire body sweat so bad it literally drips off of me.  And those are the mild reactions. I've passed out a couple of times, and also had it made my arms and legs contract up really bad. It was like each reaction was getting progressively worse. And more scary. 

I don't know if it can still be purchased in the grocery store or not. I have a friend who swears by it on stuff he is grilling. 

[VivisMom]

I used to carry an EpiPen....particularly when I went out of town. Had a severe reaction to - jelly of all things! - in Mexico. Fortunately - I was with a group of doctor wives when it happened and one was a nurse. Her husband always carried an extensive first aid kit and he had epinephrine in his kit, and gave me a shot. My throat got really scratchy and felt like it was stuffing up with cotton!! Scared the crap out of me.

Do you know what "Praise Allah" is? It's a seasoning FILLED with MSG. Most restaurants have stopped using it, but that stuff was what started me carrying the Pen. That stuff is wickedly awful for me. Along with nasty intestinal reaction....I feel like I am being sliced up inside the pain is so awful. It also makes my entire body sweat so bad it literally drips off of me.  And those are the mild reactions. I've passed out a couple of times, and also had it made my arms and legs contract up really bad. It was like each reaction was getting progressively worse. And more scary. 

I don't know if it can still be purchased in the grocery store or not. I have a friend who swears by it on stuff he is grilling. 

I just looked it up, it's now Tiger Seasoning. And my mom used to have the same reaction to MSG that you describe. She had all of those, plus it would trigger a migraine so bad she would vomit. That shit is NASTY.

[debk]

I just looked it up, it's now Tiger Seasoning. And my mom used to have the same reaction to MSG that you describe. She had all of those, plus it would trigger a migraine so bad she would vomit. That shit is NASTY.

I wondered if Tiger Seasoning was the old PA....because it came out about the time PA became harder to find.

I get migraines but I've never connected them with MSG.

I can have MSG...it seems to be a quantity thing.

I just happened to talk with a cook/chef at one of the big hotels in Key West a couple of days after having a really bad reaction(about 5 yrs ago). He told me that there are two types of MSG....synthetic and natural. I can't remember which one was in PA....but he told me they quit using it because of hotel guests getting sick. The hotel people somehow figured out it was the PA causing the problem. When I first started reacting to PA, it took about 6-7 hours.....by the time I got the most severe reactions....the initial symptoms were showing up within a half hour.

[The Village Idiot]

I now take a horse-choking potassium pill twice a day, which is the equivalent of a tree full of bananas. I eat bananas purely for the pleasure.

Not to nitpick but technically, just technically, they don't grow on trees. Just very very very large plants that have to be destroyed and replanted each year. Its a lot of work for one batch of 'naners.

[Randy]

Not to nitpick but technically, just technically, they don't grow on trees. Just very very very large plants that have to be destroyed and replanted each year. Its a lot of work for one batch of 'naners.

Actually it's quite fun to wander through a nice sized clump of bananas that have done their job for the year. You slash through with a sharp machete causing as much to-the-ground devastation as you can do. With practice you can do it with one whack. Then lop off the leaves and whack and split the stalk into decent sized pieces 3-4 feet long. You can leave all that laying there for fertilizer. There's no replanting needed because they'll regrown new plants from the root system you just stimulated.

[The Village Idiot]

Actually it's quite fun to wander through a nice sized clump of bananas that have done their job for the year. You slash through with a sharp machete causing as much to-the-ground devastation as you can do. With practice you can do it with one whack. Then lop off the leaves and whack and split the stalk into decent sized pieces 3-4 feet long. You can leave all that laying there for fertilizer. There's no replanting needed because they'll regrown new plants from the root system you just stimulated.

All hail Costa Rica bananas! Even though China and India produce many times more, they don't export to the US much.

[Randy]

All hail Costa Rica bananas! Even though China and India produce many times more, they don't export to the US much.

My experience with them was at an estate over in Winter Park. They had several big clumps of nanners on the property. They were very very old. We only replanted one clump when they decided it took up to much yard. We picked 3 nice ones and dug up the rest and did a re-sod.

The proper way to cut them down is leave some stalk above ground but the owner didn't like the looks of them that way so we'd do the ground slash. It made no difference to the plants. They still regrew.

We had dedicated tools for cutting bananas, the juice is evil.

[The Village Idiot]

My experience with them was at an estate over in Winter Park. They had several big clumps of nanners on the property. They were very very old. We only replanted one clump when they decided it took up to much yard. We picked 3 nice ones and dug up the rest and did a re-sod.

There is a Texas high school, a rural one with 6-man football, that grows a banana "tree" every year as a school project. Might be one of a very few schools doing that.