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TRANSCRIPT
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#030:
12 Astounding Reasons to Eat More
Bananas Every Single Day
January 20, 2014
________________________________________________
Introduction
● The 5 am Miracle - Episode #30: 12 Astounding
Reasons to Eat More Bananas Every Single Day
[Intro Song]
● Good morning and welcome to the 30th episode of
The 5 AM Miracle.
● I am Jeff Sanders and this is THE podcast dedicated
to dominating your day before breakfast.
● My goal is to help you bounce out of bed with
enthusiasm, create powerful lifelong habits, and
tackle your grandest goals with extraordinary
energy.
● In today's episode I share a dozen compelling reasons
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why you should consider eating many, many more
bananas!
● But first, let’s begin with the Tip of the Week!
[Musical Interlude]
● This week’s tip is all about vitamins and
supplements.
● Two months ago I received a question from a podcast
listener who also just happens to be my former boss.
● After college I moved to Boston and worked at an
Apple Retail Store.
● My favorite boss at Apple was Miss Nancy
Sponpinato, and she has kept in touch with me since
then.
● Nancy sent me a great question two months ago.
● Yes, my response is a little late, but I thought
today’s topic about bananas would compliment this
Tip of the Week nicely.
● And before we get started: here is my lovely
disclaimer:
● I am not a doctor or a licensed health practitioner.
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● My advice here is just my advice, based on my own
experience and personal research.
● If any topic here interests or concerns you, please
consult a physician you trust before you try
anthing I recommend.
● For many people, multivitamins, supplements,
medications, protein powders, or gummy
Flintstones chewables are a very regular part of
their morning routine.
● In fact, on my personal Daily Rituals spreadsheet, taking my morning supplements is the 3rd item on
the list, just after waking up at 5 am and feeding my
dog Benny.
● I also just wrote a blog post last week about my
Daily Rituals, which you can find at
JeffSanders.com/dailyrituals
● For many years I never took any vitamins or
supplements, mostly because I didn’t care about
my personal health.
● I like to refer to this season of my life as “the
trashcan years,” which spanned from ages 16 to 23.
● During high school and college I treated my body like
a trash can, eating and drinking everything I could
find without any regard to the consequences.
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● After college I sporadically took multivitamins but
never saw any direct benefit, so I stopped.
● Then, at age 25, I stumbled into a season of life I
now refer to as my “natural health transformation,”
where I took my health very seriously, transitioning
to a raw vegan diet and beginning a daily regimen of
Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 supplements.
● During my research into natural health and vegan
diets it became very apparent that B12 would
become a necessary supplement for me.
● And yes, if you are on a plant-based diet that
involves little or no animal products, you likely will
need a B12 supplement too.
● You can read more about my take on B12 at
JeffSanders.com/B12. ● The best way to find out if this applies to you is to
get a Vitamin Panel through a test of your blood.
● This is what I did a few years ago.
● I went to see a Naturopathic Physician who took a
sample of my blood and tested it for various levels of
different vitamins.
● At the time I was in middle of training for my third
marathon and had recently moved to a mostly raw
diet, so I thought my blood work would be
spectacular.
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● Yeah, not quite.
● It was good, but definitely not perfect.
● I was very surprised to see that my B12 and Vitamin
D levels were dangerously low.
● Low Vitamin D levels weren’t too surprising because
it was the middle of winter, but my doctor even said
my results were much lower than they should be.
● So, I started a powerful Vitamin D supplement that
very day.
● The low B12 levels shocked me because I had been
taking a daily B12 supplement for over a year.
● What I learned was that it’s not the amount or
quantity of the vitamins you take, but what matters
is how much your body absorbs and utilizes.
● In other words, I was taking a large B12 dose every
day through a chewable pill and my body was
ignoring it completely.
● I was effectively paying for very expensive urine.
● This wasn’t the news I was hoping for.
● So, my doctor set me up with weekly B12 injections
until my levels returned to normal.
● Within a month I was good to go.
● Since then I have switched to liquid and sublingual
supplements.
● Sublingual means below the tongue.
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● So, in order to improve absorption and ensure I am
not wasting money on useless vitamins, I place the
supplement under my tongue and wait for my body
to absorb it.
● Ideally, I would go back to the doctor every year and
check my vitamin levels.
● But, to be honest, I have neglected my annual
checkups, mostly because testing blood for Vitamin
levels is very expensive.
● My insurance doesn’t cover the vitamin panel, so I
have to pay hundreds of dollars to see how I’m
doing.
● I’m a bit stubborn and cheap, so I haven’t done this
yet, but it is on my to-do list.
What Vitamins Should You Take?
● I wish I could just give you a short list and say, “Take
these, you’ll be great!”
● But, it’s never that simple.
● However, I do have a few recommendations and I
think you will find these useful:
#1: Find a doctor you trust
● When I first began my Natural Health Transformation
I learned very quickly that the doctor I trust most is
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me.
● Even though I make mistakes, there is no other
doctor on the planet who cares more about my
health than I do.
● So, my absolute best advice is to take your health
into your own hands.
● Do not trust any single doctor or health guru
outright.
● I went through a funny phase after college where I
had to see 4 different doctors to get an accurate
diagnosis of dry skin.
● 4 doctors!
● The first 3 gave me wild opinions that varied from
herpes to possible skin cancer.
● It’s funny to retell the story now, but at the time I
was pretty freaked out.
#2: Get Your Blood Tested
● I know I said it was expensive, but depending on
where you live and what coverage you have, you
may not need to pay nearly as much as I did.
● The only way you will know for sure where you stand
is to get the information and see it in writing.
● Like I said, I was pretty shocked by my own results
and I really thought I was healthy at the time.
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● So, get your blood tested soon.
#3: The Best Supplements are Not Pills
● Nancy, this should answer your question about
gummy vitamins.
● If you are paying for supplements now that aren’t
doing anything, you can save yourself a lot of money
and stop taking so many useless pills.
● The form that the vitamins come in matters a lot,
whether it be pills, chewables, injections, gummies,
drinks, or powders.
● If your body absorbs gummies really well, then
gummies are great.
● If gummies taste good and are cheap, but your body
can’t use the nutrition, then it’s not working and
you will need to find a replacement.
● Don’t get caught up on choosing a chewable versus a
gummy.
● For most people, directly injecting the supplements
is most effective and liquid or sublinguals are a close
second.
● But, the only way you will know for sure is to get
your blood tested and see if what you are doing is
working.
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#4: The Best Supplements are Not
Supplements
● The best nutrition almost always comes directly from
food.
● I say almost always because I don’t like making
absolute statements, only to be proved wrong later.
● But, in my opinion, nutrition should be the first line
of defense and the best way to keep yourself
healthy.
● It’s amazing how many people take supplements for
vitamins and minerals that are found in very
common fruits and vegetables.
● Most often, the best form of treatment is to make a
smoothie for breakfast and eat a big salad for
dinner.
● That solution has worked wonders for me and I’m
sure it can help you as well.
● Now let’s jump into Today’s Feature Segment!
[Musical Interlude]
● The title of my website just a year ago was “Jeff
Sanders Runs on Bananas”
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● At the time, I was planning on blogging about health
and fitness fulltime, with a strong focus on raw
vegan athletics.
● The direction of my site has changed a bit since
then, but my passion for healthy fruits and veggies
has only increased!
● If you are listening to this podcast you have likely
read the first paragraph of the about page of
JeffSanders.com.
● It reads: “Hey there! I’m Jeff – a lifestyle
management author and coach, personal
development junky, host of The 5 AM Miracle
Podcast, avid marathon runner, and passionate raw
vegan. I eat a lot of bananas . . . no really, a lot.
Like 15 a day – sometimes more.”
● Yes, it’s true. I do eat my fair share of bananas.
● In fact, over the last 4 months, the most popular
blog post on my site, has been “How to Eat 30
Bananas a Day,” which you can read at
JeffSanders.com/bananas. ● Apparently many other people are also interested in
consuming huge numbers of bananas like I am!
● Also, you may have noticed that I waited until
episode 30 of the podcast to discuss bananas.
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● I thought it would make for great timing!
● In the summer and autumn months I eat around
20-25 bananas per day while I’m training for
marathons.
● The rest of the year I average around 10 per day.
● Every now and then I wonder how I’m able to
continually eat so many bananas.
● I never get tired of them.
● Even if I am craving a pizza or tacos, if the only food
I have is bananas, I’m totally happy.
● Bananas satisfy my cravings, fill me up, and make
me smile!
● One of my favorite experiences every week is
shopping for bananas -- not for the joy of picking out
2-3 dozen at a time -- but for the looks on the faces
of the employees at Whole Foods.
● Inevitably, they always ask me if I’m making banana
bread or feeding a pet monkey.
● Sometimes they ask if I’m making smoothies, or if all
these bananas are for just one person.
● After I tell them I just eat them -- they seem
confused and a little shocked.
● How can one man eat so many bananas?
● Is that healthy?
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● Won’t you turn into a potassium pumpkin?
● Won’t your blood sugar spike, causing premature
diabetes?
● Is he telling the truth?
● I distinctly remember a Christmas vacation when I
traveled back to Missouri and the family was sitting
around a big table playing cards and eating dessert.
● I quietly sat at the end of the table eating 7
bananas.
● I stacked the peels on the table as I ate them and
then my Aunt Janet noticed the pile of peels and her
jaw dropped.
● This started a lively conversation about my habits
and it seemed that most of my family was convinced
I had finally lost all sanity.
● The reality is that bananas are not only good for you,
they may be one of the absolute best foods you
could possibly eat.
● I know that’s a bold statement, so let me back it up
with 12 Astounding Reasons to
Eat More Bananas Every Single
Day!
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#1: Bananas Taste Great!
● If you love sugar, and I’m sure you do, it’s hard not
to love the taste of a banana.
● I’m not a big fan of banana flavoring, but an actual
banana seems to always hit the spot!
● Bananas are also great in just about every smoothie
recipe because the banana flavor compliments many
other fruits and the texture is great too.
#2: Very Affordable!
● This was one of the first reasons I jumped on the
banana bandwagon.
● It’s amazing to me that even organic bananas are
inexpensive.
● I can buy 3 dozen bananas for under $20 and I can
usually find cheaper ones if I shop around.
● Don’t let price deter you from enjoying one of
nature’s most amazing fruits.
#3: Easy to Find Year Round
● Thanks to the tropical climate that bananas thrive
in, you can usually find affordable and ripe bananas
all year.
● This may vary depending on where you live and how
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far the bananas have to travel to get to you, but at
least in the US you can find bananas everywhere.
#4: Plenty of Healthy Fiber
● Bananas are full of fiber, which is awesome for your
digestive health.
● If you experience stomach cramps, bloating, gas,
constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, indigestion,
ulcers, or any other nagging digestive issue, try
dramatically increasing your intake of bananas and
see what happens.
● I used to have a bunch of digestive problems before I
changed my diet.
● Bananas were a huge part of the solution then, and
they play a central role in my ongoing health as well.
#5: Instant, Sustained and Substantial
Boost of Energy
● The sugar and the fiber work together to slowly
release energy, which makes bananas great for
snacking on throughout the work day.
● There’s no doubt that I have more energy, and more
consistent energy every day thanks to eating plenty
of bananas all day long, and not just for breakfast.
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#6: Easy to Digest
● One of the first benefits I noticed after I switched to
a plant-based diet was that my heartburn and
indigestion disappeared.
● Since I was eating a ton of bananas, I noticed that
digestion had become a non-issue.
● It’s amazing how simple it is to digest a banana
because it’s texture is so smooth and soft, which
makes it great to eat when you have an upset
stomach.
#7: Low in Fat
● Bananas have less than 3% fat, which is remarkable
when you compare it to other snack foods, candy
bars, or even other health foods that have 10-20x
more fat content.
● If you are nervous about gaining weight by eating so
many bananas, don’t break a sweat.
● Bananas played a key role in my weight loss plan a
few years ago and they continue to help me stabilize
my weight whether I am training for a marathon,
lifting weights, or slacking off and not working out at
all.
#8: Bananas are Filling
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● The average banana has around 100 calories, which
is why you can eat 6 or 7 at a time and call it a
meal.
● I have a high metabolism because I exercise
frequently, and I have conditioned myself to eat
more fruit than the average person, so bananas
don’t keep me as full as long as they used to.
● But, when you are first starting out, you will notice
that your stomach will likely fill up after 2 or 3
bananas.
● If this is the case for you right now, I recommend
using bananas in your breakfast smoothie and
definitely take a bundle with you to work or school
every day.
#9: Great for Athletes
● Ask any marathon runner what their favorite food is
for training and race day and you are likely to here
bananas.
● The high levels of sugar and potassium make bananas
perfect for long distance running.
● I also eat 3-4 bananas in the morning before lifting
weights to give me an extra boost.
● So, if you are an athlete or you’re working through
an exercise plan, I highly recommend you make
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bananas a staple in your daily diet.
#10: Bananas are Easy to Transport
● Unlike other fruits, like strawberries, oranges, or
tomatoes, bananas are easy to carry with you
wherever you go.
● They are clean to eat and it’s easy to toss out the
peels or, better yet, you can compost them.
● You can verify this next statement with my wife, but
I always bring three things with me when I leave the
house: a pen to write with, my Nalgene water
bottle, and a bunch of bananas.
● I never want to be somewhere without food, water,
and something to take notes with.
#11: Bananas Can Help Overcome
Depression
● I didn’t know this fact until I looked it up, but this is
what I found:
● “Bananas contain tryptophan, the popular
Thanksgiving protein found in turkey, that the body
converts into serotonin, which is known to make you
relax, improve your mood, and generally make you
feel happier.”
● I have never personally experienced depression, but
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I can attest to the fact that bananas do make me
happy!
● If I am in a bad mood, I like to exercise, drink a lot
of water, and eat a few bananas. It works every
time.
#12: Bananas Regulate Blood Pressure
and Increase Mental Alertness
● As I mentioned earlier, bananas are high in
potassium and low in sodium, which is great for
athletes, but potassium also protects against high
blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and strokes.
● If any of those sound bad, that’s right, I think it
would be awesome if you ate more bananas!
● Another benefit of high levels of potassium is
increased mental alertness.
● I don’t know the science behind this one, but I can
say that a simple diet of bananas and water has a
tremendous effect on my alertness and focus.
● I normally attribute being alert to hydration, but it
was also great to read in my research that bananas
help keep your brain focused and attentive.
● So, if you are a student or a parent of a student, or
you would like to increase your alertness at the
office, bananas and water are now your best friend!
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Brown Spots are BEST!
● I have had many conversations about when bananas
are ripe.
● Honestly, you can eat a banana whenever you want,
no matter what color it is or how hard or soft it is,
but I have a strong preference towards brown spots.
● When a banana is the sweetest, when it’s the
softest, when it’s the most nutritious, and when it
has the most flavor -- that’s when I want to eat my
bananas -- and that time is when it has been sitting
out long enough to have a few brown spots.
● At this stage the banana is fragile, meaning it can
bruise very easily and turn black overnight.
● So, the second you have a decent number of brown
spots, dig in!
● That’s the ideal time to get the most value out of a
banana.
Best Resource
● If you want to know more about eating incredible
amount of bananas and other raw fruits and veggies,
I highly recommend Dr. Douglas Graham’s book:
The 80/10/10 Diet.
● It’s a great introduction into the world of fruit.
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● As always, if you have any questions for me, feel
free to email me: [email protected] or submit a
voice message for me to answer here on the
podcast: JeffSanders.com/podcastquestion. ● I am happy to answer any question you have about
any topic, so don't hold back!
[Fade In Music]
Announcements
● Just 2 quick announcements here at the end of
this episode.
● First, if you have not yet joined The 5 am Club, you
can easily do so today for free.
● When you join the club you will get a free copy of
The 5 AM Miracle eBook, which shows you exactly
how to wake up each morning with vigor and make
enormous progress on your biggest goals.
● To join The 5 AM Club AND jump start your morning -
visit 5amMiracle.com.
● My 2nd announcement is that for my next podcast
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episode I will share Why 25-Year Plans Don’t Work
and How You can Prepare Now for Your Unknown
Future.
Final Thoughts
● Also, I would be grateful if you would rate my
podcast in iTunes with a full 5 stars.
● That helps tremendously with keeping my podcast
visible so that people who have never heard of it can
discover it.
● Just head on over to JeffSanders.com/itunes
● Also, if you would like to see all of the resources I
mentioned in this show, please visit the show notes
page at JeffSanders.com/30, as in Episode 30.
● Well, that's it for this episode of The 5 AM Miracle.
● Until next time remember, you have the power to
change your life, and the fun begins bright and
early.
[Fade Out Music]