The Power of the Banana Peel

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By Jessica Feagin | Intern and UAB Community Health and Human Services Student

Photo by SHVETS production on Pexels.com

One evening while sitting in a hospital waiting room while my dad was in surgery, I noticed a man rubbing a banana peel across his face and arms. Naturally, I was wondering what he was doing, so I went to Google to search for the benefits of rubbing a banana peel on the body. Surprisingly, a banana peel has several health benefits in skin care, hair health, teeth whitening, and first aid.

Banana peels can be used for skin care by rubbing it on your face to reduce wrinkles and brighten skin, reduces puffiness by placing the peel on your eyes, hydrates the skin, helps fade acne scars, treat psoriasis, and removes warts by taping a piece of ripe banana peel over the wart and leaving it there overnight. It has been suggested in the cosmetic industry to use a banana peel as an ingredient in a hair mask to make your hair softer and shinier. Natural healing practitioners also claim that rubbing a banana peel on your teeth is good for teeth and gums, and if you do that every day, it may whiten your teeth. The anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties in banana peels can be used in first aid to relieve itch due to poison ivy, bug bite, or sunburn. It can also reduce the pain from a headache by placing a frozen banana peel on the forehead and back of your neck (Frothingham, n.d.).

The vitamin B6 in banana peels combined with high levels of tryptophan in bananas can relieve symptoms of mood disorders and depression and can help improve sleep. Banana peels rich in fiber can help regulate the digestive system, relieving diarrhea and constipation. The vitamin A in banana peels can help keep your eyes healthy and strong. Eating unripe and green banana peels can help reduce cancer risk by increasing antioxidant levels (WebMD Editorial Contributors, 2020). Some ways to make a banana peel more delicious is by blending it into smoothies, baking it with cinnamon and sugar, or caramelizing it with water and sugar to use as an ice cream topping.

Do you like bananas? So before you throw your banana peel in the trash, think twice about that and think about all the health benefits and the power that is within the banana peel.

References

Frothingham, S. (2019, August 29). 23 banana peel uses: For skin care, hair health, first aid, and more. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/banana-peel-uses

WebMD. (n.d.). Banana peel: Health benefits, nutrients, preparation, and more. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-banana-peel

Everyone Can Help: Suicide is Preventable

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By Jessica Feagin | Intern and UAB Community Health and Human Services Student

Photo by Liza Summer on Pexels.com

Suicide one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Responsible for nearly 46,000 deaths in 2020, which averages one death every 11 minutes (CDC, 2023). In 2020, suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people 10-64 years old. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 24-34. Suicide and attempts cause serious emotional, physical, and economic impacts. It also affects the health and well-being of friends, loved ones, and the community. Suicide is preventable, and everyone has a role to play in saving lives and building strong individuals .

If someone says that they want to harm themselves, try to stay calm, not panic, and listen. It is possible if someone has chosen to tell you and talk about how they feel, they will let you help them to get assistance and support. According to the NSW, if the person has told you they are thinking about suicide, here are five things you can do:

  • Listen and encourage them to talk about their situation.
  • Show empathy for their situation and take them seriously.
  • Avoid leaving them alone.
    • Possibly try to get them to the hospital or call police if they planning to act.
    • Call the Suicide Prevention Line.
  • Discuss the ways that you can get them help and if they agree to follow up and get the help.
    • Offer to take them to a hospital or a counseling appointment.
  • If the person does not want you to get help, you should advise them that you need to because you are legally obliged to do so as you are concerned for their safety.

An important number everyone should know is 988. It is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This lifeline is available 24 hours a day and provides free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention, and crisis resources for everyone.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 8). Facts About Suicide. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html

Practical strategies and tips for effective support – how do I respond if someone says that they want to kill themselves?. How do I respond if someone says that they want to kill themselves? – Practical strategies and tips for effective support. (n.d.). https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/psychosocial/strategies/Pages/communicating-response.aspx