A statement from Doctor Sidney Federmann, nutritional doctor, explains that the lack of movement in the legs can cause Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limbs. This disease, according to him, is dangerous because a thrombus can break off and migrate from the veins of the lower parts to the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. Pulmonary embolism is the obstruction of one or more blood vessels in the body.
According to a study carried out by researchers at the University of Osaka, Japan and published in the scientific journal, Circulation, sitting for more than five hours straight can increase the risk of pulmonary embolism, by up to 70%.
Also, according to Dr. Federmann, trips that require sitting for a long time can make it difficult for the blood flow of the lower limbs to return to the heart, especially if there is constipation. The doctor explains that intestinal constipation occurs when there is an accumulation of stool in the large intestine, compressing the veins that carry blood upward, passively, increasing the risk of DVT. This problem is caused by consuming insufficient amounts of foods with fiber and potassium.
When it comes to potassium, bananas are a good option as they are rich in potassium and can provide several health benefits, such as: reduction of fluid retention, blood pressure regulation, and reduced risk of a heart attack. For this reason, according to Dr. Federmann, it is advisable on long-distance trips to consume bananas.
It is known that it’s not always easy to travel with a banana in the backpack or suitcase. The fruit can get crushed, bruised and could dirty other things in the bags. To solve this problem, businesswoman, Gracienne Myers, created Banana Vital – a natural fruit bar that contains only 3 ingredients: green banana, ripe banana and citric acid. According to a nutritional study, commissioned by Banana Vital and carried out by Eurofins (an independent Lab), ripe bananas are a source of fiber and potassium, and also contain antioxidants, carbohydrates and vitamins that offer health benefits. The green banana, on the other hand, helps with the digestion process, being able to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Banana Vital is an on-the-go banana that’s pocket sized, shelf stable, always ripe, and never bruised. The company, which has the capacity to produce 1.2 million fruit bars per month, recently launched Banana Vital Guava, which simply adds guava to its three ingredients.
