Missionary Life Hacks: Miracle Foods to Help You Stay Healthy Overseas

Everyone knows that living overseas comes with challenges, whether it’s language barriers, visa issues, crazy traffic or cultural oddities. But one thing most people don’t think about is the difficulty of every day tasks, like cooking and cleaning, in a new country where you can’t always find the products you have at home. To help our missionaries (and to give you a peek into their lives!) we put together some Missionary Life Hacks to make life a little less complicated.

Missionary Life Hacks: Miracle Foods

Bananas

give an instant, sustained boost of energy. Research shows that 2 bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90 minute workout.
are used to improve mood and give relief from depression.
treat PMS.
are high in iron, making it a good food for anemics.
reduce blood pressure and prevent strokes.
can boost your brain power and make students more alert.
are useful in treating constipation.
help reduce morning sickness by eating one between meals.
make mosquito bites less itchy, just rub the affected area with a banana skin to reduce swelling and inflammation.
are good if you suffer from ulcers, they’re the only fruit you can eat raw without distressing your stomach.
are used as a “cooling” fruit that can lower the physical and emotional temperatures.
fight stress with potassium, which normalizes the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance.
can get rid of warts by taping a piece of banana skin (yellow side out) against the wart.

Papayas

contain vitamins A, B and C, as well as calcium, phosphorous and iron, all of which boost the immune system.
the fleshy stem can be cooked and used for the vitamins and minerals it contains.
the milky juice in the green papaya destroys intestinal worms.
the black seeds kill a number of intestinal parasites.
help the organs to digest protein and help the pancreas function properly.
can cure indigestion.
make a good cough medicine.
can heal skin blemishes when mashed and applied to affected areas.
protect against heart disease and high cholesterol.
promotes digestive health.

Lemons

contain vitamin C, A, E, copper, chromium, potassium, iron, and magnesium.
possess antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
combat anxiety and depression (through eating and smelling!).
can clean the scalp like shampoo.
are used to treat skin problems like dark spots, scars, and acne.
soften elbows, knees, and calluses, as well as whiten fingernails.
can cure symptoms of arthritis, indigestion, and rheumatism.
gets rid of kidney stones.
prevents cholera and malaria.
can kill airborne bacteria, just cut a few lemons and leave them sitting out overnight.
keep bugs outside by cutting up lemon peels and putting them alongside windowsills.
make homemade shoe polish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
sanitize a cutting board by rubbing half a juiced lemon on it.
whiten laundry by adding 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the wash.
soothe sunburns by rubbing the cut side of a juiced lemon on burnt skin.
make your own furniture polish with 2 parts olive oil and 1 part lemon juice.