Old Mill Chiropractic Shares Pumpkins Nutritional Benefits
“Respect the pumpkin! Respect the pumpkin!” Poor thing! The pumpkin wants to share its healthy gifts with us! What do we do? We carve it into scary, fun, goofy images for Halloween and mash it up for a Thanksgiving pie! Old Mill Chiropractic is making light of the pumpkin’s quandry and admits to liking the pumpkin fun while also appreciating its edible, healthy features for our St Peters chiropractic patients who are being treated for back pain or neck pain and their supporting families.
RESPECT FOR THE HEALTHFUL PUMPKIN
Respect for the pumpkin keeps growing! The commonly known pumpkin or squash of the cucurbita moschata species of fruits is hot tolerant and resistant to insects and disease…as well as the essential ingredient for amazing pumpkin pies! (1) Well-known for being nutrient-full and recipe-flexible, the pumpkin is said to be a potent source of proteins, metabolites, carbohydrates, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, carotenoids, tryptophans, sterols, and more. Some of its most favorable functional properties known today are wound healing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-ulcerative, spermatogenesis-enhancing, etc. (2) The scent, flavor, and color traits of the pumpkin - terpenoids (oxygen-containing metabolites that contribute to aromatic scent and flavor and even color) and carotenoids (tetraterpenoids responsible for color) - are quite healthful. (3) All this in the pretty fall fruit we cut into jack-o-lanterns enjoyed by young and old…including Old Mill Chiropractic and our St Peters chiropractic families!
AGE MATTERS
Age counts in the lifespan of the pumpkin and the human! For the pumpkin, the mature stage of its ripening – versus the young and ripened stages – had the highest phenolic and flavonoid content (33 compounds!), the highest antioxidant activity, and the greatest antibacterial activity. (4) For the human, aging generates more and more molecular harm to cells in reaction to oxidative stress due to environmental, lifestyle, and disease issues. A key to proper diet as we age is an appropriate intake of antioxidants. The cucurbita fruits (varieties of pumpkin/squash) are high in these antioxidants as well as in zinc and copper. Researchers even suggested that these should be eaten daily! (5) Our aging cells would be grateful! In a study of extracted seed oils like pumpkin, melon, and black cumin, researchers found a cornucopia of useful cytoprotective – cell-protecting - properties linked to the prevention of age-related diseases triggered by oxidative stress. (6) Old Mill Chiropractic is all about protecting cells and the health of our St Peters chiropractic clients.
CONTACT Old Mill Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the importance of managing inflammation as well as chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your St Peters chiropractic appointment today. Old Mill Chiropractic appreciates the pumpkin for all its nutritional value. And we still look forward to the annual cutting, decorating, and cooking!
