“Respect the pumpkin! Respect the pumpkin!” Poor
thing! The pumpkin wants to share its healthy gifts with us! What do we do? We cut the pumpkin into scary, funny, goofy images
for Halloween and puree it up for a Thanksgiving pie! Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
is playing with the pumpkin’s plight and admits
to liking the pumpkin fun while also valuing
its edible, healthy features for our
Auburn chiropractic patients who are being treated for back pain or neck pain and their supportive families.
RESPECT FOR THE HEALTHFUL PUMPKIN
Appreciation for the pumpkin grows
and grows! The well recognized pumpkin or squash of the
cucurbita moschata species of fruits is hot tolerant and resistant
to insects and disease…as well as the most common ingredient for tasty
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. A few of its most promising 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 nutritious. (3) All this in the pretty
fall fruit we cut into jack-o-lanterns enjoyed by young and old…including Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. and our Auburn
chiropractic families!
AGE MATTERS
Age counts in the pumpkin's and the human's lifespan! 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 highest antibacterial activity. (4)
For the human, aging generates more and more
molecular damage to cells in reaction to
oxidative stress from environmental, lifestyle, and disease issues.
A key to proper diet as we age is an adequate
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 consumed every
day! (5) Our aging cells would appreciate that! In
a study of extracted seed oils like pumpkin, melon, and black cumin,
researchers discovered a bunch of beneficial
cytoprotective – cell-protecting - properties related to preventing age-related diseases precipitated
by oxidative stress. (6) Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. is in favor of
protecting cells and the health of our Auburn
chiropractic clients.
CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
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 Auburn chiropractic
appointment today. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. respects
the pumpkin for all its nutritional benefit. And we still look
forward to the annual cutting, decorating, and baking!