Benefit for Auburn Degenerated Discs from Pumpkin Leaves

This time of year, pumpkins are everywhere! We like them for décor, but they offer so much more! Recent news focuses on the benefits of their leaves to slow disc degeneration and even possibly support regeneration. That is news to your Auburn chiropractor’s ear…and without doubt to our Auburn back pain and neck pain patients’ ears, too!

THE DISC – Healthy and Degenerated

Many back pain treatment approaches focus on relieving the pain and returning function without a thought about how to reduce the speed of the degenerative process and/or promote regeneration. The intervertebral disc has an inner core (nucleus pulposus) made of proteoglycans and a layered outer rim (annulus fibrosus) rich in collagen. Combined, these two act as a shock absorber and stabilizer for the spine. Treatment options for the degenerated disc come from being aware of the processes that lead to degeneration in order to help relieve discogenic pain more effectively. (1) Your chiropractor reads about these mechanisms all the time!

PUMPKIN LEAVES AND CAROTENOIDS

It's well-known that pumpkin products and by-products (like leaves!) have major carotenoids - β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin – with β-carotene being the foremost one in most pumpkin varieties. The total content of carotenoids depends on several factors, one is the extraction process. Functional foods are developed from carotenoids which are said to add significantly to the numerous health benefits of the foods. (2) Nutrition can plan a role in disc health. Pumpkin and its by-products shouldn’t just be thrown away!

PUMPKIN LEAVES AND COLLAGEN AND PROTEINS AND DISC CELLS

A unique way to put pumpkins to work for us is well explained in a recent study regarding how the leaves of pumpkins may help. The acetone extract from Violina pumpkin (curcurbita moshata) leaves brought about a significant increase in extracellular matrix components like aggrecan and collagen type II as well as other proteins and stress response regulators in the degenerated intervertebral disc cells removed from degenerated disc tissues of spinal surgery patients. Markers indicating the presence and activity of stem cells were significantly increased as well. This news motivated the researchers to declare that the hypothesis about how adequate stimuli can support resident cells to repopulate the degenerated discs was thus reinforced. The report overall determined that data indicate that the breakthrough that molecules may effectively slow disc degeneration using a part of the pumpkin that most of us get rid of as waste – the leaves! (3) Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. bets you’ll look at the pumpkin leaves differently this season!

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 describes how nutrition may slow and possibly avert degeneration and stimulate regeneration via ingredients like chondroitin sulfate based on years of research performed already and how nutrition combined with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management reduce and control spine pain. We’ll keep watching the pumpkin leaves’ research as it grows!

Schedule your Auburn chiropractic appointment soon to see us this pumpkin season!