“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, funny, goofy looks
for Halloween and puree it up for a Thanksgiving pie! Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
is making light of the pumpkin’s quandry and admits
to enjoying the pumpkin fun while also appreciating
its edible, healthy features for our
West Des Moines chiropractic patients who are being treated for back pain or neck pain and their supportive families.
RESPECT FOR THE NUTRITIOUS PUMPKIN
Respect for the pumpkin grows
and grows! The well recognized pumpkin or squash of the
cucurbita moschata species of fruits is insect-, disease-, and hot-tolerant…as well as the essential ingredient for tasty
pumpkin pies! (1) Recognized for its being nutrient-full
and recipe-flexible, the pumpkin is described as a potent
source of proteins, metabolites, carbohydrates, monounsaturated fatty acids,
polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, carotenoids, tryptophans, sterols, and
more. Some of its most promising functional
properties known today are wound healing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory,
antioxidative, anti-ulcerative, spermatogenesis-enhancing, and more.
(2) The scent, flavor, and color qualities 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 beautiful
fall fruit we cut into jack-o-lanterns that young
and old alike enjoy…including Executive Chiropractic of Iowa and our West Des Moines
chiropractic families!
AGE MATTERS
Age is significant 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 greatest
phenolic and flavonoid content (33 compounds!), the greatest
antioxidant activity, and the greatest antibacterial activity. (4)
For the human, aging brings more and more
molecular damage to cells in response to
oxidative stress due to environmental, lifestyle, and disease issues.
The proper intake of antioxidants is important
as we age. The cucurbita fruits (types of pumpkin/squash)
are great in these antioxidants as well as in zinc and copper. Researchers
even proposed 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 treasure trove of beneficial
cytoprotective – cell-protecting - properties related to preventing age-related diseases triggered
by oxidative stress. (6) Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is all about
protecting cells and the health of our West Des Moines
chiropractic clients.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes the importance of controlling
inflammation as well as chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment with The Cox® Technic System of
Spinal Pain Management.
Make your West Des Moines chiropractic
appointment today. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa appreciates
the pumpkin for all its nutritional value. And we still look
forward to the annual cutting, decorating, and baking!