Apple Country 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 cut the pumpkin into scary, fun, silly images for Halloween and mash it up for a Thanksgiving pie! Apple Country Chiropractic is making light of the pumpkin’s quandry and admits to enjoying the pumpkin fun while also valuing its edible, healthy aspects for our Williamson chiropractic patients who are being treated for back pain or neck pain and their supporting families.

RESPECT FOR THE HEALTHFUL PUMPKIN

Appreciation for the pumpkin grows and grows! 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 most common ingredient for great 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 recognized today are wound healing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-ulcerative, spermatogenesis-enhancing, etc. (2) The scent, flavor, and color attributes 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 that young and old alike enjoy…including Apple Country Chiropractic and our Williamson chiropractic families!

AGE MATTERS

Age is of importance in the pumpkin's and the human's lifespan! For the pumpkin, the mature stage of its ripening – versus the young and ripened stages – exhibited the greatest phenolic and flavonoid content (33 compounds!), the highest antioxidant activity, and the highest antibacterial activity. (4) For the human, aging brings 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 adequate intake of antioxidants. The cucurbita fruits (types 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 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 linked to preventing age-related diseases precipitated by oxidative stress. (6) Apple Country Chiropractic is all about protecting cells and the health of our Williamson chiropractic patients.

CONTACT Apple Country 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 Williamson chiropractic appointment today. Apple Country Chiropractic appreciates the pumpkin for all its nutritional value. And we still look forward to the annual cutting, decorating, and baking!

Apple Country Chiropractic appreciates the pumpkin for its decorative and nutritional benefits especially the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant!
 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."