Satterwhite 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 spooky, fun, goofy looks for Halloween and mash it up for a Thanksgiving pie! Satterwhite Chiropractic is playing with the pumpkin’s plight and confesses to enjoying the pumpkin fun while also valuing its edible, healthy aspects for our Oxford 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 hot tolerant and resistant to insects and disease…as well as the most common ingredient for tasty pumpkin pies! (1) Recognized for its being nutrient-dense 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 pretty fall fruit we cut into jack-o-lanterns that young and old alike enjoy…including Satterwhite Chiropractic and our Oxford 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 – as opposed to the young and ripened stages – had the highest phenolic and flavonoid content (33 compounds!), the greatest antioxidant activity, and the greatest antibacterial activity. (4) For the human, aging generates more and more molecular harm to cells in response 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 great in these antioxidants as well as in zinc and copper. Researchers even proposed that these should be consumed daily! (5) Our aging cells would appreciate that! In a study of extracted seed oils like pumpkin, melon, and black cumin, researchers found a treasure trove of useful cytoprotective – cell-protecting - properties linked to preventing age-related diseases brought on by oxidative stress. (6) Satterwhite Chiropractic is all about protecting cells and the well-being of our Oxford chiropractic clients.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the importance of controlling inflammation as well as chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your Oxford chiropractic appointment now. Satterwhite Chiropractic appreciates the pumpkin for all its nutritional benefit. And we still look forward to the annual cutting, decorating, and baking!
