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The Healthy Augusta Pumpkin: Decorative and Nutritious

October 03, 2023

The pumpkin. Pretty. Distinguishable. Valued from its being anti-anxiety to anti-viral and so much more! Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic shares just how nutritious and beneficial the Cucurbita maxima, the formal name of the pumpkin, is, a vegetable whose flesh, seed, peel, flower, and leaves all offer nutrients our Augusta chiropractic patients can take advantage of. High levels of minerals, flavonoids, carotenes, phenols, and total antioxidant activity are plentiful in the leaves and flowers while the seed is packed with nutrients and amino acids. All sections of the pumpkin have powerful nutrients! (1) Nutrition info like this is a part of the chiropractic service we deliver. This fall, maybe you’ll want to think twice about throwing your pumpkin in the trash!

DECORATIVE, DERMATOLOGICAL, AND MUCH MORE: anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiolic, non-irritating, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antiviral

The Cucurbita maxima is well-known for its decorative appeal as well as economic value and as a generator of wasted resources when its time is up. Its abundance of bioactive compounds (flavonoids and coumarins) as well as antioxidant and pharmacological value that are just now being appreciated. (2) Pumpkin seed extracts were analyzed to be safe and to extend significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties nearly comparable with aspirin and brufen/ibuprofen. (3) In the lineage of winter squash, the pumpkin’s Cucurbita maxima - with its polysaccharide substance plus its overall phenolic and flavonoid content - has more antidiabetic and antioxidant activities than its related Cucurbita moshata. (4) Another study found that the nutrition of the pumpkin fights several viral infections (like HCV, HIV, ADV7, etc.) with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. (5) The peel has the greatest number of flavonoids. Peel extracts are not cytotoxic or aggravating to the skin, making them possibly effective for cosmetic product use. (6) The pumpkin’s value runs more than skin deep.

PREVENTIVE OF NIGHT BLINDNESS IN CHILDREN AND EVEN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

How about helping prevent childhood night blindness reported to be an issue around the world? Fortifying yogurt with β-carotene (vitamin A) via pumpkin (and pumpkin pie spice and ground pumpkin seed) was proven to be a nutrient-rich food with the low-cost advantage of potentially averting or decreasing childhood blindness. The pumpkin rendered it tastier! (7) The pumpkin seed that they ground up for the yogurt may also decrease the intensity of the central nervous system related anxiety and depression. C. maxima’s secondary metabolites like arginine, β-carotene, quercetin, and other antioxidants may be the advantageous contributors. (8) All these are beneficial for health.

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Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Robert Borzone on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to help a patient return to healthy organic gardening.

Make your Augusta chiropractic appointment soon. No matter the back pain condition, that brought you to our office, enjoy your decorative pumpkin and find a way to use it for your health benefit!

Augusta chiropractic nutrition info on the pumpkin