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OrthoIllinois Chiropractic Shares Pumpkins Nutritional Benefits

“Respect the pumpkin! Respect the pumpkin!” Pitiful thing! The pumpkin wants to share its healthy gifts with us! What do we do? We cut the pumpkin into scary, fun, goofy images for Halloween and mash it up for a Thanksgiving pie! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is playing with the pumpkin’s quandry and confesses to liking the pumpkin fun while also appreciating its edible, healthy features for our McHenry chiropractic patients who are undergoing chiropractic care for back pain or neck pain and their supporting families.

RESPECT FOR THE HEALTHFUL PUMPKIN

Appreciation for the pumpkin keeps growing! 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-full and recipe-flexible, the pumpkin is said to be 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, etc. (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 healthful. (3) All this in the beautiful fall fruit we cut into jack-o-lanterns that young and old alike appreciate…including OrthoIllinois Chiropractic and our McHenry 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 – proved to have the highest phenolic and flavonoid content (33 compounds!), the greatest antioxidant activity, and the highest antibacterial activity. (4) For the human, aging generates more and more molecular harm to cells in reaction to oxidative stress from environmental, lifestyle, and disease factors. The right intake of antioxidants is important as we age. The cucurbita fruits (types of pumpkin/squash) are high in these antioxidants as well as in zinc and copper. Researchers even proposed that these should be consumed daily! (5) Our aging cells would be grateful! In a study of extracted seed oils like pumpkin, melon, and black cumin, researchers found a bunch of beneficial cytoprotective – cell-protecting - properties linked to preventing age-related diseases precipitated by oxidative stress. (6) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is all about protecting cells and the well-being of our McHenry chiropractic patients.

CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic

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 McHenry chiropractic appointment today. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic respects the pumpkin for all its nutritional value. And we still look forward to the annual cutting, decorating, and cooking!

OrthoIllinois Chiropractic respects 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."