“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, funny, goofy looks
for Halloween and mash it up for a Thanksgiving pie! Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
is playing with the pumpkin’s plight and confesses
to liking the pumpkin fun while also appreciating
its tasty, healthy aspects for our
Montreal chiropractic patients who are undergoing chiropractic care for back pain or neck pain and their supporting families.
RESPECT FOR THE NUTRITIOUS PUMPKIN
Appreciation for the pumpkin grows
and grows! The commonly known pumpkin or squash of the
cucurbita moschata species of fruits is insect-, disease-, and hot-tolerant…as well as the essential ingredient for amazing
pumpkin pies! (1) Recognized for its being nutrient-dense
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. A few 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 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 Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic and our Montreal
chiropractic families!
AGE MATTERS
Age is of importance in the lifespan
of the pumpkin and the human! 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 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.
The proper intake of antioxidants is key
as we age. The cucurbita fruits (varieties 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 be grateful! In
a study of extracted seed oils like pumpkin, melon, and black cumin,
researchers found a bunch of useful
cytoprotective – cell-protecting - properties linked to preventing age-related diseases brought on
by oxidative stress. (6) Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic is in favor of
protecting cells and the well-being of our Montreal
chiropractic patients.
CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
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 Montreal chiropractic
appointment today. Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic respects
the pumpkin for all its nutritional value. And we still look
forward to the annual cutting, decorating, and baking!