Benefit for Manahawkin Degenerated Discs from Pumpkin Leaves
Every year around this time, pumpkins are everywhere! We like them for décor, but they offer so much more! Recent news focuses on the benefits of their leaves to slow disc degeneration and even possibly support regeneration. That is news to your Manahawkin chiropractor’s ear…and surely to our Manahawkin back pain and neck pain patients’ ears, too!
THE DISC – Healthy and Degenerated
Many back pain treatment approaches focus on relieving the pain and returning function without addressinga means to slow the degenerative process and/or promote regeneration. The intervertebral disc is made up of an inner core (nucleus pulposus) made of proteoglycans and a layered outer rim (annulus fibrosus) rich in collagen. Combined, these two work as a shock absorber and stabilizer for the spine. Treatment options for the degenerated disc come from understanding the processes that precede degeneration so as to help relieve discogenic pain more effectively. (1) Your chiropractor probes these mechanisms all the time!
PUMPKIN LEAVES AND CAROTENOIDS
It's well-known that pumpkin products and by-products (like leaves!) have major carotenoids - β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin – with β-carotene being the main one in most pumpkin types. The total content of carotenoids rests on several factors, one being the extraction procedure. Functional foods are developed from carotenoids which are said to add significantly to the multiple health benefits of the foods. (2) Nutrition can plan a role in disc health. Let’s put our Manahawkin pumpkins and their by-products to work for us!
PUMPKIN LEAVES AND COLLAGEN AND PROTEINS AND DISC CELLS
A unique way to put pumpkins to work for us is well explained in a recent study regarding how the leaves of pumpkins may help. The acetone extract from Violina pumpkin (curcurbita moshata) leaves induced a significant rise in extracellular matrix components like aggrecan and collagen type II along with other proteins and stress response regulators in the degenerated intervertebral disc cells taken from degenerated disc tissues of spinal surgery patients. Markers noting the presence and activity of stem cells were significantly increased, too. This news excited the researchers to state that the hypothesis about how adequate stimuli can support resident cells to repopulate the degenerated discs was thereby sustained. The report overall determined that data indicate that the discovery of molecules that may effectively reduce disc degeneration using a part of the pumpkin that most of us throw away as waste – the leaves! (3) Manahawkin Chiropractic Center thinks you’ll look at the pumpkin leaves differently this season!
CONTACT Manahawkin Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how nutrition may decelerate and possibly avert degeneration and promote regeneration via ingredients like chondroitin sulfate based on years of research performed already and how nutrition combined with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management decrease and control spine pain. We’ll keep watching the pumpkin leaves’ research as it evolves!
Schedule your Manahawkin chiropractic appointment soon to see us this pumpkin season!
