This time of year, pumpkins
are everywhere! We enjoy them for décor, but
they offer so much more! News of late highlights
the benefits of their leaves to reduce the speed of disc degeneration
and even possibly encourage regeneration. That’s news
to your Severna Park chiropractor’s ear…and surely to
our Severna Park back pain and neck pain patients’ ears, too!
THE DISC – Healthy and Degenerated
Most treatments of
back pain focus on easing the pain and returning function
without a thought about how
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. Together, these two act
as a shock absorber and stabilizer for the spine. Treatment options
for the degenerated disc come from understanding the
processes that precede degeneration in order to
help alleviate discogenic pain more effectively. (1) Your
chiropractor expores these mechanisms a lot!
PUMPKIN LEAVES AND CAROTENOIDS
It's recognized 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 many
factors, one is the extraction procedure. Functional
foods are developed from carotenoids which are said to add
significantly to the many health benefits of the foods.
(2) Nutrition can plan a role in disc health. Pumpkin and its by-products should not just be thrown
away!
PUMPKIN LEAVES AND COLLAGEN AND PROTEINS AND DISC CELLS
One way to put pumpkins to work for us is described in a recent study regarding how
the leaves of pumpkins may help. The acetone extract from Violina pumpkin
(curcurbita moshata) leaves induced a significant
increase in extracellular matrix components like aggrecan and collagen
type II in addition to other proteins and stress
response regulators in the degenerated intervertebral disc cells removed
from degenerated disc tissues of spinal surgery patients. Markers indicating
the presence and activity of stem cells were significantly higher as well. This news motivated the researchers to state
that the hypothesis about how enough stimuli can support
resident cells to repopulate the degenerated discs was thus sustained.
The report overall concluded that data indicate that the breakthrough that molecules may
effectively slow disc degeneration using a part of the pumpkin
that most of us throw in the trash as waste – the
leaves! (3) Back And Neck Care Center thinks you’ll look at the
pumpkin leaves differently this season!
CONTACT Back And Neck Care Center
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
illustrates how nutrition may decelerate and possibly
stop degeneration and promote regeneration via ingredients
like chondroitin sulfate based on years of research done
already and how nutrition in combination with The Cox®
Technic System of Spinal Pain Management reduce and control
spine pain. We’ll keep watching the pumpkin leaves’ research as it evolves!
Schedule your Severna Park chiropractic appointment
now to see us this pumpkin season!
"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."