Benefit for Ashburn and Herndon Degenerated Discs from Pumpkin Leaves
Every year around this time, pumpkins are everywhere! We enjoy them for décor, but they offer so much more! News of late highlights the benefits of their leaves to slow disc degeneration and even possibly support regeneration. That is news to your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractor’s ear…and without doubt to our Ashburn and Herndon back pain and neck pain patients’ ears, too!
THE DISC – Healthy and Degenerated
Many back pain treatment approaches 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 has 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 being aware of the processes that precede degeneration in order to help relieve discogenic pain more effectively. (1) Your chiropractor reads about these mechanisms a lot!
PUMPKIN LEAVES AND CAROTENOIDS
It's recognized that pumpkin products and by-products (like leaves!) contain major carotenoids - β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin – with β-carotene being the foremost one in most pumpkin varieties. The total content of carotenoids rests on a variety of factors, one being the extraction process. Functional foods are advanced 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 Ashburn and Herndon 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 described in a recent study regarding how the leaves of pumpkins may help. The acetone extract from Violina pumpkin (curcurbita moshata) leaves generated 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 as well. This news motivated the researchers to declare that the hypothesis about how adequate stimuli can support resident cells to repopulate the degenerated discs was thus sustained. The report overall concluded that data indicate that the discovery of molecules that may effectively slow disc degeneration using a part of the pumpkin that most of us get rid of as waste – the leaves! (3) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn thinks you’ll look at the pumpkin leaves differently this season!
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how nutrition may slow and possibly avert 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 decrease and control spine pain. We’ll keep watching the pumpkin leaves’ research as it evolves!
Make your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment soon to see us this pumpkin season!
