Pumpkin is a Superfood
There are numerous types of pumpkin in all shapes and sizes with many
similar nutritional values. Powerful antioxidants known as carotenoids give
pumpkin its “superfood” status. These compounds have the ability to ward
off heart disease and cancer as well as certain eye-related diseases.
Pumpkin flesh contains vitamins C and E, magnesium, potassium and a
staggering quantity and variety of carotenoids, being one of the most
abundant natural sources of these amazing phytonutrients. Pumpkin is also
high in fibre with a one-half cup serving providing approximately 5
grams.
Pumpkin is packed with various nutrients and carotenoids, particularly
alpha and beta carotene. Carotenoids are orange, yellow, and red coloured,
fat-soluble compounds occurring in a variety of plants. These compounds
are largely responsible for the red, yellow, and orange colour of fruits
and vegetables, and are also found in many dark green vegetables.
Carotenoids help to protect you from free radicals, enhance cell-to-cell
communication, and modulate your immune response. They also protect your
skin and eyes from damage caused by ultra violet light.
Pumpkin is the highest source of alpha carotene, which may be even more
powerful than beta carotene. Pumpkin contains 400 percent of the
recommended daily allowance of alpha carotene, along with close to 300
percent of beta carotene, and only 83 calories in a cup!
Alpha carotene and beta carotene have been tied with multiple
health-promoting and disease-fighting benefits such as:
Reduces inflammatory arthritis
Decreases the risk of various cancers (breast, lung and colon)
Lowers the rate of heart disease
It’s not just the inner meat of a pumpkin that’s healthy, but its seeds,
pepitas, are super nutritious too.
Pumpkin seeds are a superfood that the American Native tribes prized for
its culinary and medicinal value.
High in fibre and protein, these seeds are also a rich source of
minerals including magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc.
Pumpkin seeds are believed to be beneficial for things like prostate
health, bone strength, arthritis, and are also believed to reduce levels of
harmful cholesterol and also improve the body’s immune system. The seeds
come raw, roasted, shelled, and unshelled. Just a quarter of a cup provides
approximately half the daily recommended dose for magnesium and iron, in
addition to high doses of zinc, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, manganese
and copper. They also contain the amino acid tryptophan known for
anti-depressant qualities, and essential fatty acids. These essential fatty
acids assist in improving mental function and aiding memory.
The dark green oil produced from pumpkin seeds has been used throughout
history in India, Europe and America to fight parasites, aid the digestive
tract and help with prostate and reproductive disorders. It has been
recommended for pregnant and lactating women because of its high content of
essential fatty acids. The essential fatty acids in pumpkin seeds are also
necessary for prostate health, and zinc (which pumpkin seeds are especially
high in) is great for the reproductive systems and has been shown to reduce
prostate size, and have been found to help prevent against prostate gland
enlargement.
Less meat beats weight gain
It’s not hard to see why eating a lot of meat will make you put on
weight - it’s high in energy and in fat, particularly red and processed
meats. Our lifestyles are increasingly sedentary – meaning we sit around
too much – and when our typical western dietary pattern sees us eat too
much meat, saturated fat and refined carbohydrates, and not enough fruit,
vegetables and fibre, it’s no wonder we’re getting fatter.
We love quick food that’s high in sugar, fat and calories. So many of
the modern diets (The Dukan, for example) try to offer a quick fix by
limiting or removing carbohydrates altogether and increasing protein via
meats, eggs and dairy products like cheese, yoghurt and milk, supposedly
making people feel fuller for longer and decreasing the amount of food they
consume. This often leads to fairly rapid weight loss, however critics say
the weight returns (plus some) when people return to normal patterns of
eating. The effect on cholesterol can be devastating, particularly for
those predisposed to high cholesterol and heart disease.
A five year study from the UK investigated the association between
consumption of meat with weight gain in more than 370,000 men and women.
The researchers looked at participants’ diets and measured their weight and
height, then looked for links between how much meat they ate and annual
weight change. Men consumed more meat than women however excess meat was
associated with weight gain in both men and women, for normal weight and
overweight participants.
This was the case for red meat (beef, veal, pork and lamb), poultry
(chicken, turkey and rabbit were included in this category in some groups)
and processed meat (ham, bacon, sausages, and other meat products mainly
from beef and pork). An increase in meat intake of 250 grams a day (e.g. a
steak at 450 calories) would lead to an additional 2kg after 5 years. Going
‘meatless’ even just a few times a week can help slow or stop weight gain
and improve cholesterol and cardiovascular risk factors. It’s worth a try –
for the sake of our health and our waistlines.
Good Health on the Menu
Healthy Spinach and Ricotta Rolls
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large bunches spinach, leaves chopped and thoroughly washed (ends
discarded)
2T water
250g tub low fat ricotta cheese
1t grated nutmeg
1T dried oregano
1 egg
8 sheets filo pastry
1T olive oil
1 egg, whisked (for brushing)
Poppy or sesame seeds to top
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C
In a saucepan, heat 2T water and add onion, garlic and spinach – then
cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes until spinach is wilted. Remove
from heat and cool, then strain mixture through a colander to remove excess
moisture
In a mixing bowl combine spinach mixture, ricotta cheese, nutmeg,
oregano and egg – mix well until all combined
Work with 4 sheets of pastry at a time. Spread out 2 sheets of pastry on
the bench and brush lightly with olive oil. Top with another two sheets of
pastry and brush lightly with oil again
Spoon spinach mixture along the length of the pastry (all the way to the
ends) and roll up tightly to create one long roll. Repeat with remaining
pastry so you have 2 long rolls in total
Brush tops lightly with the whisked egg and sprinkle with poppy or
sesame seeds
Cut into desired size rolls and place on a lined baking tray
Bake for 15 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, then serve with
tomato sauce or relish
Sausage rolls are usually high in processed meat, saturated fat and
calories. This version has removed the meat and uses filo pastry instead of
puff pastry – saving plenty of calories but keeping that crispy texture and
great taste we love. Great for the kids or for party food!
Those Heavy School Bags!
The impact of heavy books and bags on children’s backs places risks to
the child’s spine. Prevention can reduce the impacts later in life.
The general rule is a maximum of 10% of the student’s body weight in the
school bag. That works out to approximately 4-5 kgs for a 40-50 kg student.
In a recent survey of 1,000 children, it found almost 50% of students were
carrying well
over the 10% recommendation of their body weight.
There is immediate impact of strain on the spine from lifting a bag that
is overloaded and too heavy.
The longer a child carries that load, the more severe the damage. For
example, the amount of years the child carries a bag that is too heavy; as
well as how far they carry it to and from school or to the car.
Then there is the question of the wheeled trolley bag. It seemed like a
healthier option, and they were starting a trend within themselves.
However, new research comparing backpack and trolley usage amongst six
to eight year olds found that the trolley group was characterised by spinal
rotation, which could add extra stress to growing backs.
The Chiropractors’ Association of Australia recommends:
Backpacks should be no heavier than 10 per cent of a student’s weight
when packed.
Make sure the backpack is sturdy and appropriately sized – no wider than
the student’s chest.
Put comfort and fit at the top of the priority list, rather than good
looks.
Choose a backpack with broad, padded shoulder straps.
Use both shoulder straps – never sling the pack over one shoulder.
Use waist straps attached – they are there for a good reason.
Don’t wear the backpack any lower than the hollow of the lower back.
Don’t overload the backpack – use school lockers and plan homework well
in advance.
Place all heavy items at the base of the pack, close to the spine, for a
better distribution of the weight.
Rib Ticklers
Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can
die.
I don’t have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.
Keep the dream alive: Hit the snooze button.
You know your children are growing up when they stop asking you where
they came from and refuse to tell you where they’re going.
By the time a man realises that his father was right, he has a son who
thinks he’s wrong.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy
enough people to make it worth the effort.
Ever wonder if 3-D glasses are safe for your eyes?
3-D glasses have become very popular with the proliferation of movies
designed for viewing in 3-D.
The good news is that 3-D glasses pose no serious danger and they can be
considered safe. 3-D glasses are really just presenting an optical illusion
to your eyes, similar to a mirage, so they pose no danger of serious
damage.
How Do They Work?
There are a variety of ways to make an image appear in 3-D. The most
common way is to create two images that are slightly different to each eye.
3-D glasses work by having each lens block out one of the two images,
either through colour or through the polarisation of the light.
What About Eye Strain?
Some people experience eye strain and or headaches after using 3-D
glasses for a long time. If you or perhaps your child experience these
feelings, remove the glasses and rest and you should feel better
quickly.
Because 3-D glasses affect the way you see, they should not be worn when
doing anything other than watching a 3-D movie or looking at 3-D pictures.
Wearing them at other times may lead to disorientation, which could cause a
variety of problems, especially if doing things like driving a car or
operating machinery.
In summary, 3-D glasses are perfectly safe in themselves. However, it is
best to avoid wearing them any other time than watching the movie they were
designed for. For a lot of people, they just don’t seem to like the idea of
wearing glasses at all in the movie, so seeing the movie in regular 2-D is
another option. Make sure they are disinfected at the movie theatre, for
hygiene purposes. Moderation, as is usually the case, is key - the effects
should be entertaining, rather than irritating.
Thinking of taking up running?
Or maybe running is already your preferred choice of exercise…
Running is a repetitive motion sport that requires your body to undergo
wear and tear at a much higher rate than non-weight bearing sports or
everyday activities. Running requires that each leg and its associated
joints, muscles and ligaments withstand forces equal to seven to ten times
more than that of walking. This repetitive action can contribute to
increased wear and tear and/or musculoskeletal injury.
Running for exercise is not for everyone – but if you currently run, or
are thinking of taking up running for exercise, then the following may be
of benefit to you:
Useful Tips For Preventing Running Injuries:
Strengthen the areas which are vulnerable.
Buy and utilise the correct footwear.
Use the correct running posture.
Warm up before your running workout.
Gradually step up your running program.
Cool down appropriately to minimise stiffness and soreness.
Ensure your spine and pelvis are in the correct alignment.
Regular chiropractic care addresses musculoskeletal issues prior to the
onset of injury and/or chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Regular
chiropractic care may help you run longer and more efficiently by
addressing these things preventatively.
Check with us for advice that is unique to your specific needs.
