Pumpkins

Pumpkins are God gift for us:
God is great. When he made the universe he has managed every thing to keep us healthy. It is, only we, who don’t care. And do not follow the natural way of life. We prefer only junk foods.
Recently, the Chinese researcher led by Tao Xia of China Normal University has disclosed that Pumpkin extract can reduce the amount of insulin you need to take from out sources.
Pumpkin also acts as an anti- rheumatic, a demulcent, a diuretic, a nervine, and a taenifuge.  It was used in folk medicine to treat kidney inflammation and intestinal parasites.
In ayurveda, it is used to treat irritable bladder and prostate problems. Its seeds is said to help relieve dizziness.  Pumpkin is also used to treat boils, carbuncles, fever, measles, skin ailments, smallpox, sprains, tumor, urinary ailments, warts, and women’s ailments.
Its antioxidant rich-Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers than those who fail to include beta-carotene rich foods in their diet.
Pumpkins are loaded with potassium-studies show that have a potassium rich diet lower the risk for hypertension and heart problem.
It’s also rich in Zinc- a major boost for your immune system. It also aids in bone density support at risk for osteoporosis.
High fiber diet- rich in fiber may prevent cancer, heart disease and other serious ailments.
Pumpkin may prevent Prostate enlargement:
Eating a handful (about 1 ounce) of shelled pumpkin seeds three times a week is recommended to prevent prostate enlargement.
Benign prostatic hypertrophy ( BPH), is a condition that commonly affects men 50 years and older. BPH involves enlargement of the prostate gland. One of the factors that contribute to BPH is overstimulation of the prostate cells by testosterone and its conversion product, DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Components in pumpkin seed oil appear able to interrupt this triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT.  The carotenoids found in pumpkin seeds, and the omega-3 fats found in pumpkin seeds are also being studied for their potential prostate benefits. Men with higher amounts of carotenoids in their diet have less risk for BPH.
Pumpkins help to protect the degeneration of Bones;
Pumpkins -a best diet supplement, regularly eating with seeds, improve the bone mineral density and can prevent old age bone related diseases like osteoporosis that is often thought to be a disease for which postmenopausal women are at highest risk, it is also a potential problem for older men. Study shows that out of 10, one man after the age from 45-92 suffer from osteoporosis that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found a clear correlation between low dietary intake of zinc, low blood levels of the trace mineral, and osteoporosis at the hip and spine.
Anti-Inflammatory Benefits in Arthritis
The healing properties of pumpkin seeds have also been recently investigated with respect to arthritis. Pumpkin seeds to the diet has compared favorably with use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin in reducing inflammatory symptoms. Importantly, though, pumpkin seeds did not have one extremely unwanted effect of indomethacin: unlike the drug, pumpkin seeds do not increase the level of damaged fats (lipid peroxides) in the linings of the joints, a side-effect that actually contributes to the progression of arthritis.
Pumpkins  Phytosterols Lower Cholesterol
Phytosterols are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol, and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers and Pumpkins are the best known to it.
Phytosterols beneficial effects are so dramatic that they have been extracted from soybean, corn, and pine tree oil and added to processed foods, such as “butter”-replacement spreads, which are then touted as cholesterol-lowering “foods.”
History
Pumpkins, and their seeds, were a celebrated food of the Native American Indians who treasured them both for their dietary and medicinal properties. The cultivation of pumpkins spread throughout the world when the European explorers, returning from their journeys, brought back many of the agricultural treasures of the New World. While pumpkin seeds are featured in the recipes of many cultures, they are a special hallmark of traditional Mexican cuisine. Pumpkin seeds have recently become more popular as research suggests that they have unique nutritional and health benefits.
Pumpkin seeds should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While they may stay edible for several months, they seem to lose their peak freshness after about one to two months.
Advise ; cook pumpkins like all other vegetable with seed itself..