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Unpretentious pumpkin, which adorns the garden beds until the autumn frosts, is famous for its versatility and useful properties of the pulp. Fans of delicious hearty snacks do not overlook the seeds of this plant. But the main treasure is pumpkin seed oil, obtained from ripe seeds and considered to be one of the most beneficial vegetable fats.
If pumpkin pulp for centuries had a reputation for food for the poor, then the oil first obtained in medieval Austria began to be valued almost on a par with gold. It is not surprising that at that time dark liquid with a greenish tint was allowed to be used only as a medicine, and who would have decided to add such a precious product to porridge or dough.
Meanwhile, the price of pumpkin oil at a pharmacy can vary from a few dozen rubles to several hundred today. The cost of the product depends not only on the volume of the bubble, but also on the quality of the raw materials, the oil produced and the production technology. On average, seeds contain up to 40% of a valuable substance, so it is easy to calculate that to fill a small 200-gram bubble will require a pound of dry, peeled seeds from six full-bodied pumpkins.
So what is this natural product valued for? What are the benefits and harms of pumpkin oil, and how to take a cure?
Composition of pumpkin oil
If we look at the composition of pumpkin seed oil, it becomes clear why the substance was so valued by our ancestors. Each drop of dark liquid contains such important elements for the human body, and compounds such as vitamins A and ascorbic acid, E and F, P, and vitamin B group.
The oil is rich in essential acids, which include linoleic, stearic, palmitic and linolenic.
These compounds actively combat excess cholesterol and sediment, while the phytosterols and phospholepids in the oil prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into the intestinal tissue, prevent the formation of tumors, activate carbohydrate and fat metabolism, and have a positive effect on the quality of the skin and their regeneration.
Flavonoids in the composition of pumpkin oil are natural antioxidants, which also have an antimicrobial effect.
Tocopherols and carotenoids, as well as numerous micro- and macroelements, contribute to human health. Among the most significant minerals are magnesium, iron, selenium, calcium and phosphorus, as well as zinc, which supports the metabolism and the state of the immune system, promoting insulin production.
However, when using pumpkin oil, one should not forget that this is an extremely nutritious product, whose caloric content reaches 899 kcal per 100 grams.
Under which diseases is the natural remedy most useful, and how to take pumpkin seed oil?
The use of pumpkin oil in the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract
A few centuries ago, healers recommended patients with complaints of the functioning of various internal organs to drink pumpkin seed oil. The study of the composition of this tool has given amazing results. It turns out that the physicians of the Middle Ages not only did not exaggerate the benefits of the product, but also unknowingly downplayed it. Pumpkin oil, rich in phospholipids, valuable fatty acids and vitamins, among which vitamin K is quite rare, is an excellent folk remedy for diseases of the pancreas and liver.
Once in the body, the oil helps restore the liver cells and normalizes bile secretion. This is an effective natural protection against the development of inflammatory processes in the liver and biliary tract, the formation of fatty tissue in it.
Pumpkin seed oil is used as a hepatoprotective agent if a person suffers from liver damage caused by:
- oncological diseases;
- exposure to chemicals;
- alcohol.
Pumpkin seed oil has the same active effect on the stomach and intestines. The anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties of the product, which provide linoleic and linolenic acids, individual vitamins, chlorophyll, giving the oil an unusual greenish tint, as well as flavonoids and phytosterols are often in demand here. Pumpkin oil provides invaluable assistance in treating common diseases such as peptic ulcer and gastritis of varying severity, enterocolitis and colitis, gastroduodenitis and flatulence.
Pumpkin seed oil is applicable for constipation, and is also in demand as an anti-parasitic drug.
Applying pumpkin oil for heart and vascular health
A study of the biochemical composition of pumpkin oil confirmed that the product is saturated with substances that can:
- have a beneficial effect on the elasticity of blood vessel walls;
- strengthen the tissues of the circulatory system;
- protect the heart and blood vessels from the negative effects of various nature and inflammation.
Components of pumpkin seed oil are good helpers in the fight against excess cholesterol, which especially in middle-aged and older people often forms sclerotic plaques, contributing to this increase in pressure and progressionatherosclerosis.
The prophylactic use of pumpkin oil is the key to a long productive work of the vascular system and the heart.
For therapeutic purposes, the agent is used for hypertension and atherosclerosis, arrhythmias and ischemia, as well as for anemia.
Pumpkin seed oil for men's health and the genitourinary sphere.
Pumpkin seed oil has long been used in folk medicine as a proven and extremely effective remedy for men's health and longevity.
Indeed, a product with a unique composition exhibits all the signs:
- diuretic;
- bactericidal;
- anti-inflammatory;
- antitumor agent.
Due to the presence of carotene, vitamin E, zinc, ascorbic acid and magnesium, pumpkin seed oil can be used on a par with medical preparations to maintain the working capacity of the prostate gland, normalize potency and spermatogenesis. The use of small doses of oil helps to repeatedly reduce the risk of inflammation in the urogenital system and promotes the regeneration of damaged mucous tissues.
Pumpkin Seed Oil for Woman's Health
Pumpkin seed oil has proven itself in the prevention and treatment of diseases of the female genital and reproductive spheres of an inflammatory or bacterial nature.
Applying pumpkin seed oil can have a beneficial effect on the hormones of a woman, the state of the nervous system, and also alleviate the condition during painful menstrual cramps. Sometimes doctors advise the oil to reduce the intensity of menopausal manifestations. In addition, the complex of vitamins and microelements, acids and natural antioxidants have a positive effect on the development of the fetus, which is extremely important when using pumpkin oil for a pregnant woman.
Application of pumpkin oil for the treatment of various ailments
Today, the sedative properties of pumpkin seed oil, which is used for insomnia, causeless anxiety, frequent headaches and other disorders, are being actively studied and used. Introduction to the daily ration of small servings of pumpkin oil or using it to refuel culinary dishes will help young people and older people feel more cheerful, strengthen the body's immune defense, reduce the risk of developing oncological, inflammatory, infectious and allergic diseases.
Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiallergic properties of pumpkin oil are very much appreciated by general practitioners, therefore the product is widely used in inflammatory diseases of the respiratory organs and oral cavity, skin lesions and some dermatological diseases.
correctly The latter include such problems of the dermatological and cosmetology plan as:
- acne rash;
- allergic rashes, diathesis and urticaria;
- burns and other traumatic injuries of the skin;
- seborrhea and dermatomycosis;
- psoriasis and eczema;
- herpes;
- trophic ulcers and bedsores.
External and internal use of pumpkin oil gives good results if used to improve the quality of nails, skin and hair.
How to apply pumpkin seed oil?
Before applying the pumpkin oil inside it is imperative to obtain the recommendation of a specialist. In the presence of diseases of internal organs, as well as anemia, metabolic disorders and hormonal background, pumpkin seed oil is recommended to be taken an hour before meals, three times a day for a teaspoon.
Do not drink the oil with water, but if there is an unpleasant feeling after swallowing, it is better to take a sip of fruit juice or eat a small wheat rusk.
Reception is carried out by courses, the duration and expediency of which are more accurately specified by the attending specialist. And to maintain the tone and well-being, pumpkin seed oil can be used together with vegetable salads, cereals and other dishes where the product is added as a savory and healthy seasoning. The only restriction is that a valuable product cannot be heated, otherwise it not only loses the lion’s share of benefits, but also changes its properties.
Externally use compresses, lotions and irrigations with pumpkin seed oil.
Contraindications to the use of pumpkin oil
With the mass benefits from the use of pumpkin oil, the harm from improper use of this product is also possible. In any case, it is worth refusing to use oils that have expired or that have been in inappropriate conditions for a long time, for example, in the light or in a hot room.
In addition, before taking pumpkin seed oil, people with diabetes mellitus should get permission from their doctor. The same requirement is valid for people who are prone to food allergies or suffering from exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases. As a side effect of oil intake, rapid loose stools may be observed, which is not useful for diarrhea. In cholecystitis, accompanied by the formation of stones, pumpkin seed oil requires extremely careful application, otherwise the painful movement of the stones and exacerbation of the disease cannot be avoided.
