Health Benefits of Pumpkin

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1.  Boosts vision
Pumpkin contains high amounts of vitamin A, which is directly linked to our optical health. The plentiful nutrients found in pumpkin pulp may sharpen your vision, particularly in dim light. Regular consumption of pumpkin is also said to slow down visual decline brought about by conditions like macular disease and retinitis pigmentosa (which can lead to blindness), and helps prevents eye cataracts.
Take a cup of mashed pumpkin each day in order to ensure a steady daily dose of vitamin A.
2. Makes your skin look younger
The vitamin A pumpkin contains is also proven to boost our skin's health. Consume pumpkin in order to keep your skin looking younger, as this vitamin protects you from developing wrinkles caused by the sun's UV rays. Apart from consuming it, pumpkin can also be used to make an all-natural facial mask to exfoliate and soothe the skin.
Here's how to make the mask: Combine 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix and apply the mixture to your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes before you wash it off with warm water. 

3.  Aids weight loss
Because pumpkin is packed with a great deal of fiber, it can keep your appetite satisfied for longer than other foods. Fiber is a substance that slows down digestion, and considering that 90% of pumpkin is also water, it's one of the most recommended foods to consider during diets. In one cup of pumpkin, there's 7 grams of fiber  - and that is more than what you get from 2 slices of bread, but it contains less than 50 calories!
4. Boosts energy levels
We've been told that bananas are excellent sources of energy, but did you know that pumpkins are even better? While a banana contains 422 milligrams of the refueling nutrient potassium,  a single cup of mashed pumpkin contains a whopping 564 milligrams, making it one of nature's very best energy-packed goods. 
Drink up a cup of mashed pumpkin after a heavy workout to restore the body's balance of electrolytes (the minerals you lose when you sweat) and help your muscles recover.

5.  Promotes heart health
Eating foods that are high in fiber, like pumpkin, is incredibly beneficial for your heart. Recent studies have found that male individuals with a high-fiber diet had 40% less chance of getting coronary heart disease than individuals with a lesser intake of fiber, whereas for female individuals, this was 25%. Apart from this, the chemical phytosterol found in pumpkin seeds has been proven to work against the "bad" cholesterol LDL, which has a positive effect upon the health of your heart.
6. Enhances immunity to disease
It may sound hard to believe, but pumpkin is extremely effective when it comes to our body's immunity. If you're looking to improve your immune system and better combat illness, increase your intake of pumpkin and/or pumpkin seed oil. This might help you fight infections, viruses and infectious diseases, as it contains high amounts of vitamin C.  In fact, 1 cup of pumpkin consists of more than 11 milligrams  of this healthy vitamin, which is almost equivalent to the 60% of women's recommended daily dose (this would be around 75 milligrams for men), and this can aid the body in the recovery of colds and more serious illnesses related to intestinal parasites.
 7. Fights diabetes
While discussing the beneficial properties of pumpkins, we cannot help but mention one terrific discovery research has recently revealed. This amazing food has been shown to help lower blood glucose levels when consumed, encouraging glucose tolerance and an increase in the body's insulin levels.

Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

8. Improves your mood Pumpkin seeds are a fantastic source of the amino acid tryptophan, famed for its presence in a plate of turkey. Apart from being one of the most vital amino acids required by our bodies, tryptophan is responsible for the production of serotonin in our bodies, a substance that plays a major role in our mood control. It is also found in some other seeds, as well as poultry, red meat, fish, and more.

9. Gives you a better night's sleep
Your search for sleeping solutions may end here. Apart from being a feel-good neurotransmitter, the tryptophan found in pumpkin seeds may even improve your resting time.  This substance allows the body to relax and unwind, making it the perfect means to lull you in to a deep, untroubled sleep.
10. Treats low blood pressure
Furthermore, eating pumpkin seeds may also exhibit positive improvements in individuals that suffer from low blood pressure. This is mainly due to the phytoestrogens found in pumpkin seeds, which are said to help prevent hypertension. 

11. Lowers the risk of cancer
So far, pumpkin and pumpkin seeds have shown several perks brought by its regular consumption, which has been proven to be super essential to us. However, perhaps most surprisingly of all, scientists have found that the Beta-carotene pigment found in pumpkin, and pumpkin seeds in particular, is not only beneficial for your skin and vision, it is also a cancer-fighting agent. In particular, men's health has been linked to the benefits of pumpkin seeds, due to their richness in zinc, which can effectively prevent men from developing prostate cancer. Consequently, this can lead to improvements in their sexual health. The zinc levels contained in a quarter cup of pumpkin seeds results in 17% of the recommended daily intake of zinc for adults.

Surpising Uses for Cucumbers

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.






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Gives You a No-Caffeine Energy Boost Many of us drink coffee, soda or other caffeine-rich drinks because they provide us with an energy boost when we are starting to lag. Of course, caffeine is not particularly healthy for you, but there is an alternative - the cucumber! Because they are a great source of Vitamin B and good carbohydrates, cucumbers can give you a boost when you feel fatigued.

Reduces Cellulite and Wrinkles
If you are feeling self-conscious about your cellulite, then cucumber can be a great help. Take a couple of thickish slices and rub them along the area you want to treat for a few minutes. This works because cucumber contains a photochemical which tightens collagen and firms up the outer layer of your skin. This reduces the appearance of visible cellulite. It can also be effective on wrinkles, so use them as part of your regular moisturizing routine.

Rejuvenates and Replenish You
If you want a quick and easy facial you can make at home, then slice up a generous amount of cucumber pieces and boil them in a pot of water. Remove the pot from the heat when it has boiled, place a towel over your head and lean over it, allowing the steam to hit your face. The natural chemicals inside the cucumber will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, while your skin will look great.

 Can Eliminate Bad Breath
If you've just finished a lovely plate of fish, but don't want to breathe the odor on everyone in your presence, then take a slice of cucumber and use your tongue to pin it against the roof of your mouth. Hold it there for around a minute and the photochemicals it contains will attack the bacteria and eliminate your problem.

 Fight Headaches
  If the rigors of daily life have left your head pounding, or you drank too much red wine while dining out, cucumber can rescue you from a nasty headache. Because they are high in Vitamin B, sugar and electrolytes, they replenish nutrients that your body needs to fight off a hangover, or defeat the headache that has been throbbing all day. All you need to do is eat half a cucumber before bed, and then go to sleep as normal.

Fights Off Urges to Snack
If you are in between meals and feeling peckish, it is oh-so easy to turn to the cookie jar or ice-cream tub to satisfy urges. Most of us feel bad immediately after, and regret spoiling our dinner, so why not learn from our ancestors and use cucumber to fight off compulsions to snack? For centuries, it has been used by trappers, explorers and traders as a quick fix to fend off hunger, and just a few sticks of cucumber should do the trick.

 Soothes Sunburn
You might see cucumber in some aftersun products on the pharmacy shelves, and for good reason. They are a great cooling agent and some doctors even use them to treat patients with sore, burned skin. You just need to rub a thick slice over the affected area and you should feel quick relief.

 Drive Away Garden Pests
Cucumber can be used in your garden to drive away those pesky critters that chomp their way through your precious plants and flowers. Simply place a few slices in an aluminum container (most empty canned products should be fine to use) and place the containers around your flowerbeds. The cucumber and aluminum react together and make a handy repellent.

 Relieve Constipation
The high fiber and water content in cucumbers make them useful if you are suffering from constipation. So next time you are blocked up, try eating half a cucumber and seeing if it causes any thing to 'shift'. If you are someone who suffers from ongoing constipation, try adding more cucumber to your daily diet.

 Helps You Look Great
People have been putting cucumber over their eyes to reduce puffiness and dark circles for many years. To prepare the cucumber properly for this task, take a cold one fresh from the refrigerator and cut two thick slices. Find a room in your house where you can relax and set the cucumber over your closed eyes for around ten to fifteen minutes. You will look and feel great afterwards!