Why Good Fats Are Essential
Wondering how supplementing with a fat-filled capsule will help promote your health?
For this we need to take a closer look at the fats in pumpkin seed oil. A large percentage of the fats in pumpkin seed oil belong to a group called polyunsaturated fats, the kind of fats you’ll find in fatty fish, seeds, nuts, plant-based oils and seed oils.
Known as ‘good fats,’ polyunsaturated fats are essential to the body for absorbing vitamins and providing critical nutrients for your body to function properly.
Two main types of polyunsaturated fats are the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6. These essential fats play a vital role in brain function, cell rejuvenation, anti-inflammatory activity and more.
But why are these fats especially important?
The body is able to produce all the fatty acids it needs, except for: linoleic acid , and alpha-linolenic acid .
Since your body cannot produce these essential fatty acids, you have to find ways of incorporating them in your diet.
One feature that makes pumpkin seed oil stand out is that it is made up of over 50% linoleic acid , and some amount of monounsaturated fats which help promote HDL, or good cholesterol levels.
When substituted for saturated fats, research has shown that both poly and monounsaturated fats can help to lower bad cholesterol and prevent heart disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancer.
Top 7 Essential Oils For Bladder Problems: Utis Overactive Bladder And Incontinence
January 5, 2019 By Aspen
Without a doubt, bladder problems are one of the most excruciating problems that can affect your body in numerous ways. Our bladder controls one of the most crucial functions in the body, which is excreting the waste materials in the form of urine, out of the body. There are many natural remedies for bladder issues. For one, you can try essential oils for bladder problems, for effective relief at home.
Nowadays bladder problems are quite common among us yet is still one of the least discussed health issues. My own grandfather dealt with bladder problems last year, where he was passing blood through his urine and yet, he never informed any of us. It wasnt until he was finally rushed to the emergency room that we came to know that he was facing bladder problems for over 6 months! It is recommended that you visit your doctor at any symptom of pain related to the bladder. Lets have a look at the causes and symptoms of bladder problems, before we dive into the most helpful essential oils for bladder problems.
What Are Overactive Bladder Syndrome And Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
OAB is a common urinary disorder that occurs in more than 15% of men and women aged 40 or older. It consists of urgency and frequency of urination, significant enough to cause frequent waking during the night and, in some cases, incontinence. As one can imagine, OAB can severely disrupt the quality of life for those afflicted.
BPH is separate condition that occurs in 50% of men over 50 years old and 70% of men over 70 years of age. It involves the non-cancerous growth of the prostate, leading to very similar urinary symptoms as OAB such as urgency, frequency, and nighttime waking. BPH can be extremely disruptive to everyday life for elderly men.
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Can Pumpkin Seeds Help Bladder Control
Studies reveal that about one in six elderly people experience symptoms of overactive bladder, including urgency to urinate and recurrent urination both during the day and at night. Many middle-aged and elderly people with urinary problems often turn to prescription drugs for bladder control problems. However, consuming a few pumpkin seeds on a daily basis might be an effective and safe treatment for overactive bladder.
Researchers have reported promising results not only in animal, but also human studies, utilizing pumpkin seeds to treat overactive bladder, revealing a substantial reduction in the frequency of daytime and night urination and enhanced quality of sleep. Moreover, pumpkin seeds seem to offer a major reprieve for aging men suffering from urinary problems triggered by benign prostatic hyperplasia or an expanded prostate.
One study revealed that pumpkin seed oil taken for three months by 53 men between the ages of 50 and 80 years improved urine stream by 40%, and lowered nighttime urination by 30% compared to those in the placebo group.
Other Natural Tips For Overactive Bladder
Apart from pumpkin seeds, there are many natural tips to treat an overactive bladder such as
- Using magnesium hydroxide supplements is one natural way to treat the condition.
- Taking 115 milligrams of L-arginine daily in any form is also aidful to treat the condition.
- Cleavers, a kind of climbing plant is also a good tonic for urinary health conditions such as OAB. The diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties in them cure OAB.
- Other herbs such as gosha-jinki-gan, corn silk, capsaicin, and kohki tea are also useful to treat OAB.
- The other natural treatment options include mind and body approaches which include guided imagery, biofeedback, acupuncture, and behavioral therapy such as meditation and hypnotherapy.
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What Is Overactive Bladder
Having an overactive bladder is often the sign of some other medical problem, which could be anything from weak abdominal muscles to abnormal reflexes to an infection that is causing bladder irritation. Symptoms can range from having a sudden urge to urinate, bladder leakage, urinating more than eight times per day, a weak urine flow, or incontinence. Your doctor should conduct a physical and may run other tests to determine the source of your overactive bladder symptoms.
Having an overactive bladder can affect the quality of your life, lead to psychological stress, and prevent you from engaging in certain activities, which could affect your overall health. Using essential oils can not only calm the overactive bladder muscles that may be causing your problems but also treat some of the effects that living with an overactive bladder may cause.
Demographic Characteristics And Physical And Biochemical Examination
All males enrolled in this study were not diagnosed as BPH in the hospital and did not receive the treatment of BPH. Moreover, the levels of serum prostate-specific antigen in all males were within normal range. Four subjects quit the entry on their own, and three subjects were excluded because of inadequate intake of the oil. The characteristics of the enrolled subjects are summarized in . Six and 12 weeks after the initial administration of the pumpkin seed oil, the average levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride were essentially unchanged . There was no significant difference in the laboratory data between pre- and post-administration of the pumpkin seed oil in various age and body weight groups .
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Subject And Study Design
Forty-five volunteers were enrolled in this study. Subjects were excluded if they were pregnant or had severe or acute diseases . All were older than 20 years of age. Ten grams of the pumpkin seed oil extracted from C. maxima was daily and orally administered in the subjects for 12 weeks. Analytical results of the composition of the pumpkin seed oil with regard to nutrients, vitamins, fatty acids, and sterols are provided in . All protocols in this study were approved by the Ethical Committee of Hokkaido Information University, and written informed consent was obtained from all participating subjects. Demographic and medical data were obtained from the medical records and interviews at study entry. Blood samples were obtained in the morning after overnight fasting, and biochemical data concerning lipids were measured.
Possible Treatment For Metabolic Disease
A study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture examined the use of pumpkin seed oil on metabolic disease in rats. Scientists found that pumpkin seed oil may be helpful in the prevention or treatment of metabolic disorder in rats who were fed a high-fat diet.
However, rodent studies don’t provide strong evidence that humans will experience the same benefit. These studies simply offer clues to researchers so that further studies can be developed.
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Pumpkin Seed Oil Benefits Prostate & Heart Health
The thought of pumpkins may have you itching for fall, lattes and pie, but youre about to find out that pumpkin isnt just for autumn anymore if you want to fight disease all year long, that is! In fact, pumpkin seed oil is a handy ingredient to keep around and use on a daily basis to improve your metabolic and physiological health, similar to benefit-rich black seed oil.
Packed with tryptophan, unsaturated fatty acids and a high level of antioxidative substances, this silent champion provides a long list of benefits to both men and women. When the oil from these little seeds is extracted just right , the possibilities are virtually endless!
Thanks to its high content of carotenoids and liposoluble vitamins, pumpkin seed oil has long been considered an ingredient appropriate for illness prevention, especially for prostate diseases. In addition to that well-known use, research has shown benefits for people struggling with hair loss, diabetes and even cancer.
Potential Health Benefits Of Pumpkin Seed Oil
Pumpkin seed oil is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. However, the same thing that makes pumpkin seed oil so potent can also create complications for people with certain medical conditions.
Research has found a number of potential health benefits to consuming pumpkin seed oil:
Prostate Health
Pumpkin seed oil may help improve benign prostate hyperplasia, which is an enlarged prostate. In a randomized trial, pumpkin seed oil eased symptoms of enlarged prostate and improved participants quality of life over a three-month period.
Topical pumpkin seed oil has also safely and non-invasively treated chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, a bacterial infection common in older men.
Hair Growth
For people trying to grow hair, pumpkin seed oil may be a helpful supplement. One study tested the success of pumpkin seed oil in men with mild to moderate hair loss. Those in the pumpkin seed oil group grew 30 % more hair than those in the placebo group.
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Underlying Cause Of Urinary Miseries
In women, stress incontinence is usually caused by a weakening of the bladder sphincter and pelvic floor muscles. Shrinkage of tissues where the bladder and urethra meet also contributes to the problem. Hormonal changes occurring after menopause are thought to be an underlying cause of these anatomical changes in the bladder sphincter that lead to urinary incontinence.
In postmenopausal women, decreased androgen levels weaken the pelvic floor and sphincter muscles, while an estrogen deficit induces atrophy of the urethra.
Mainstream medicine offers only mediocre therapies to address urinary incontinence. Drugs commonly used for this condition are expensive and side-effect-prone. Only a small proportion of the affected population seeks treatment because most people consider their urinary symptoms a consequence of normal aging.
Fortunately, a safe, natural, and low-cost approach has been developed that has demonstrated remarkable benefits in human clinical trials.
Uses In Traditional Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pumpkin seeds are considered to have sweet and neutral properties. Pumpkin seeds and oil are typically associated with the stomach and large intestine meridians. TCM practitioners may use pumpkin seed products to rid the body of parasites or to help with pain.
In Ayurveda, pumpkin seeds and oil are usually recommended for all three doshas with the kapha type typically being advised to have the smallest amount of oils in their diets in general. In Ayurvedic medicine, pumpkin seeds and oil are often used for removing toxic deposits and cleansing the body.
Historically, pumpkin seeds have been used as a vermifuge for intestinal parasites and worms. In fact, the use of the seeds by Native Americans for the treatment of intestinal infections eventually led the United States Pharmacopoeia to list pumpkin seeds as an official medicine for parasite elimination from 1863 to 1936.
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Pumpkin Seeds And Bladder Health
Home Pumpkin Seeds and Bladder Health
Its that time of year to pick out your Halloween costume, add some spooky décor to your home and improve your pumpkin carving skills. Throughout all of the excitement, hopefully you remembered to save the pumpkin seeds and find a way to incorporate them into your diet! Not only can they be delicious but it turns out they may offer some great health benefits, too. Traditionally, pumpkin seeds have been used in Central Europe for various genitourinary conditions including benign prostatic hyperplasia and overactive bladder syndrome . More recently, research has confirmed these traditional applications.
How Soon Ill See Results If Taking Pumpkin Seed Oil For Bph
It is important to note that men have to be patient when using pumpkin seed oil for BPH.
While effective, it may take up to 6 months to show a full benefit in men. Generally, pumpkin seed is beneficial in men with mild or moderate urine symptoms.
Men with more severe symptoms or who have a very slow stream, stones in the bladder or bleeding in the urine would benefit from more aggressive treatments.
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Are Pumpkin Seeds Beneficial For Your Bladder
Pumpkin seed extract is a popular natural treatment for OAB1. A recent study has suggested that pumpkin seed oil is effective in treating and preventing the symptoms of overactive bladders and other urinary disorders, such as waking up to wee in the night .2
Pumpkin seed oil may also be effective at decreasing prostate size3, which may also improve urinary tract symptoms. Furthermore, water-soluble pumpkin extract has a tissue-building effect on the pelvic floor muscles through several mechanisms. It can help to increase testosterone production, which is often deficient in those with an overactive bladder.4
However, it is worth noting that the flesh and skin of the pumpkin itself contains a harmful substance , which has been found to worsen voiding symptoms .6 Therefore, it might be worth avoiding pumpkin flesh and skin and only eating the seeds.
If you experience leaks from an overactive bladder, iD has a range of continence products suitable for all ages and genders. Comfortable, discreet and approved by dermatologists.
A Fall Treat For Sorta Treating Leaks
Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are the edible seeds of a pumpkin. You can usually find them in stores without shells and are green, flat, and oval. Theres been many studies done that suggest that a handful of these guys may be a natural remedy to treat the symptoms of an overactive bladder.Studies done in both humans and animals show a link between eating pumpkin seeds and having fewer spontaneous leaks in both day and night. Plus, it might help with a better sleep routine. For some added protection throughout the night, dont forget to try out Lily Bird pads or underwear. Theyre perfect to pair with our newest, little secret.
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How Can I Get Pumpkin Seed Oil
Like flax seed, pumpkin seed oil can be taken in a liquid or concentrated pill form. This can be purchased in health stores or through an online health retailer. Most of the time, people take pumpkin seed oil in the pill form. This is generally because its more convenient and is easier to swallow. Its commonly sold in 1,000-milligram capsules, but you can find it in different dosages.
Pumpkin Seed Oil Extracted From Cucurbita Maxima Improves Urinary Disorder In Human Overactive Bladder
The pumpkin seed oil obtained from Cucurbita pepo has been shown to be useful for the treatment of nocturia in patients with urinal disorders in several western countries.
In this study, we evaluated the effect of the pumpkin seed oil from Cucurbita maxima on urinary dysfunction in human overactive bladder . Forty-five subjects were enrolled in this study. An extract of pumpkin seed oil from C. maxima was orally administrated for 12 weeks. After 6 and 12 weeks, urinary function was evaluated using Overactive Bladder Symptom Score . Pumpkin seed oil from C. maxima significantly reduced the degree of OABSS in the subjects. The results from our study suggest that pumpkin seed oil extracts from C. maxima as well as from C. pepo are effective for urinary disorders such as OAB in humans.
Nishimura M, Ohkawara T, Sato H, Takeda H, Nishihira J. Are you the author? Department of Medical Management and Informatics, Hokkaido Information University, Ebetsu 069-441, Japan Section of Research and Development, Hokkaido Food Industry Promotion Organization, Sapporo, Japan Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sapporo, Japan Section of Research and Development, Hokushin Foods, Co. Ltd, Ebetsu, Japan Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sapporo, Japan.
Reference: J Tradit Complement Med. 2014 Jan 4:72-4. doi: 10.4103/2225-4110.124355
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Treating Urinary Incontinence With Pumpkin Seed Oil
Urinary incontinence is a common condition that affects the bladder. This condition is characterized by the loss of bladder control, causing urine to leak whenever a patient sneezes or coughs. Patients suffering from urinary incontinence also experience a strong and sudden urge to urinate but they do not make it to the toilet in time and eventually, they soil themselves.
What most people dont know is that urinary incontinence is not a disease. Its a symptom of an underlying condition. Urinary incontinence may be an embarrassing problem but as long as you know your triggers, it is possible to treat it. This is the reason why a complete evaluation is important if you or a loved one suffer from this problem.
Symptoms and Causes of Urinary Incontinence
While minor urine leaks are quite common, losing small to moderate amount of urine isnt. Usually, the loss of bladder control is caused by stress. The added pressure on the bladder by coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercising leads to minor leaks. In some cases, lifting a heavy load could also trigger urinary incontinence.
Peeing while in a hurry may also lead to minor urine leaks. Since you are in a hurry, the bladder isnt given much time to empty itself completely hence, urine dribbles uncontrollably. Its not unusual for some patients to suffer from different types of urinary incontinence.
- Alcohol
- Carbonated drinks and sparkling water
- Artificial sweeteners
- Chocolate
How Pumpkin Seed Extract Treat Urinary Incontinence