Slim-down with The King of Holiday Fruits: Pumpkin

by Sri Regine Lherisson-Bey

Throughout the planet, countless anatomically modern humans (AMH) are celebrating the end-of-the-year holidays with palate-pleasing meals. In many cultures, a preferred traditional holiday fare often includes pumpkin, a Fall season food. It is particularly enticing when properly blended with appetizing spices suitable for pumpkin pie or pumpkin soup.

There is abundant and reliable scientific evidence showing that pumpkin — a gourd also considered to be a fruit — can be both tasty and wholesome as a food. Based on data from expert agriculturists, the reason why pumpkin is technically classified as a fruit is because it starts from pumpkin flower.

The versatility of pumpkin is legendary. It can be: roasted, steamed, pureed, and blended in healthy shakes or lattes. These methods facilitate the consumption of pumpkin without the addition of excessive fats and calories.

It is a known fact that holiday meals, when consumed in over-indulgence mode, often contribute to obesity with rapid, persistent, and excessive weight gain. In turn, weight gain generates conditions that usually lead to cardiovascular diseases which often relate to comorbidities.

Pumpkin is said to be a valuable ally for weight control because it is:

Low in Fat: the benefits of eating pumpkin as a low-fat food are mainly the prevention and the remediation of obesity as well as overweight conditions.
High in Water: Pumpkin contains significant amounts of pure water, contributing to hydration which promotes a feeling of fullness, therefore prevents overeating and systemic toxicity.
High in Fiber: The high fiber content of pumpkin aids in digestion, promotes a feeling of fullness, and helps regulate blood sugar levels, potentially reducing cravings that are usually unhealthy.
Low in Calories: because pumpkin is high in fiber, its calorie contents is low. This attribute helps provide a feeling of satiety for longer periods of time after ingestion, and also assist in reducing one’s overall calorie intake.
Nutrient-Dense: rich in vitamins (such as A, C, and E) and minerals (known as potassium and magnesium), pumpkin offers essential nutrients minus the excessive calories. This is crucial to maintaining a balanced diet during times of weight management.
Helpful in Supporting Metabolism: Scientific studies have demonstrated that carotenoids — naturally-occurring compounds in pumpkins — might support metabolism, as well as potentially aid the process of managing one’s weight sensibly.

Incorporating pumpkin into one’s diet can be part of a balanced, varied, and calorie-conscious eating regimen. Once incorporated into one’s meals plan, pumpkin can contribute to intelligent weight control and the improvement of overall health.

The benefits of pumpkin extend beyond its pulp. Pumpkin seeds are known to be rich in zinc, a mineral that supports the body in various ways.

It is important to refrain from frequently and enormously indulging in pumpkin preparations that are overloaded with processed sugar and saturated fats that originate from heavy cream and artificial creamers. By eating pumpkin sensibly, the fare can serve its fulfilling and nourishing purpose while it can also be pleasing to the senses.

In my books GET SLIM EFFORTLESSLY and HOW TO DETOXIFY YOUR LIFE NATURALLY, I provide valuable information on sensible nutrition, preventative health, as well as awareness of natural and indigenous remedies for the wellness of body and mind.

GET SLIM EFFORTLESSLY, an advanced program for effective weight management the non-toxic way.

and

HOW TO DETOXIFY YOUR LIFE NATURALLY, a complete Guide to Self-Detoxification.

Sri Regine Lherisson-Bey
on ferry boat from Shimizu Port, Japan,
with Mt. Fuji in the background.
May 2014.

Sri Regine Lherisson-Bey, Ph.D. and doctorate degree candidate in Natural Medicine, is a Mind-Body Therapist, Wellness Coach, and published Author voted Wellness Expert by peer consensus in 2005. Therapist Lherisson-Bey is the author of the Kindle bestseller HOW TO DETOXIFY YOUR LIFE NATURALLY as well as the weight management program GET SLIM EFFORTLESSLY. From an original CD, the publication has evolved into an instructional picture book, an eBook, and an effective weight management program. Therapist Lherisson-Bey’s works have been featured on TV, radio, and in several magazines in the past 32 years.