How Can Pumpkin Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Pumpkin is best shared among friends and family, as it invites feelings of contentment and relaxation. Soft yet hearty, pumpkin will satisfy your stomach on a cool autumn day. Its mildly sweet taste is undoubtedly comforting. From pumpkin soup to pumpkin pie, this versatile vegetable can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, inviting a warm orange glow to your autumnal dining table. Whether you're visiting a pumpkin patch, carving this year's jack-o-lantern, or sharing a piece of pie on Thanksgiving, pumpkin is at the core of many memorable experiences. Even seeing one conjures images of the autumn harvest and evokes the scents and smells of Halloween.

Sit Back & Relax

Pumpkins have long been utilized as a natural sedative. The earth element predominates pumpkin, making it a heavy, grounding and nutritive ingredient. This earthy quality gives pumpkin its natural relaxant effect and makes it a comforting option in times of stress. Enjoy a steamy bowl of pumpkin soup on a blustery autumn day to bring a sense of calm to a swirling mind or relieve agitated thoughts. Many clients have confirmed the comforting quality of pumpkin. One describes it as, "Very comforting [and] grounding, like a security blanket," while another shares a similar experience, and notes how it was both "physically and mentally" grounding. This mild sedative effect, supported by its magnesium and potassium content, helps reduce tension in the body and relax the muscles. After eating pumpkin, you may feel a little sleepier than normal. This is due to its tryptophan content which encourages sound sleep and balances moods by increasing serotonin. A pinch of nutmeg compliments, and further enhances, the relaxing effect of pumpkin.

Soothe & Protect

The gooey, demulcent qualities of cooked pumpkin coats the digestive tract and acts like a protective barrier to the mucus membranes. This can actually be felt as you swallow the soft pumpkin. As one client describes it, "It felt like it was coating my mouth and insides protectively." Pumpkin is particularly pacifying for Pitta dosha as it is mildly sweet, cool in energy and drying by nature. These attributes of pumpkin give it an anti-inflammatory effect for soothing ulcers, acid reflux, an irritated gut, and in cases of a hot, burning digestive tract. Another client, who regularly experiences a hot digestive tract, reaped the rewards of this Pitta pacifying vegetable and notes, "It felt soothing in my upper GI which is highly acidic and easily aggravated."

Glowing Skin

The glowing amber hues of pumpkin skin can increase the lustre and glow of your skin too. Pumpkins contain high levels of beta-carotene, a pigment that gives certain fruits and vegetables their rich orange, yellow and red colors. The body converts this beta-carotene into Vitamin A which benefits the skin, the eyes and balances Pitta dosha. This, along with pumpkin's Vitamin C and E content, plays an essential role in the health, development and maintenance of the skin by minimizing cell damage caused by free radicals and protecting the skin from premature aging, leaving it feeling soft and supple. In Ayurveda, these anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients are recognized as playing an important part of rejuvenation of the body (rasayana) as they help slow down the aging process, enhance longevity and regeneration of cells. The body can also be massaged with pumpkin oil to promote healthy skin.

Light & Satisfying Food for Weight Loss

Don't let the association with rich pumpkin pie skew your vision of this vegetable and its role in weight loss. Even though pumpkin satisfies the stomach, it is light and dry in nature. This means it can be part of a diet supporting weight loss and balancing Kapha dosha. Pumpkin's earthy quality and high fibre content leave you feeling fuller for longer. A client shared this nourishing experience, "I was full for a very long time after eating the pumpkin soup and I really didn't expect this from veggie soup." Even though it is comforting, it feels light in the stomach and has a low calorie content, benefiting weight loss. You can actually experience the lightness of pumpkin for yourself. One client summarized this sensation clearly, "Pumpkin feels heavy and dense when you pick it up... I thought it would be heavy and dense on my tongue. But when you actually eat it, it has a light airy texture."

Effect on Digestion

For most people, pumpkin can help promote a regular bowel movement by both bulking and softening the stools. Pumpkin's demulcent qualities and soluble fibre content softens stools, while insoluble fiber adds bulk and can relieve constipation. Many of our clients have experienced this action of pumpkin first hand, with one remarking, "I had a large stool after eating pumpkin and felt very relieved." Another noticed how it kept digestion regular, even when going through a period of increased stress. She writes, "Usually during times like this, I either get constipated or have painful, burning elimination. I've noticed that the pumpkin has helped my elimination to stay somewhat normal, despite the extreme stress." Pumpkin's soothing effect is especially helpful for those with inflamed or irritated bowels.

However, not all digestive systems are created equal, and some people, particularly Vata types, can experience gas and constipation as pumpkin is cold and difficult to digest. Perhaps you never even thought about pumpkin as being a cold vegetable until now, and shared the experience with this client, "I never noticed the cool quality in pumpkin. I think this is because I always combine [it] with heating spices which, perhaps, balance out the cold." The cold, dry and light nature of pumpkin can lead to excessive gas for some. As one client noted, "I ate the pumpkin early afternoon, by the time I went to bed around 10.30pm I was extremely gassy." It just so happens that pumpkin pairs perfectly with some warming digestive spices such as nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. These spices help keep your tummy nice and toasty and dispel the gas that dry pumpkin can create. Vata types can also benefit from adding a little ghee, a pinch of mineral salt and even a squeeze of lemon in savory dishes to improve digestibility and balance the dryness of pumpkin.

ABOUT PUMPKIN

Soft, sweet, and buttery, pumpkin pie has been my favorite Thanksgiving treat since childhood. I've baked over 8 pumpkin pies this season alone.

BUYING & PREPARATION

Look out for soft patches or discoloration indicating the pumpkin is rotting. Large pumpkins have a lot of water and are less sweet and tasty. Smaller pumpkins are ideal for pumpkin pies. I bake pumpkins for one hour, slice along the creases, and then peel the skin. Browse Recipes

COOKING PUMPKIN

Boil the pumpkin till soft. Large pumpkins have excess water which must be drained and reduced by boiling before making puree.

WHY SHOULD YOU EAT AYURVEDICALLY?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Foods that supplement your specific body type’s needs and digest easily create your menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

LEARN MORE

Is Pumpkin Good for Me?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Pumpkin is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES Increases These Qualities (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main states (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which states are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every state has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite state. Learn More	GOOEY ABOUT GOOEY GUNA Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion. LEARN MORE ABOUT GOOEY DRY ABOUT DRY GUNA Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY DIFFICULT ABOUT DIFFICULT GUNA Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT COLD ABOUT COLD GUNA Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT Ojas OJAS Ojas is the essence of healthy tissue, immunity, stable energy and happiness. Substances that improve ojas are recommended after long-term illness, debility, emotional and physical trauma, and even sadness. LEARN MORE ABOUT OJAS , Tamasic TAMASIC Tamasic foods promote rest, sleepiness and stillness. Examples include wheat, mushrooms. LEARN MORE ABOUT TAMASIC , Alkalizing ALKALIZING An herb or food that makes the urine more alkaline (higher pH). This herbal action can be helpful for a number of inflammatory conditions. LEARN MORE ABOUT ALKALIZING TYPE Vegetables ELEMENT Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTH SUBTASTE Bland BLAND Bland means doesn't have much taste. In Chinese medicine, bland taste refers to afood without little macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. LEARN MORE ABOUT BLAND NUTRIENT Beta Carotene, Iron, Potassium, Sodium, Vitamin A COLOR Orange NOURISHES Muscle MUSCLE Muscle tissue (Mamsa Dhatu) includes muscles and ligaments. LEARN MORE ABOUT MUSCLE MOVES ENERGY Downward DOWNWARD Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles. LEARN MORE ABOUT DOWNWARD FAMILY Cucurbitaceae

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Energy Vitality Strength	Satisfies stomach SATISFIES-STOMACH Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach. LEARN MORE ABOUT SATISFIES-STOMACH , Nutritive NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing. LEARN MORE ABOUT NUTRITIVE
Heart & Circulation	Alterative ALTERATIVE Literally, an herb that restores the proper function of the body. In practice, alteratives are usually blood cleansers and blood chemistry balancers. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter. LEARN MORE ABOUT ALTERATIVE
Liver & Gall Bladder	Livotonic LIVOTONIC An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIVOTONIC
Mind, Stress & Sleep	Makes you tired MAKES-YOU-TIRED Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep. LEARN MORE ABOUT MAKES-YOU-TIRED , Relaxes eyes RELAXES-EYES Eases tension in eye muscles, so the eyes feel less strained, often by supporting the liver. LEARN MORE ABOUT RELAXES-EYES , Relaxes mind RELAXES-MIND Reduces mental agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts. LEARN MORE ABOUT RELAXES-MIND , Relieves tension RELIEVES-TENSION An herb that releases tightness, constriction, and rigidity in a muscle. LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIEVES-TENSION , Sedative SEDATIVE Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain. LEARN MORE ABOUT SEDATIVE
Muscle-Health	Muscle relaxant MUSCLE-RELAXANT Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma. LEARN MORE ABOUT MUSCLE-RELAXANT
Bowel-Poop-Elimination	Relieves burning RELIEVES-BURNING Herbs that soothe a burn or reduce an internal burning sensation, such as aloe vera. LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIEVES-BURNING
Other	Grounding