Pumpkin Seed 10:1

History and Uses:
Pumpkins and other squashes are native to North and Central America, but they have since been cultivated around the world. The medicinal use of Pumpkin Seed was adopted by Oriental healers sometime in the seventeenth century. When the first explorers arrived in the Americas, they noticed the Pumpkin plant in the cultivated maize fields of the Indians and saw that the native tribes utilized the plant for medicine as well as for food. An emulsion made from a mixture of Pumpkin and watermelon seeds served to heal wounds for members of the Yuma tribe. The Catawba tribe ate the fresh or dried seeds as a kidney medicine, while the Menominees drank a mixture of water, powdered squash and Pumpkin Seeds to ease the passage of urine. In settler folk medicine, the ground stems of Pumpkin were brewed into a tea to treat "female ills," and the ripe seeds were made into a palatable preparation to dispel worms. Modern folk healers advocate Pumpkin Seeds to rid the body of intestinal worms, and they point out that the seed oil is especially helpful for healing bums and wounds. People of Germany discovered that raw, hulled Pumpkin Seeds contain substances that stimulate sex hormone production. The seeds contain large amounts of zinc, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin B. Bulgarian mountain dwellers, Hungarian Gypsies, Anatolian Turks, Ukrainians and Transylvanians all eat Pumpkin Seeds as part of their everyday diets. Originally intended to prevent prostate ailments (possibly due to the high zinc content), and these cultures claim that Pumpkin Seeds help to prevent impotence as well. The Pumpkin is a symbol of prosperity and fruitfulness in China, even though the first Pumpkins actually came from India. In both countries, a popular snack is made by drying Pumpkin Seeds and dipping them in salt - a snack that has gained popularity in other parts of the world, including the United States. The seeds are believed to improve vision. Ethiopians chew Pumpkin Seeds (which also contain fiber) as a natural laxative. Pumpkin Seeds are also a balanced source of good proteins, and they are very nourishing and energizing. Pumpkin Seeds, being high in zinc content, is said to aid the healing process and is useful in treating an enlarged prostate gland. Other nutrients include magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, potassium, niacin, folic acid, riboflavin and thiamin. They also contain pantothenic acid, unsaturated oils and antioxidants. Pumpkin Seeds and husks also aid milk production in nursing mothers, and are believed to reduce postpartum swelling of the hands and feet.