It’s October and that means we see pumpkins everywhere. They’re piled in a heap outside our groceries stores, inside storefront windows, people’s front porches and let’s not forget, our local Pumpkin Patch. Kids love to see pumpkins. They can’t get enough of them because they’ve connected the pumpkin to the ultimate fun night – CANDY NIGHT! (aka Halloween)
While a pumpkin can create feelings of excitement, anticipation and possibly fear in children (some are really scary-looking!), did you know how truly wonderful they really are? Both the flesh and seeds of pumpkins are chock-full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Before I go into all the many health-boosting nutrients the pumpkin has to offer, let me first introduce to you a few facts I came across that you might also find interesting.
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash and is native to North America. Seeds from related plants have been found in Mexico dating back over 7000 years to 5500 BC. Today, they are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons and of the seven continents; only Antarctica is unable to produce them. The biggest international producers include the United States, Mexico, India and China. As one of the most popular crops in the US, this country produces 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins each year. Wow, that’s a lot of pumpkins! All great information if ever you are playing Trivial Pursuit, right?
But wait! Here’s the really good stuff about pumpkins…
Pumpkins are low in fat and calories and rich in disease-fighting nutrients such as:
- Alpha-carotene
- Beta-carotene
- Fiber
- Vitamins C and E
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Pantothenic acid
The alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are potent antioxidants found in pumpkin and are pro-vitamin A carotenoids, meaning the body converts them to vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and ensures proper immune function. The beta-carotene in pumpkin may also reverse skin damage caused by the sun and act as an anti-inflammatory. Alpha-carotene is thought to slow the aging process and also reduce the risk of developing cataracts and prevent tumor growth. Carotenoids also boost immunity and lessen the risk of heart disease.
Eating the pumpkin, its seeds or using the seed oil on your skin (or products that contain pumpkin seed oil as in our new organic Clean Baby Soap) is super good for you. So don’t just carve those pumpkins, eat them! Or at the very least, roast the seeds and indulge in a yummy nutritious snack.
Here’s a recipe from the latest issue of Sunset Magazine that I tried and is one of the most delicious meals I’ve eaten. It’s so good that my picky eight year old said while eating it: “mommy this is delicious!”. Delicious AND nutritious, give it a go.
Let this be the beginning of an (extended) lifelong love affair with pumpkins. Enjoy!
It’s winter season, and we all deal with dry-chapped lips. Recently, a very popular e-newsletter wrote an article about the “Best Lip Balms For Winter”. I took interest because I make my very own fabulous lip balm. Listed in their article were 10 different lip balms from various companies. As I scanned through them, I discarded the not-so-natural ones and focused on the ones that were all natural or at least claimed to be.
Although I’m sure they all feel great on your lips, I couldn’t help but take issue with a one thing: why are they charging so much? I am amazed to see people pay $26 for a 1 oz. stick of lip balm. Granted that one claims you can also use it anywhere that requires moisturizing (knees, elbows and even feet!). Technically you could use JK Naturals Lip Balm to moisturizer those places too, but who wants to use lip balm on their lips once it’s used elsewhere? So now you need two of them at $26 each. Better still, another company offers their .32 oz lip balm (that’s not even 1 oz.!) for a whopping $45.
The truth of the matter is, we really don’t need to be spending exorbitant amounts of money on skin care and beauty products, especially if the products you want to use are all natural and plant-based. You can make your own lip balm, or if you don’t have the time, try the JK Naturals Soothing Peppermint Lip Balm. It’s simple yet very effective and here is what’s in it: jojoba oil, beeswax, honey, pure essential oils of tea tree and peppermint. Here are a few reasons why we picked those ingredients:
Jojoba oil
* Closely resembles the sebum of the skin and is rich in Vitamin E (similar in composition to skin’s natural oils)
* It has excellent skin care properties
* It has an indefinite shelf life so it won’t go rancid
* Non-allergenic
* Gentle enough for newborn babies
* Soothes and restores elasticity to any dry skin area
Beeswax
* Provides body and stiffness in formulations and acts as an emulsifier
* Seals in hydration
Honey
* Known as a natural humectant, means it has the ability to attract moisture and hold it.
* It keeps skin moist without oiliness
* It maintains skin suppleness and elasticity
* It’s famous for its natural anti-oxidant properties and for many centuries it has been used to heal wounds
Tea Tree essential oil
* Known as a very powerful immune stimulant
* It can help to fight all three categories of infectious organisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses)
* Combats cold sores
Peppermint essential oil
* It has a cooling effect by constricting capillaries
* It tastes great! (flavoring agent)
* It contains numerous minerals and nutrients including manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, potassium and copper. Also contains omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin A & Vitamin C
That’s it, and the best part is that it’s just $2.95 and it’s one of our customers’ favorite products. So next time you pick up that ridiculously-priced lip balm or lotion, remember you can either make your own fresh or you can buy from a company that offers high quality products at a reasonable, down-to-earth price.
We’d like to know, how much do you pay for your lip balm and why?
With all that holiday cooking, chances are that you will be using thyme in one dish or another. This pungent herb enhances the flavors of meats, potatoes and other delicious holiday goodies. But, did you know that thyme is also known for it’s medicinal qualities? Many believe thyme essential oil possesses healing properties from treating severe coughs to keeping a healthy heart. It’s antiseptic and may also help to relieve menstrual pains. Try planting a little thyme in your gardens as it can repel certain pesky pests, too.
We only use essential oils in our products. Lately, we have been doing some R&D on an all natural anti bacterial shave soap. Not only does it add a lovely fresh scent, we like it’s anti bacterial benefits for those occasional nicks and cuts. It may also be useful as a bath soap for those who wish to manage athlete’s foot and body odor naturally. The essential oil of thyme blends well with essential oils of bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, lavender, rosemary and pine so it is quite versatile. We love testing the different combinations! Care must be taken when using thyme, though. While it can be great as an antiseptic, for direct applications on skin we tend to use tea tree essential oil which can be used “neat”. Thyme essential oil can be toxic if not diluted enough which is why we look to it for soaps and sprays.
If you want to read more about the lovely benefits of thyme essential oil, check out this article by Aparup Mukherjee on organicfacts.net.
Lemons are well-known for their purifying property. The essential oils are used in cleaning products, they are full of vitamin C which is essential for a healthy immune system, and they smell absolutely fresh and lovely. Did you know that lemons can help break a fever? It will make you sweat, helping to break those high temperatures. It also helps remove dandruff when applied to the scalp, aids in foot relaxation, dental pain and gum bleeding, heals burns, lowers blood pressure and more. To read more about the lemons versatile and powerful abilities click here.
We at JK Naturals love the lemon because not only is it a natural antiseptic, but it helps aid in healing acne, eczema, and it can help reduce wrinkles and blackheads. It can help fade scars and it aids healing in burns. At JKN we use lemon in some of our soaps, lotions and bath salts.
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