Well now that’s got your attention – what am  I talking about?  It’s worms. Not the type that are good for the garden but those that us mere mortals can become rather ill from when they find their way into our digestive system. Not the nicest thing to think about , but throughout history there has been reference to the odd worm or two and also some marvelous cures, especially at this time of year…. Halloween, and the humble pumpkin comes into it’s own protecting us from evil spirits and anything related to vampires. (ok so that’s garlic which I’m sure someone will write about very soon.)

Before the Pumpkin was readily available people carved goulish faces out of turnips to scare off evil spirits on the 31st October, and the ‘Jack O Lantern’ became a tradition that is rooted in Celtic Folklore. 

Pumpkins are rich in fibre, protein and essential fatty acids, vitamins Band E, as well as zinc , Iron and calcium , enhancing  our immune systems  and aiding the various ills of the prostate gland( for those applicable!). Pumpkins have been used medicinally for centuries, however , it was  the 19th century when it was discovered that pumpkin seeds had the ability  to help expel  worms from the body as they contain a substance called cucurbitive, and this effectivlely treated the presence of roundworm, threadworm and tapeworm.  Applying the pulp of raw pumpkin to a burn will help to soothe, and also a pumpkin and oatmeal paste  can be applied to the skin to help remove blemishes.

Of course there are also some delicious recipes such as pumpkin pie, soup etc and pumpkin is also delicious roasted  – drizzled with olive oil, black pepper and garlic.

As for those worms -  A Pumpkin seed and honey paste  should do the Trick. Treat as follows : take first thing in the morning before breakfast.

Strip the pumpkin seeds (35-40 g) of their outer covering and pound them with a pestle and mortar to make a paste. Mix them with equal parts of honey(35-40 g) and take in 3 doses , about 20 minutes apart. Continue for 2 days.

( Recipe courtesy of the Good Health Garden)Jack[1].O.Lantern