Healthy Moore

Norman Regional Nine Now Open

Norman Regional Health System’s newest facility, Norman Regional Nine, is now open. The freestanding emergency department is located at 2000 Ann Branden Blvd., Norman, OK 73071. It also includes a primary care clinic, physical, occupational and speech therapy, laboratory services and diagnostic imaging.

“Norman Regional Nine is a state-of-the-art facility staffed with board-certified emergency medicine physicians,” said Richie Splitt, Norman Regional Health System president and CEO. “This is part of our commitment to the community to deliver high quality care that’s more convenient and more accessible. We are excited to take care of our friends and neighbors in this wonderful new location.”

Bianca Braxton, APRN, FNP-C, is offering primary care services at Norman Regional Nine. She is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Appointments are available Monday through Friday for wellness visits, sick care and management of chronic conditions. Patients may schedule an appointment by calling 405.515.0520.

Board-certified cardiologists Archana Gautam, MD and Muhammad Salim, MD will treat patients at Norman Regional Nine in addition to their main clinic, Norman Heart & Vascular Associates. Appointments can be made by calling 405.515.2222.

Comprehensive gastroenterology care at Norman Regional Nine will be offered by Clint Howell, MHS, PA-C. Clint specializes in innovative techniques to prevent, diagnose and treat digestive disorders. Patients may schedule an appointment by calling 405.515.2777.

Pumpkin Spice Things Up this Fall!

It’s Fall, y’all! You know what that means: pumpkin everything! When this time of year rolls around, Fall-lovers scramble for their pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin baked goods, scents and decorations, and pumpkin patches pop up all over town. Pumpkin has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid and enjoyed my first visit to a pumpkin patch. I loved pumpkin pie and wanted to take a pumpkin home to use to make a pie from scratch.

As a kid, I wanted as big of a pumpkin as I could carry. But giant carving pumpkins don’t make good pumpkin pie. Instead, pumpkin pie calls for a smaller dessert or pie pumpkins. I brought home this tiny pumpkin that my mom wasn’t sure would be enough for one pie. She humored me, and we were surprised to find that we had made enough puree for two pumpkin pies!

I’ve made pumpkin pie from scratch every year since that first trip to the pumpkin patch. The flavor from canned pumpkin just doesn’t compare to fresh-made puree. But did you know this popular seasonal treat has plenty of nutritional benefits?

Pumpkin is rich in Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, which is also typical of other orange-colored fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene is the plant form of Vitamin A. It is converted to Vitamin A when absorbed by your body from food and digested. Beta-carotene is what gives fruits and vegetables their yellow-orange color. Vitamin A is critical for healthy eyes. It’s an essential component of the proteins in the eye that respond to light. It also plays a role in boosting the immune system. Without sufficient vitamin A, we wouldn’t be able to see.

Fun Fact: Pumpkin pie dates back to colonial times, but it was made quite differently than we make it today. Pumpkins were hollowed out, the shells were filled with milk, honey, and spices, and cooked directly in the fire. Pumpkin was also one of the earliest foods to be brought back from the New World by European explorers.

Fun Fact: If you have a bit of a green thumb and want to grow your pumpkins, you should plant your seeds between the end of May and mid-July. It takes 90-120 days for them to grow, depending on the variety of pumpkin chosen, and they are harvested between October-November when their orange color is brightest. Seeds can be saved to grow more pumpkins for the next season. Uncut pumpkins can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to three months.

While sweet pumpkin treats are most popular during the Fall season, pumpkin can also be used to make some delicious savory dishes, like pumpkin soup, pumpkin chili, or even pumpkin stuffed pasta! If you dropped by our table on your way to lunch last month, you likely sampled our take on pumpkin soup. Check out a few of the recipes linked below for more ways to use pumpkin to spice up your cooking this Fall!

Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells: https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/pumpkin-ricotta-stuffed-shells

Pumpkin Chili: https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/pumpkin-chili

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese: https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/pumpkin-mac-cheeseone