Tonawanda Peppermint Comes to the Aid of Cognition & Appetite Regulation!
Peppermint candy canes...what lovely childhood memories they bring! Amazingly, peppermint is being shown in today’s research to in fact benefit memory and cognition (and appetite control). The scent of peppermint fills holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation wishes our Tonawanda chiropractic patients and their families a peppermint-filled holiday that will make their journey to Tonawanda back pain relief and neck pain relief more pleasant!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, COGNITION
Researchers and healthcare professionals taking care of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment welcome effective, simple, safe-to-use-long-term treatments. Essential oils are possibly just such treatments. Essential oils are extracted from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources that have low toxicity. Researchers suggest that these act by reducing the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, containing the cholinergic (the part of the nervous system that processes acetylcholine) system, and boosting neuroinflammation that involves microglia (brain and spinal cord immune cells). (1) In a mice experiment, researchers tested how smelling peppermint essential oil improved learning and memory ability as seen in hippocampal CA1 region neurons reverting back to normal and Aβ deposition reducing among other changes that may enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease. This study also shared a new term – metabolomics - which is the study of chemical processes encompassing metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites involved were arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation found these so fascinating!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are associated with the brain, so too is appetite. Diseases like obesity, diabetes, anorexia, bulimia nervosa are a few diseases linked to appetite dysregulation. An assessment of published studies, many of which were mice studies, concerning essential oils or fragrant compounds that were reported to control food intake and energy. Their findings: 11 essential oils and 22 fragrant compounds amplified appetite; 12 essential oils and 7 fragrant compounds reduced appetite. How? Several processes involving the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They added that fragrance memory and cognitive processes may also play a role in appetite regulation. Nonetheless, they exposed hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control using essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all realize that carrying extra weight around is not good for us, particularly not for those of us with Tonawanda back pain even though Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation is very good at managing that!) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation would think our Tonawanda chiropractic patients may be more motivated to enjoy peppermint this holiday season!
CONTACT Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Rudy Kachmann, a neurosurgeon, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the connection between diabetes and back pain as well as many other conditions like inflammation, back surgery, etc. He mentions the beneficial role chiropractic has in healthcare and back pain management. Dr. Kachmann has presented at conferences on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Tonawanda chiropractic appointment soon. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
