Plainville 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 (as well as appetite control). The scent of peppermint pervades holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Layden Chiropractic hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Plainville chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Plainville back pain relief and neck pain relief more pleasant!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, COGNITION
Researchers and healthcare professionals immersed in the care of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment hope for effective, simple, safe-to-use-long-term treatments. Essential oils are possibly just such therapies. Essential oils are extracted from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources that have low toxicity. Researchers propose that these work by reducing the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, managing the cholinergic (acetylcholine processing in the nervous system) system, and boosting neuroinflammation that involves microglia (brain and spinal cord immune cells). (1) In a lab experiment with mice, researchers tested how smelling peppermint essential oil improved learning and memory ability as evidenced by hippocampal CA1 region neurons reverting back to normal and Aβ deposition falling among other changes that may enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease. This experiment also inserted a new term – metabolomics - which is the study of chemical processes encompassing metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites included arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Layden Chiropractic found these quite fascinating!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are linked to the brain, appetite is, too. Issues like obesity, diabetes, anorexia, bulimia nervosa are a few diseases linked to appetite dysregulation. A review of published studies, many of which were studies done with mice, regarding essential oils or fragrant compounds that were reported to manage food intake and energy. Their findings: 11 essential oils and 22 fragrant compounds boosted appetite; 12 essential oils and 7 fragrant compounds reduced appetite. How? Several processes engaging the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They also said that fragrance memory and cognitive processes may also contribute to appetite regulation. Nonetheless, they uncovered hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control using essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all know that being a bit overweight is not beneficial for us, especially not for those of us with Plainville back pain even though Layden Chiropractic is quite good at managing that!) Layden Chiropractic would think our Plainville chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Layden Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Rudy Kachmann, a neurosurgeon, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the connection between diabetes and back pain as well as a variety of other conditions like inflammation, back surgery, etc. He mentions the beneficial role chiropractic has in healthcare and back pain care. Dr. Kachmann has presented at conferences on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your Plainville chiropractic appointment now. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
