Minster Peppermint Comes to the Aid of Cognition & Appetite Regulation!
Peppermint candy canes...don’t these just bring back holiday memories from youth?! Amazingly, peppermint is being found today to in fact be beneficial for memory and cognition (and appetite control). The scent of peppermint fills holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Minster Chiropractic Center wishes our Minster chiropractic patients and their families a peppermint-filled holiday that will make their journey to Minster back pain relief and neck pain relief more pleasant!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, COGNITION
Researchers and healthcare professionals involved in the care of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment welcome effective, simple, safe-to-use-long-term treatments. Essential oils are potentially just such therapies. Essential oils are taken from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources that have low toxicity. Researchers offer that these perform by lowering the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, controlling the cholinergic (the part of the nervous system that processes acetylcholine) system, and improving neuroinflammation that involves microglia (brain and spinal cord immune cells). (1) In a lab experiment with mice, researchers tested how smelling peppermint essential oil enhanced learning and memory ability as seen in hippocampal CA1 region neurons reverting back to normal and Aβ deposition decreasing among other changes that may enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease. This study also inserted a new term – metabolomics, 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 Minster Chiropractic Center found these so fascinating!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are associated with the brain, appetite is, too. Diseases like obesity, diabetes, anorexia, bulimia nervosa are a few issues linked to appetite dysregulation. An assessment of published studies, many of which were studies done with mice, regarding 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? Numerous processes involving the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They also noted that fragrance memory and cognitive processes may also play a role in appetite regulation. Nonetheless, they uncovered hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control employing essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all know that carrying extra weight around is not good for us, especially not for those of us with Minster back pain even though Minster Chiropractic Center is quite good at managing that!) Minster Chiropractic Center would think our Minster chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center
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 care. Dr. Kachmann has presented at conferences on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your Minster chiropractic appointment soon. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
