Auburn 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 shown in today’s research to in fact be beneficial for memory and cognition (as well as appetite control). The whiff of peppermint fills holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Auburn chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Auburn 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 therapies. 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 propose that these function by reducing the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, managing the cholinergic (the part of the nervous system that processes acetylcholine) system, and improving neuroinflammation involving 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 seen in hippocampal CA1 region neurons going back to normal and Aβ deposition falling among other changes that may enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease. This study also shared a new term – metabolomics, the study of chemical processes involving metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites involved were arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. found these quite 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 diseases linked to appetite dysregulation. A review of published studies, many of which were mice studies, regarding essential oils or fragrant compounds that were said to influence 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 said 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 employing essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all know that carrying extra weight around isn’t good for us, particularly not for those of us with Auburn back pain even though Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. is very good at managing that!) Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. would think our Auburn chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
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 talks about the beneficial role chiropractic plays in healthcare and back pain care. Dr. Kachmann has presented at conferences on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Auburn chiropractic appointment today. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
