Concord, NC 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 actually benefit memory and cognition (as well as appetite control). The scent of peppermint pervades holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Pure Chiropractic hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Concord, NC chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Concord, NC 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 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 suggest that these act by reducing the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, controlling 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 lab experiment with mice, researchers tested how smelling peppermint essential oil improved the ability to learn as well as retain memory 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 study also inserted a new term – metabolomics - which is the study of chemical processes involving metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites included arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Pure Chiropractic found these quite interesting!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are linked to the brain, so too is appetite. Issues like obesity, diabetes, anorexia, bulimia nervosa are a few diseases associated with appetite dysregulation. An assessment of published studies, many of which were mice studies, concerning essential oils or fragrant compounds that were said 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 noted 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 isn’t good for us, particularly not for those of us with Concord, NC back pain even though Pure Chiropractic is quite good at managing that!) Pure Chiropractic would think our Concord, NC chiropractic patients may be more motivated to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Pure Chiropractic
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 talks about 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 Concord, NC chiropractic appointment now. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
