Juneau Peppermint Comes to the Aid of Cognition & Appetite Regulation!
Peppermint candy canes...what lovely childhood memories they bring! Remarkably, peppermint is being shown in today’s research to actually be good for memory and cognition (and appetite control). The hint of peppermint permeates holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Aurora Chiropractic Center hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Juneau chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Juneau 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 therapies. Essential oils are potentially just such treatments. Essential oils are extracted from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources low in toxicity. Researchers propose 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 involving 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 falling 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 involving metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites involved were arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Aurora Chiropractic Center found these quite interesting!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are linked to the brain, so too is appetite. 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 said to manage food intake and energy. Their findings: 11 essential oils and 22 fragrant compounds increased appetite; 12 essential oils and 7 fragrant compounds shrank appetite. How? Several 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 revealed hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control using essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all know that carrying extra weight around is not beneficial for us, particularly not for those of us with Juneau back pain even though Aurora Chiropractic Center is very good at managing that!) Aurora Chiropractic Center would think our Juneau chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Aurora 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 plays in healthcare and back pain care. Dr. Kachmann has spoken at conferences on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Juneau chiropractic appointment today. Share a peppermint candy cane with us at your next visit!
