Sitka Peppermint Comes to the Aid of Cognition & Appetite Regulation!
Peppermint candy canes...what lovely childhood memories they bring! Amazingly, peppermint is being found today to actually benefit memory and cognition (and appetite control). The scent of peppermint permeates holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Sitka chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Sitka 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 possibly just such therapies. Essential oils are taken from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources low in toxicity. Researchers propose that these perform by lowering the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, controlling the cholinergic (acetylcholine processing in the nervous system) system, and boosting neuroinflammation that involves microglia (brain and spinal cord immune cells). (1) In a mice experiment, 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 improve 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 Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka found these so fascinating!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are linked to 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 said to control food intake and energy. Their findings: 11 essential oils and 22 fragrant compounds increased 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 being a bit overweight is not beneficial for us, especially not for those of us with Sitka back pain even though Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is very good at managing that!) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka would think our Sitka chiropractic patients may be more motivated to enjoy peppermint this holiday season!
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
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 many other conditions like inflammation, back surgery, etc. He talks about 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 Sitka chiropractic appointment soon. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
