Murfreesboro 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 in fact benefit memory and cognition (and appetite control). The scent of peppermint pervades holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Most Chiropractic Clinic hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Murfreesboro chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Murfreesboro 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 hope for effective, simple, safe-to-use-long-term therapies. 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 lowering the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, controlling the cholinergic (acetylcholine processing in the nervous system) 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 the ability to learn as well as retain memory as evidenced by hippocampal CA1 region neurons going back to normal and Aβ deposition reducing among other changes that may improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease. This experiment also shared a new term – metabolomics - which is 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 Most Chiropractic Clinic found these so fascinating!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are associated with the brain, appetite is, too. Issues like obesity, diabetes, anorexia, bulimia nervosa are a few diseases associated with appetite dysregulation. A review of published studies, many of which were mice studies, regarding essential oils or fragrant compounds that were reported to control food intake and energy. Their findings: 11 essential oils and 22 fragrant compounds intenisified appetite; 12 essential oils and 7 fragrant compounds shrank appetite. How? Several processes involving the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They added 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 know that being a bit overweight isn’t beneficial for us, especially not for those of us with Murfreesboro back pain even though Most Chiropractic Clinic is very good at managing that!) Most Chiropractic Clinic would think our Murfreesboro chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Most Chiropractic Clinic
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 plays in healthcare and back pain management. Dr. Kachmann has spoken at conferences on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Murfreesboro chiropractic appointment today. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
