McHenry 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 be good for memory and cognition (and appetite control). The hint of peppermint permeates holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic wishes our McHenry chiropractic patients and their families a peppermint-filled holiday that will make their journey to McHenry 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 hope for 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 suggest that these work by lowering the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, containing the cholinergic (acetylcholine processing in the nervous system) 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 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 experiment 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 OrthoIllinois Chiropractic found these quite fascinating!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are linked to 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 influence food intake and energy. Their findings: 11 essential oils and 22 fragrant compounds amplified appetite; 12 essential oils and 7 fragrant compounds diminished appetite. How? Numerous processes engaging 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 uncovered hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control using essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all realize that carrying extra weight around is not beneficial for us, especially not for those of us with McHenry back pain even though OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is very good at managing that!) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic would think our McHenry chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint this holiday season!
CONTACT OrthoIllinois 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 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 McHenry chiropractic appointment soon. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
