Baton Rouge Peppermint Comes to the Aid of Cognition & Appetite Regulation!
Peppermint candy canes...what lovely childhood memories they arouse! Remarkably, peppermint is being shown in today’s research to in fact be beneficial for memory and cognition (and appetite control). The whiff of peppermint permeates holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Baton Rouge chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Baton Rouge 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 possibly just such treatments. Essential oils are extracted from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources low in toxicity. Researchers propose that these function by lowering the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, managing the cholinergic (acetylcholine processing in the nervous system) system, and enhancing neuroinflammation involving microglia (brain and spinal cord immune cells). (1) In a mice experiment, researchers tested how smelling peppermint essential oil enhanced learning and memory ability as evidenced by hippocampal CA1 region neurons reverting back to normal and Aβ deposition decreasing 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 encompassing metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites involved were arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers found these so fascinating!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are associated with 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 mice studies, regarding essential oils or fragrant compounds that were reported to manage 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? Several processes engaging the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They also stated that fragrance memory and cognitive processes may also contribute to appetite regulation. Nonetheless, they uncovered hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control employing essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all realize that being a bit overweight isn’t good for us, particularly not for those of us with Baton Rouge back pain even though Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers is very good at managing that!) Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers would think our Baton Rouge chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
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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 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 Baton Rouge chiropractic appointment soon. Want to share a peppermint candy cane at your next appointment?!
