Peppermint candy canes...don’t these just bring back childhood holiday memories?! Amazingly, peppermint is being found
today to in fact benefit memory and cognition (and appetite control). The aroma
of peppermint fills holiday décor, stockings, cocoa,
and more! Pflugerville Wellness Center wishes our Pflugerville chiropractic patients and their
families a peppermint-filled holiday that will make their journey to Pflugerville 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 possibly just such therapies.
Essential oils are extracted from nature’s herbs of which there are
many sources low in toxicity. Researchers offer
that these function by reducing the
neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, containing
the cholinergic (acetylcholine processing in the nervous system) system, and enhancing
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 learning and memory ability as evidenced by 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 study 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 Pflugerville Wellness Center
found these quite 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 diseases
linked to appetite dysregulation. A
review of published studies, many of which were studies done with mice, concerning essential oils or fragrant compounds
that were reported to influence food intake and
energy. Their findings: 11 essential oils and 22 fragrant compounds increased
appetite; 12 essential oils and 7 fragrant compounds decreased
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 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 realize that being
a bit overweight is not good
for us, particularly not for those of us with Pflugerville
back pain even though Pflugerville Wellness Center is very good at managing
that!) Pflugerville Wellness Center would think our Pflugerville chiropractic patients
may be more motivated to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s
holiday season!
CONTACT Pflugerville Wellness Center
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 mentions the
beneficial role chiropractic has in healthcare and back pain management.
Dr. Kachmann has spoken at conferences on The Cox® Technic
System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your Pflugerville chiropractic
appointment today. Share a peppermint candy cane with us at your next visit!