Augusta Peppermint Comes to the Aid of Cognition & Appetite Regulation!
Peppermint candy canes...don’t these just bring back holiday memories from youth?! Amazingly, peppermint is being found today to in fact benefit memory and cognition (and appetite control). The scent of peppermint fills holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic wishes our Augusta chiropractic patients and their families a peppermint-filled holiday that will make their journey to Augusta back pain relief and neck pain relief more pleasant!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, COGNITION
Researchers and healthcare professionals immersed 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 taken from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources low in toxicity. Researchers suggest that these work by reducing the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, managing the cholinergic (the part of the nervous system that processes acetylcholine) system, and enhancing neuroinflammation involving microglia (brain and spinal cord immune cells). (1) In a lab experiment with mice, researchers tested how smelling peppermint essential oil improved the ability to learn as well as retain memory as seen in hippocampal CA1 region neurons reverting 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 encompassing metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites included arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic found these quite interesting!
PEPPERMINT, BRAIN, APPETITE
Much like cognition and memory are associated with the brain, appetite is, too. Diseases like obesity, diabetes, anorexia, bulimia nervosa are a few issues linked to appetite dysregulation. A review of published studies, many of which were mice studies, concerning 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 decreased appetite. How? Several processes involving the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They also noted that fragrance memory and cognitive processes may also contribute to appetite regulation. Nonetheless, they exposed hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control employing essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all know that carrying extra weight around is not good for us, especially not for those of us with Augusta back pain even though Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic is very good at managing that!) Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic would think our Augusta chiropractic patients may be more motivated to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic
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 Augusta chiropractic appointment soon. Share a peppermint candy cane with us at your next visit!
