Largo Peppermint Comes to the Aid of Cognition & Appetite Regulation!
Peppermint candy canes...what lovely childhood memories they bring! Remarkably, peppermint is being found today to actually be good for memory and cognition (and appetite control). The aroma of peppermint permeates holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Hollstrom & Associates Inc hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Largo chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Largo 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 treatments. Essential oils are potentially just such therapies. Essential oils are extracted from nature’s herbs of which there are many sources low in toxicity. Researchers suggest that these function by lowering the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta (Aβ), anti-oxidative stress, containing 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 enhanced the ability to learn as well as retain memory as seen in hippocampal CA1 region neurons reverting back to normal and Aβ deposition lowering among other changes that may enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease. This study also shared a new term – metabolomics, the study of chemical processes involving metabolites (small molecules). In this study, such metabolites included arginine, proline, inositol phosphate, cysteine, and methionine. (2) We at Hollstrom & Associates Inc found these so 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 diseases associated with appetite dysregulation. An assessment 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 boosted appetite; 12 essential oils and 7 fragrant compounds decreased appetite. How? Several processes involving the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They added that fragrance memory and cognitive processes may also contribute to appetite regulation. Nonetheless, they revealed hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control using essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all know that being a bit overweight is not good for us, especially not for those of us with Largo back pain even though Hollstrom & Associates Inc is very good at managing that!) Hollstrom & Associates Inc would think our Largo chiropractic patients may be more motivated to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
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 Largo chiropractic appointment today. Share a peppermint candy cane with us at your next visit!
