Toronto 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 actually benefit memory and cognition (and appetite control). The hint of peppermint fills holiday décor, stockings, cocoa, and more! Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre hopes for a peppermint-filled holiday for our Toronto chiropractic patients that will make their journey to Toronto 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 treatments. 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, managing the cholinergic (the part of the nervous system that processes acetylcholine) system, and boosting neuroinflammation involving microglia (brain and spinal cord immune cells). (1) In a mice experiment, researchers tested how smelling peppermint essential oil enhanced the ability to learn as well as retain memory as seen in hippocampal CA1 region neurons returning to normal and Aβ deposition decreasing among other changes that may improve 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 Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre 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 studies done with mice, regarding 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 diminished appetite. How? Several processes engaging the sympathetic/parasympathetic nerves, leptin protein hormones, and more. They also said that fragrance memory and cognitive processes may also contribute to appetite regulation. Nonetheless, they exposed hope for appetite regulation and eating disorders control using essential oils and fragrant compounds. (3) (We all know that carrying extra weight around is not good for us, particularly not for those of us with Toronto back pain even though Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre is very good at managing that!) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre would think our Toronto chiropractic patients may be more inclined to enjoy peppermint throughout this year’s holiday season!
CONTACT Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
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 a variety of other conditions like inflammation, back surgery, etc. He mentions the beneficial role chiropractic has in healthcare and back pain care. Dr. Kachmann has spoken at conferences on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Toronto chiropractic appointment now. Share a peppermint candy cane with us at your next visit!
