John Aaron Wellness

How’s it going? Have the holidays treated you well? Mine have been rather chaotic. First, I received late notice that my building was going to be closed on unexpected days, so I had to cancel a few client appointments for those days. Then, the AC/Heat went out in the building and I was forced to cancel more appointments. Then, my five year old got sick and I had to cancel out the last few remaining appointments of the year. Not to mention I had family in town, Christmas shopping (and wrapping) to get done, a dinner party to cook for, AND an office to move, too! I felt VERY out of control and uneasy. And, I don’t LIKE feeling out of control. Who does? Lucky for me, Lexi is a resilient child and felt better after just a few days (I think the thought of Christmas Day toys had a lot to do with it. LOL!), and I was able to take some time to chill, meditate and plan for my office move, and for the 2014 year. As 2013 comes to a close I’ve been reflecting on this crazy year. To me it

The Migraine Research Foundation reveals that there are about 6 per cent of men who suffer from migraines while 18% of American women have it. Richard Lipton, a neurology professor from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City says that the causes of migraines can be 50 per cent genetics while the other half includes a lot of different environmental factors. If you are suffering from migraine, read further for some tips that will surely work. Stick to a low-fat diet. A study showed that participants who were on a low-fat diet for three months reported that their headaches reduced for up to 40%. And, by the time they experienced headaches, the pain was 66% less severe while its duration also reduced by 70 per cent. Make time for exercise. A 2011 research conducted from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden provided additional proof to the theory that exercise can be beneficial to migraine sufferers. The said research revealed that exercise is just as effective as t

It’s been a general rule of thumb; less salt = lower blood pressure. So, why is it so difficult to use less of it at the table and in cooking? My guess is that we’re afraid to miss out on flavor. So, to avoid salt without sacrificing flavor, I have listed some of my tried and true remedies for you to add to your pantry. However, don’t be afraid to experiment with making your own seasoning blends. Just be sure to share your favorite blends with me. Chinese five-spice blend for chicken, fish, or pork Combine ¼ cup ground ginger, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground cloves, and 1 tablespoon each ground allspice and anise seed. Mexican blend for chili, enchiladas, and tacos Combine ¼ cup chili powder; 1 tablespoon each ground cumin and onion powder; 1 teaspoon each dried oregano, garlic powder, and red pepper; and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Mixed herbs for salads, steamed vegetables, or fish Combine ¼ cup dried parsley, 2 tablespoons dried tarragon, and 1 tablespoon eac

As you approach and go over 40, you can start to feel a difference in your body. Even if you were an athlete all through your younger days, it is inevitable that changes happen in your body that will prevent you from doing things you could. However, you can largely reduce the effect of these changes. You can keep your energy levels, strength and flexibility in good shape enabling you to delay the effects of the aging process. This is because inactivity and poor nutrition actually speed up the aging process. Some of the first changes you will notice are: • Losing your balance • Getting out of breathe easily • Tightening up of your body • A decline in muscle mass • Weakening and thinning of bone mass • Cartilage, ligaments and tendons becoming less elastic Understanding why these changes are happening, what your new nutritional needs are, and which kind of physical activity is good for you will help you stay fit without hurting your body. A sedentary lifestyl

Back pain affects at least 4 out of 5 persons. Whether it's due to lifting heavy objects, twisting or turning, bad posture or stress, this widespread medical condition can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. But you don't have to suffer. There are ways you can strengthen your back so that you can be pain free. These 4 simple exercises will go far in helping ease your back pain and strengthen your lower back. Before you start any new exercise program, it's important to always check with your doctor first. Choose comfortable clothes that have some give to them and find an area with plenty of room for you to stretch out and do your exercise routine. Back Pain and Sciatica Relief: The first and most simple of all exercises you can do for your back is walking. Yes, plain and simple taking a walk will go far in helping to reduce back pain. Start with a light stretch and set a small goal. Don't stop to rest until you have reached this goal. All forms of lower back exe

As much as we hate to admit it, there are times where death seems inevitable. Whether it’s a severe terminal illness or the body slowing down with old age, certain conditions can make death unavoidable. Preventable death, however, is different. Just as it sounds, preventable death is any kind of death that we actually have the power to avert. Sadly, although these deaths are preventable, and therefore largely within our control, they still occur at an alarming frequency. For more information on preventable death, check out this infographic by Katherman Briggs & Greenberg. Top Causes of Preventable Death Smoking If you’ve ever thought about lighting up, you might want to think again. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death, causing 467,000 deaths in the U.S. annually, and it’s the culprit behind 1 in every 5 deaths. In addition to causing cancer, heart disease, stroke and lung disease, smoking can shorten your life span: smokers die on average 10 years earlier tha

Ever since the fat phobia of the 1980’s, I’ve been battling the misconception that all fats are evil. They are not. However, oils and fats are not all created equal. Which means some are more beneficial while others are downright dangerous. For example, heavily processed, hydrogenated, “trans” fats and oils that are used to prepare the vast majority of packaged and fast foods can be extremely damaging to the body. In contrast, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly and even help our brains process and think more clearly. Including a small amount of high-quality fat in a meal also serves to give us a feeling of satiety, energy, fulfillment and warmth. It is when there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, that we can experience weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, li

How was your Halloween? This year I took four children trick-or-treating; a five, a four, a three, and a two year old. Talk about work! And, dang it if one of them little boogers didn’t give me a head-cold! Anyway, Halloween swooshed by me like those kids chasing candy door to door. It was enough to make your head spin. What’s more, the coming holidays don’t seem to be slowing down for me either. Life can be a whirlwind at times, but it’s all good. It’s when things feel like they’re ‘literally’ whirling around you, that you may want to stop and reconsider. When you’re over forty, loss of balance can mean your health is out of whack. While some of us older folk will feel dizzy from time to time, the sense the surroundings spinning is called vertigo (yes, like the old Hitchcock movie). Your inner ear works with your brain to give you a sense of your body’s position. Your skin, joints, and muscles also send balance signals to the brain. If something goes wrong in any of these a

For those of us that have managed to live for over 40 years or more, an interesting and somewhat morbid thing begins to happen to us. We become increasingly aware of the reality of mortality and just how precious our time here on Earth is. Perhaps this semi age related milestone helps us bypass the trivial things that distract us from living our remaining years to the fullest. Today many celebrate Dia de Los Muertos (day of the dead). Traditionally a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. This holiday focuses on the gathering of family and friends to pray for, remember and celebrate loved ones that have died. Now, I'm not one to read the obituary column, but plenty of my over forty clients are. I guess it's like a scorecard; as long as we're not on the list I suppose we're still winning. The unfortunate truth is that life comes with no guarantees but with one exception: death. It's a harsh reality, death. We take life for

The consumption of dairy – specifically cow’s milk products, has been a much debated topic. I mean, how bad can it be? We grew up on the stuff, right? Well, now more than ever, people are becoming aware of the health impact that dairy may have on their bodies. Cow’s milk products have certain protein molecules (casein and whey) that can cause our immune system to over react and stimulate immediate allergic responses such as hives, wheezing and vomiting, or longer term issues such as loose stool, abdominal cramps, and skin rash. However, it seems that you do not have to be allergic to dairy to experience a negative physical response to it. Food sensitivities can equally trigger the immune response and any time the immune response is activated, inflammation will present itself. Why is this important? Well, if you are one of the millions of people that suffer from joint pain or inflammatory diseases such as, Arthritis, Lupus or Fibromyalgia, you can understand that having more inf

Have you seen them? I just visited Whole Foods and was floored by the selection! So many shapes, colors, sizes. Some with bumps; some smooth. Some full and round; others short and squat. No matter how many varieties there are, you can’t deny that pumpkins are a very popular purchase in the month of October. Though they are mainly purchased to adorn a porch stoop, become a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, or a serve as a centerpiece for autumn decorating, I want to remind you that they are also quite nutritious and delicious. For example, did you know that… Pumpkins contain loads of Vitamin A Vitamin A is vital to the health of the eyes. This vitamin helps the eyes adjust to changes in light. Vitamin A is also important to the functioning of the immune system – quite important to note as we head into the middle of Flu season. Pumpkins contain Potassium Zombies would be happy to know that you were eating your pumpkin! Why? Because the potassium contained therein helps to keep your

So I was at the gym today doing my time at the treadmill when I look up to one of the feature stories on Good Morning America. It's about Maria Kang and her “offensive” posting of a picture of her and her three boys. Can you believe that? A mother of three post a picture of herself in excellent form to motivate and inspire, yet people find reason to be insulted? How can that be? The pic was family-friendly, certainly nothing pornographic or “artistic” about it. No suggestive poses, or excessive cleavage. So, why the big hullabaloo!?!? Then it hit me. It's the mirror. Know what I'm talking about? It's the times when you look in the mirror and you really don't like what you see… It's those times when you notice the extra inches of flab or the little jiggle-in-the-middle that you just can't seem to get rid of. Then someone posts a seemingly perfect pic of themselves and we compare… What’s worse, we feel judged and our “defensive mode” kicks in quickly fol

Are you one of those people that just doesn’t see what the big deal is about eating breakfast? Despite the fact that nutrition experts and health professionals have always said how important a hearty breakfast is, I continued to skip breakfast on a regular basis. I know I’m not the only one to do this. A large percentage of us who avoid eating regular breakfasts say it’s because they don’t have time to eat in the morning. A similar proportion say they don’t eat breakfast because they just don’t feel hungry when they first wake up. Whatever your reason for avoiding breakfast, I’m here to say I no longer plan on missing out on the whole range of health benefits this one little meal can bring. Benefits like; Better Concentration Eating a breakfast with complex carbohydrates has been shown to increase concentration and brainpower throughout the day. High-quality carbohydrates that release energy slowly, such as those found in wholegrain breads and cereals, are far more nutrient-rich