John Aaron Wellness

Happy New Year! I hope this 2012 year is your best yet, and I pledge to do all I can to help you make it so! As I sit here in the wee hours of the morning on the first day of the New Year, I remember my father. He’s an early riser, too. I remember him telling me one morning that the reason he loved mornings was because it was his time to see the world “untouched” by the rest of us. It made him feel like the world was his alone. For me this is the “Golden Hour” because it sets the tone for whatever follows. It allows you to take care of yourself first thereby setting you up for a happier day. What can you do with this time? Well, here are a few ideas that I think will work: Read: Most accomplished people took the time to “feed” their mind a diet of positive, uplifting and educational materials that moved them forward through their day and gave them inspiration for new ideas, goals and insight on life. Exercise: Take a walk. It circulates your blood, strengthens your hear...

So you may already know that a healthy diet contains 30 percent fat or less, but how can you apply this guideline when grocery shopping? Well, the choices you make at the grocery store are an integral part of your lifestyle.    And, like I mentioned previously, reading labels is the most helpful tool for determining the fat con¬tent of foods you see on the store shelves. However, food labeling practices have been inconsistent, leaving many consumers confused and frustrated. The components of food labels are required to include the following: Serving sizes that realistically reflect the amount an average person actually eats. Previously, a manufacturer could reduce the portion size to make a food qualify as low-calorie.   The number of calories per gram of fat (including a breakdown specifically for saturated fat), carbohydrate and protein should be listed as well as the number of grams of fiber.   The "% Daily Value" shows the consumer how thi...