John Aaron Wellness

It’s the weekend and I must first apologize if the title to this posting set your heart aflutter. The truth of the matter is; easy weight loss is a myth. Sorry… Unfortunately, many diet and weight loss gimmicks have preyed upon the American obsession with thinness. It is the very promise of FAST results that has spawned a grand multibillion dollar industry and a plethora of fat-fighting strategies. The question is, “Do they work?” Well, yes…, and, well, no. Take for example, Liposuction. It is t he process of suctioning fat out of specific areas of the body. This procedure requires t ubes to be inserted in half-inch long incisions in areas such as the thighs, buttocks, upper arms, abdomen or hips, in order to “vacuum” out the fat cells. It’s a brutal procedure leaving the patient bruised, sore and in support bandages upwards of six weeks after surgery, and contrary to popular belief, liposuction is not recommended for obese individuals. In fact, many docto...

For today’s post, I thought I would make it short and present a bit of information on dietary fiber. Media and marketers have been beating the drum on this component of nutrition, but when I ask some of my clients what they know about fiber, the response I most frequently receive is a blank stare. Lucky for us, it’s not too complicated. So, here we go… First: fiber has two forms - soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is absorbed in the large intestine where it slows the movement of food and allows organ plenty of time for the absorption of nutrients. As a result, fiber can also help in avoiding drastic swings in blood sugar. Its primary sources are fruits, vegetables, legumes and oat bran. Insoluble fiber (aka., “roughage”) is what most people think of when they think or fiber. In any case, insoluble fiber absorbs water during digestion, creating a “fuller” feeling and thereby increasing fecal bulk and speeding its move­ ment through the digestive tract. Sounds a bit vu...

Often I am asked about supplements and their role in a healthy diet. My take is that while vitamins and minerals are essential to life, the human body cannot self sustain this requirement. Therefore, it is imperative that we eat a well-rounded, low fat diet in order to obtain an adequate variety and supply. Unfortunately, Americans have become infatuated with supplementation. Mega-dosing has become a common practice for both athletes trying to improve their performances and the “average Jane or Joe” trying to compensate for inadequate nutrition. Research indicates supplementation is ineffective in improving athletic performance in a well-nourished adult. That’s to say if you are eating well, taking additional doses of supplements won’t give you an edge. In fact, excessive amounts of fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) may prove toxic since they are stored in the body and not easily excreted. Even some water soluble supplements such as vitamin B-12 have been shown to cause...

I hope that you had an excellent new year celebration and that you are ready for a great new year. I know that I am! While I discourage New Year’s Resolutions, I still indirectly get asked for advice on how to make them stick. For example, a person I met said their New Year's resolution was to start eating better at work. She vowed to no longer visiting the doughnut box in the break room or pig out at any of the company birthday parties. Yet she still needed to entertain clients and liked eating out with coworkers every now and again. Did I know what she could do to eat healthy at restaurants? My advice was to try eating a few walnuts (about 6-8) or a small fistful of almonds (about 12-15) before leaving for the restaurant. The idea is to not arrive in starvation mode. In fact, eating a little healthy fat before a meal will trigger a chain reaction that will slow the rate at which your stomach empties. The end result is a satiated feeling, but unfortunately it takes the bra...

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...