John Aaron Wellness

Have you recently switched to a vegetarian diet? Well good for you! There are many studies that show that the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are a great way to lower your risk of diabetes, stroke, obesity and early death. A vegetarian diet, though, is only healthy if you know how to go about it. If you follow a vegetarian diet that is traditional in some culture somewhere in the world, you’re probably safe since traditional diets are usually well-planned to include all the essentials. If a regular omnivorous western diet is all you've ever known and you are simply cobbling a plant-based diet together, though, you face a whole range of health risks. That said; make sure you avoid making the following mistakes Simply eliminating the meat from your diet doesn't guarantee that you will be healthier. You need to replace the meat with vegetable-based foods that are rich in all the nutrition types that you need. You also need to be careful about unhealthy vegetarian foods – lik...

“The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream.”   ~ Benjamin Elijah Mays I remember hearing that goals without action were merely dreams that would never come true. After all, when you survey all the leaders and successful people on this planet that have made their dreams come true, you would find that goal setting, in conjunction with action, is what all these people have in common. What you might not realize is that failure in reaching those goals is also an important trait that these people share, too. And, there is nothing wrong with having to struggle a little in order to make your dreams come true. The truth is that just because you have to revise and redirect the path to the kind of life you want to live does not signify failure. Failure is only guaranteed if you should decide never to try. In this case, fa...

Even with all the advances in modern medicine and the sophisticated techniques available to diagnose what's causing low back pain, many times doctors find it incredibly difficult to identify the reason for a patient's pain. Although too much strain may be part of the equation, it isn't always entirely to blame for lower back pain. However, one interesting explanation as to why one person develops low back pain and another doesn't may lie in their genes. A study published by the journal Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, revealed how for the first time researchers have identified a gene linked to a common cause of lower back pain: a condition known as lumbar disc degeneration (LDD).  A prime example would be if you were to examine identical twins -- one who is doing heavy physical work and the other being a "desk jockey" – you would assume the physical labor to cause significant wear compared to the white-collar sibling. Yet, if you could compare their MRI exams...

Now I've heard that there is a similar recipe within the Paleo Diet books, but this recipe I have adapted from the kitchens of The Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, New York. Normally I would've never thought that these ingredients could come together to make such a wonderfully delicious dessert. So, when I began to experiment with this recipe I was prepared for less than stellar results. However, I was not prepared to absolutely fall in love with this recipe! The avocado in this recipe provides a smooth and fluffy texture that reminded me of my childhood days when I first tasted homemade chocolate pudding. Those were the days when homemakers would consider the use of processed “instant” puddings a sacrilege. Back then, puddings were actually cooked. Aside from the texture, the avocado also provides an abundance of healthy fats and the amino acid tyrosine, which I understand to be rather important for proper hormone regulation, body metabolism and your brain’s memory. ...

If you have ever paid attention to the people you most hang around with in life, you would note that it’s only our really great friends that help us celebrate our victories. To them it makes no difference how large or small the milestone may be. You are worth their efforts. The question is, are you a friend who reciprocates this effort? Take a moment to evaluate yourself. Are you someone who can give other people the credit, love and support they are due or are you someone that constantly needs the center stage? Worse, are you one to sabotage another’s efforts for your own gain? We are all in this game of life together, so lighten up! Nobody gets out of it alive. That is why it falls upon us to not only make our lives an enjoyable event for ourselves, but to help those in need; especially those who have never tasted a bit of joy in their own lives. Always evaluate your friendships and acquaintances and while you try spending time with people who can help affirm your own life’s dr...

Every day it seems I get a call or see a client regarding back pain or an achy back. They turn to me for relief and often times they don’t even know how or why their back hurts. Although my scope of practice allows me to only work on muscles and soft connective tissue, I have come to learn that many factors can contribute to low back pain. Some may include strained muscles, others strained "nerves."  For example, think about any time you injured yourself while lifting and twisting a heavy load. From experience, you know this most definitely can lead to low back pain. Even the regular course of aging can cause degenerative spinal changes and I’m not talking about “grandma” age, either. These degenerative processes can start as early as your 30’s! So to familiarize you on the most likely causes of low back pain, here's a quick list: 1. Overuse of muscles and ligaments , caused by a competitive or repetitive movements and commonly called a "strained" or ...

Perhaps you “slept wrong” or lifted something heavy and awkward using poor form. Maybe you're experiencing pain from a degenerative condition like arthritis. Whatever the cause, once you have low back pain, I for one know that it can be hard to endure. They say about 25% of all Americans have some type of chronic low back pain. And for those lucky ones that don’t, they can expect to experience back pain at some point in their lives. Sometimes it’s clearly serious: You were injured, or you feel numbness, weakness, or tingling in the legs. Call the doctor, of course. But for routine and mild low back pain, here are a few simple tips to try at home. Chill it. Ice is best in the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury because it reduces inflammation, and excessive inflammation will always cause pain. I know the first tendency to go for the heating pad or hot tub because the warmth “feels good” by covering up the pain. While it does help relax the muscles, the heat can actually enco...

There’s an old saying that goes, “you reap what you sow.” Do you feel happiness is hard to find?  Just when things are going well, does it seem something happens to zap your joy?  Do you wonder if true happiness is something that can ever be grasped? Then, perhaps it’s time to look at planting the seeds of happiness in your life. Studies show that the ability to feel happy is related to a person’s state of mind.  The good news is that you can choose your state of mind.  Happiness can be yours simply by re-framing your responses to life and its circumstances. Consider the difference between a positive mindset and a negative mindset: • Positive-minded people appear happier.  They tend to look for the good in situations and other people.  They choose not to be overcome by trials, knowing a solution is around the corner. • Problems present opportunities to the positive-minded. When a solution is found, they gain a feeling of accomplishment resulting i...