John Aaron Wellness

If you’ve ever had a muscle strain or achy back, you probably did what most of us do; reach for a heating pad. It feels good. It feels comforting. But, did you know that it may be the wrong thing to do? Whenever the body experiences trauma or some type of injury, a complex set of reactions occurs called the Metabolic Response. The metabolic response is a complex interaction between many body systems in an effort to restore physical health. In many cases the affected area experiences inflammation, stiffness, and swelling. Because the use of heat therapy is comforting to most of us, we tend to reach for it first. However, while it may relax the muscles (thereby easing pain a bit), heat therapy does nothing to address the swelling associated with your body’s metabolic response to trauma. As a result, inflammation increases once the heat is removed and in many cases the pain returns even worse than before. This is why my first choice for treating pain if cold therapy (Cryo-Therapy)...

We thrive under pressure. In fact, evolution dictates that the survival of our species relied on facing life challenges, adapting, and then overcoming those obstacles. Thereby arriving  to where we are today. But, today things are different. No longer something physical like a Saber-toothed Lion we can run from, stress is invisible, ever present and just as deadly as it ever was. Let’s step back for a moment. Did you know that evolution has given you three brains: the lizard brain, the dog brain, and the human brain (Reptilian Complex, Limbic System, and Neocortex)? Each one marks a progression of sorts. The lizard brain is of basic instinct and need: purely selfish. However, about 100-million years ago mammals came into existence and with them came the Limbic System. A second brain the covers the first. Suddenly, emotions were introduced. Mammals were able to experience loyalty, jealousy, compassion, etc. More recently, say 100-thousand years ago, the precursor to humans; ...

Repetitive strain injuries are what I see most in my practice. Clients come to me experiencing pain and due to poor posture and frequently used movements, also known as repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s). RSI’s can affect anyone from athletes to desk jockeys and can present itself as tendinitis, frozen shoulder, tennis or golfer’s elbow, plantar fasciitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome and temporal mandibular joint disorder (TMJ). Chances are, if you have chronic muscle spasms in the upper back and neck, stiff and painful shoulders, or tingling in your arms or hands, you may have an RSI. If you experience pain, tightness, or weakness in these areas, and “push through the pain” ignoring what your body is trying to tell you, your risk the chance of causing serious injury and increasing your recovery time to boot. Even if you are just beginning to notice tingling, numbness or weakness in these areas, it is essential to get treatment early and maintain treatment through self-care therap...

It's normal to have sore muscles after you work out, play sports, or even do housework, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve been physically active. The medical name for this condition is delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, and it is thought to be due in large part to inflammation of the muscle as a result of micro-tears of the muscle fibers. So, does anything work to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness? So far, nothing is proven 100 percent effective, and while some people have found some of the following tips helpful, it's best to try a few things to see what works for you. ICE: Because it is the best effective means of treating inflammation, ice therapy can be used to treat the muscle micro-tears cause that create DOMS and should be considered especially if your muscle strain is severe. Don’t have an ice-pack? Grab a bag of frozen vegetables, wrap it in a cloth and apply it to the area for 15-20 minutes several times throughout the day. OTC MEDICATION...

I’m on a self imposed diet: a technology diet. I don’t know what we ever did before cell-phones, text messages, email and GPS or how we ever survived before we were able to instantly contact each other! However, I suspect we had an easier way of taking charge of our lives and resting our brains. We were able to “disconnect.” Today we practically sleep with our technology. I know at least one person who never goes to bed without taking his iPhone with him. Perhaps you do the same? Is it no wonder why we can feel drained of energy and rapt with stress? It’s Pavlovian the way we MUST respond every time the phone dings, rings or vibrates! I’ve decided: not me. I’ve at least decided to turn off my phone before going to bed. What about emergencies you ask? Well, emergencies always happen and most of the time there is nothing you can do about it at the time – except worry. Besides, I am much better at handling a crisis when I’m well rested. As for email, I’ve decided to stop letti...

So, what is “sports massage?” Many of my clients are athletes, or at the least weekend warriors and, as such have asked me about the subject. It seems the performance and wellness advantages afforded by sports massage are highly sought after by my more "competitive" clients? ; ) So anyway, there are basically three main goals of sports massage: To assist you in performing at you peak level To help reduce or possibly prevent the risk of injury To help with recovery in the event of injury Since they typically want to depend on their body's ability to function at its best, injury recovery time is dramatically reduced for the clients that incorporate sports massage into their routine. Although sports massage can occur in a variety of different settings and administered at different times with different goals, there are also generally four times to administer this type of massage: Pre-event Massage - Pre-event massage typically occurs at the sports event, 20 to...

It's a shame that many people perceive massage therapy as a luxury or physical indulgence. Yes, it can be expensive - but not as expensive as illness or disease, and its benefits way outlast treating yourself to a fancy new outfit or expensive dinner. True, while getting a good massage can make you feel like pampered royalty, it is actually the physiological benefit of receiving a massage that extends far beyond the actual treatment. According to the Institute for Integrative Healthcare Studies "Nowhere is massage's impact on the body more profound than in those who have the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For individuals who are HIV positive, the cellular battle within the immune system can get a significant wellness boost from regular massage therapy." As I've always believed, Wellness is not a luxury; it's a necessity. As Always - Enjoy Your Life! John Aaron Villarreal The Legal Stuff: The content and information on this site is not intende...