John Aaron Wellness

According to the Institute for Preventative Foot Health, almost 80% of American adults have encountered some type of foot problem. This is a number I find surprising considering our overall sedentary lifestyles. None-the-less, it seems that anything from improper shoe size, high-impact exercise, slips & falls, and "surprise-surprise"   - obesity -  can trigger a pain causing condition. To avoid a lifelong injury it is important to take your discomfort seriously. Even something as seemingly minor as sore feet or bunions can worsen over time. If left unchecked, they can ultimately result in costly surgery and time away from doing the things that you love. For more information, visit the American Podiatric Medical Association's web site: http://www.apma.org/ As always – Enjoy Your Life! John Aaron Villarreal Bio: I am a Houston based, male massage therapist and wellness coach specializing in pain management and health programs for individuals over the age of f...

Sometimes I’m asked why people seek out my services as a massage therapist. Well, for some, massage therapy is used as a treatment to relax from emotional stress or to heal the body from physical strain. Considering the various massage treatments and styles that are available, there is sure to be something that naturally targets any specific area of the body that needs special care. Sports massage, for example, helps to break down acids which build in the muscles during strenuous activity. For these clients, sports massage helps get the muscles back into acclimated form, and also helps to restore and maintain proper body movement and muscular function through incorporating stretch and joint mobilization into the massage. A sports massage can aid in both pre and post sport events by increasing blood and nutrient circulation to the muscles and by assisting the body in eliminating metabolic wastes that are the byproducts produced by strenuous activity. If there is a sports injury, m...

Moo juice. It’s more than a kid’s drink and fortunately for me, I never grew too old to stop appreciating a tall cold glass of milk. I’m even more psyched about it now that I know about a Dutch study performed on hypertensive adults 55 and older. The research data suggests that low-fat dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt may lower blood pressure or even help prevent hypertension all together. Here’s How it Works: The key is in the minerals and avoiding “fat free” dairy. It seems that consuming milk with a modest amount of fat helps to increase the bio-availability of calcium in the dairy. This makes the calcium easier for the digestive track to absorb. In addition to being a great source of calcium, low-fat dairy is also an excellent source of two other blood-pressure-lowering nutrients: magnesium and potassium. Here’s How Much You Need: As part of a daily regimen, you should consider following the guidelines of a 2006 study from Harvard Medical School, which sugges...

They’re scary. My proverbial closet has them. Yours does, too. But the skeletons of one’s past don’t necessarily mean shameful, scandalous, hidden secrets. They are the life experiences that help mold each of us into the unique individuals that we are. You can know someone superficially. On the surface they appear to be whatever we project them to be. For example; you’re in a parking lot when someone who appears dazed, walks across your path. Hair is unkempt; he’s red-eyed, shabbily dressed and smells like he hasn’t bathed in days. First thought; probably a homeless street beggar. It’s when you get down to the actions and events that got that person to the place they now are, that you really understand who that person is; A loving and dedicated father who has spent a week at the hospital by his child’s side fighting some deadly serious disease. He is stressed, and afraid to be away from her side for even a moment, but is currently trying to fulfill her only request for a Happy Me...

As a massage therapist, backaches are one of the most common complaints of pain that I receive. Often times we stress our backs through overuse or injury which can cause painful swelling of the joints and surrounding tissues. So what do I do when my back gives me trouble? I change the temperature... Cold is known for its ability to shrink things, and that includes bodily inflammation. So I turn to it regularly. I use ice bags or bags of frozen veggies to treat my back. To reduce risk of further injury, I place a cloth or thin towel between the ice pack and my skin and alternate therapy like this; apply for about 20 minutes (but no more than 30 minutes) on the achy area followed by 30 minutes off (or 30 minutes of moist heat), then another 20 minutes on again. I find that alternating heat with cold, really improves my circulation, healing and pain relief. Alternating application of heat and cold is sometimes called a vascular flush because the heat expands the blood vessels, and t...

I love black beans. In fact, they are a staple of health and wellness, so we usually have them as a main course at least once a week. They’re versatile in recipes, tasty by themselves and very easy to prepare. Black beans also have a high fiber-to-protein ratio that’s hard to beat. It’s this combination that helps in keeping blood sugar in check and maintaining lower blood cholesterol levels. Here’s How it Works: Although black beans are a nutrient-dense source of fiber and magnesium, what puts them at a distinct advantage over other foods is the folate you'll find in these delicious little legumes. Folate (folic acid) is a B-complex vitamin that appears to lower blood pressure (especially systolic blood pressure) by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow.   Here’s How Much You Need: While a single cup of cooked black beans only yields about 256 micrograms of folate, tossing them with a cup of spinach salad will bring you slightly over the daily recommended allowanc...

Tomorrow marks the first full day of autumn and the third anniversary of my newest tradition: The Autumn Toss-Out. I began this ritual a few years ago after reading a book by Peter Walsh called, “It’s All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff.” (Well, I’m over forty. I had a lot of stuff!) How can this effect your health and wellness? Well, Peter explains in real-world terms, and with as much sympathy as possible, that in our accumulation we create unnecessary stress and overwhelm in our lives. An excerpt from his book reads; “You want a life built on a solid foundation, but you can’t even see the floor beneath you. You want to lose weight but your kitchen is overwhelmed with appliances you never use. You want to build your career, but your office literally makes you feel ill. You want to change? This is where it starts: your home. Where you live, breathe rest, love and create. Get rid of the clutter. Get organized. If you do, I promise that every aspect...