John Aaron Wellness

Houston is hot. You can’t live here without breaking a sweat. And when you add exercise to the humidity, you can be in for a tough time, but the results can be worth it – as long as you stay hydrated. Just so you know, the challenge of transforming your body is not a onetime event.  It doesn't happen magically in 6 weeks or less because you chose to purchase the latest gadget you found on TV in the middle of the night.  You can't buy it in a special box of food or in a program that doesn't include the three pillars you need for success - strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and supportive nutrition. The change comes through your constant pursuit of making yourself into a better, fitter, healthier and more balanced person every day.  Each change you make, and every positive decision you choose, brings you a step closer to your goal and your vision. Here is a great example of this universal truth... Two studies published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrino...

Always listen to your body. Low back pain symptoms aren't the same for everyone. Depending on the cause, your pain may be dull or sharp. It may be chronic or intermittent. Perhaps your pain gets worse with standing, sitting, bending, or walking. Pain can even extend into your buttock or down your leg. Shooting pain accompanied with feelings of numbness, tingling, or weakness down your leg can indicate sciatica, a common result of a herniated disk in the lower back, where the disk bulges out toward the spinal canal. So, if a certain movement or exercise causes pain, STOP - and pay attention. Discuss with your doctor or other health care professional what movements are safe for you to do. And never forget these tips on what you can do to protect your back: Rest, but not indefinitely. Recent research suggests that staying in bed for more than a day or two after an acute injury may NOT be the best way to recuperate. Prolonged bed rest may cause your muscles to lose strength and t...

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...