John Aaron Wellness

I’m sure I’m not the only one to know how stress feels, when the pressure starts to build up and even becomes overwhelming. But, I’ve learned that when that happens, it's more vital than ever to stay in shape both physically and mentally. However, if you aren’t already maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the challenge to get “in shape” can become overwhelmingly daunting. What helps me are the small steps that can be taken every day that can help me stay well balanced through the ups and downs that life can bring. The first step is to eat well – which doesn't necessarily mean dieting. Eating balanced meals (containing protein, carbohydrates, fruits and veggies) with reasonable portion sizes will ensures that we get the needed nutrients to maintain energy, brain power, and overall health. Getting proper nutrition also keeps me tummy feeling satisfied so that I’m less likely to overeat, which can leave me feeling tired physically and discouraged mentally. The next essential ing...

It’s been said that if you want to lose weight, you need to move more and eat less. For some, however, the eating less part is the most dreaded. Yet, cutting calories from your diet doesn’t have to be a struggle and you don’t need to go on some fad or trendy diet to do it. Making small, simple changes can make a huge difference. To prove this point, I’ve outlined 4 simple steps that you can take toward cutting calories today. Step One: Stop drinking soda Whether you drink regular soda or diet soda, it’s a good thing to remove from your diet. It’s a lot of empty calories and replacement sugars that you don’t need in your body, and don’t even get me started on the subject of “corn syrup” or artificial sweeteners. If you want to kick your addiction to sodas then cutting them out completely is the best way to do that. You will save yourself money and a lot of unneeded calories by cutting out just this one item. Step Two: Portion properly It’s very important to learn what prop...

It can never stressed enough how important it is that we know exactly what we are eating. With today’s marketing it is so easy to want to what the labels and brightly colored packages of convenience foods say to us, but approach with caution. While a packaged meal may be advertised as healthy, it’s up to you to find out if it really is before you simply buy into a few good words that may or may not be true. People get very excited when they see that convenience foods are labeled as “healthy” or “low-fat,” (I’ve been guilty about this, too) but some minor research needs to be done before indulging. The following are 3 ingredients that I recommend be avoided as much as possible. Trans-fats Trans-fats are found in so many foods that you probably eat on a regular basis. Trans-fats can be found in baked goods, microwave popcorn, fast foods, and frozen foods. These items are all convenient, but they’re not worth risking your health for. Trans-fats can cause an increase in bad choleste...

Although it is more common in older people, osteoporosis is a serious health condition that can affect people of all ages. It’s characterized by brittle or fragile bones that easily break or fracture. To date, I've not broken any bones but as I age I am well aware that bone mass naturally reduces as we get older. Thus, the risk of developing osteoporosis can also increase. Add certain health conditions, medications and a lack of certain nutrients, and your risk can go even higher. Fortunately, I've put together a recipe of things you can do to help protect your bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Calcium Remember being told to drink your milk to get strong bones? As it turns out, there is some truth to this; some truth. Calcium forms around forty percent of the mineral mass of human bones. So as we get older, in order to keep bones healthy and prevent degenerative bone conditions like osteoporosis, it is essential to ensure adequate calcium intake. However, while ...

Are you wondering what you should eat tonight? Five helpful free iPhone apps locate healthy eating ideas for those on very restricted diets, such as gluten-free or vegan, as well as for those just watching fat grams or carbs. Specialized diets, such as vegetarian or low sugar, were difficult to adhere to in the recent past. However, the food and dining industries have become more aware of personal aversions to factory farming and of medical conditions, like diabetes and celiac disease. Let one of these five free iPhone apps help you find tonight’s perfect recipe or restaurant. 1. Edamam is a search engine that matches recipes to your craving. This app searches recipe sites, such as Epicurious.com, Bon Appetit.com and 101 Cookbooks.com, until it finds the perfect recipe. Edamam lets you search by 11 special diets as well as by calories. Have a sudden craving for gluten-free peanut butter cookies? That is no problem for Edamam. 2. Food Community is an app by Nommunity.com that h...

“Man can neither make, nor retain, one moment in time; it all comes to him by pure gift.” - Clive Staples Lewis Each one of us has fond memories; moments so special that we wish we could just freeze them in time. You know, the kind of precious moments that, if we could capture, we would want to relive over and over again. The truth is, most of the time we think these memories make themselves and we wander aimlessly through our day “killing time” until the next good thing befalls us. In reality, times dies all on its own and in death’s permanency it stays; never to be touched again. All the more reason to use each day, each hour, each and every minute to living life's fullest potential. Cliché as it seems, ask yourself, “What would I do if this were my last hour to live?” Would you squander the time “aimlessly?” Probably not. Your Action Challenge: Do something useful. Make good happen; for yourself, your family or a friend. Do it today, this moment. So that by days en...

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...