Healthy Salad Recipe with Strawberries and Spinach

June 27, 2011, by Dawna Ara Health Advice, Nutrition Comments Off

Looking for an easy and healthy summer salad recipe? Then this just might be it!

This perfect mix of protein & veggies is low in carbohydrates and high in color and flavor.

Strawberries add a touch of sweet without tipping the sugar scale, chicken is high in energy sustaining protein, spinach is high in vitamins and fiber, while artichokes help to cleanse the liver. A salad really can’t get any healthier then this.

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Quick & Healthy Soup Recipes #3: Ni Hao Noodle Soup

June 5, 2011, by Dawna Ara Health Advice, Nutrition Comments Off

Ni Hao Noodle Soup is one of my morning favorites. A bowl of soup for breakfast will warm you up and fill up your belly.

This particular soup is so fantastic because it tastes good, it is healthy, and you don’t have to be a graduate of culinary school to make it. Cook some noodles, chop some veggies, throw them in a pot with water, turn up the heat for 5 minutes and that’s it!

Eating soup for breakfast ignites your digestive fire keeping you strong and energized for the rest of your day.

5 Natural Ways to Beat the Heat without Air Conditioning

May 4, 2011, by Dawna Ara Health Advice, Nutrition Comments Off

It’s hot out and I can hear Angelinos groaning about it all over the city today. Whatever you do, do not turn that AC on!

Air conditioners can cause all kinds of reactions like asthma, headaches, coughing, dry skin and lungs, and itchy sore throat.

Air conditioners don’t allow your body to get used to the heat so every time you walk from your air conditioned house to your air conditioned car your body has a mini shock response that weakens your immune system.

It’s best to allow your body to adjust to the temperature changes slowly and naturally. Cooling your body from the inside will help tremendously. Here are a few things you can do to cool down without racking up a huge electric bill and wasting energy.

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Quick & Healthy Soup Recipes #2: Tangy Lemon Lentil Soup

April 27, 2011, by Dawna Ara Digestion, Nutrition Comments Off

This flavorful and tangy soup will keep you healthy and full any time of year. Lentils are loaded with fiber and protein, lemons are loaded with vitamin C and pizazz!

Lentils don’t get any better then when they are combined with this perfect combination of tang and love. Read more

Quick & Healthy Soup Recipes #1

April 12, 2011, by Dawna Ara Digestion, Nutrition Comments Off

The Chicken Ate the Tomato Soup

Anyone who knows me knows I love soup. I really do. Soup is a passion of mine. I love all kinds of soups from hearty winter soups, to light and fresh cold spring soups. I eat a bowl of soup just about everyday. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it doesn’t matter give me a bowl of soup and I will be your bff!

People that know me would also say that I am impatient and they might be right. I don’t like to wait long to eat. I also don’t like to follow recipes or measure ingredients. The food I make has to be quick, uncomplicated, and easy and that is exactly what soup is. Throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and 20 minutes later you’ll have a bowl of warm sparkly goodness.

In the next few posts I am going to teach you how to make the best soups without having to search up and down the grocery isles to find that one last ingredient. Most of my recipes include ingredients that are already in your fridge.

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Magic Pill For Weight Loss Just Discovered

March 22, 2011, by Dawna Ara Acupuncture Comments Off

Now that I got your attention I am going to tell you that there is no magic pill for weight loss. Believe me, I would have found it by now if there was one. There is no magic diet, no magic exercise routine, nor a magic surgery. I wish I could tell you that acupuncture is the magical missing link but alas, it is not the answer either.

Over the years I have heard many experts preach what they have read in a text book or the latest research that proves their beliefs around weight loss. Eat less exercise more, or calories in must not exceed calories burned. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong!
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Depressed? Then Move Your Liver Qi!

February 28, 2011, by Dawna Ara Acupuncture, Hormones, Mental Health, Nutrition Comments Off

A lot of people ask me if acupuncture can help treat depression. The short answer is yes but each individual has a unique set of symptoms that are clues into to the root cause of those symptoms.  Here is a general description of how Chinese Medicine works for depression.

The genius of Chinese Medicine is that it is based on finding balance between opposites. Balance your yin and yang. If you have too much of something then get rid of the excess, if you are deficient in a vital nutrient then supplement it to make it stronger. If something is too hot then cool it down and if too cold, then warm it up!  Find the medium in everything, or as Buddha would have said it, choose the middle path!
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What is Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation?

January 6, 2011, by Dawna Ara Acupuncture No Comments

Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation is a great and natural way to improve one’s appearance. It is generally a very safe and painless procedure with little or no side effects. When done correctly by a trained professional the treatment improves circulation by harmonizing the body, bringing blood and oxygen flow to the face, and reducing inflammation.

What can Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation do for me?

  • Improve muscle tone & dermal contraction
  • Increase collagen production
  • Eliminate bags under the eyes
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Natural Ways to Keep Your Skin Hydrated

November 7, 2010, by Dawna Ara Acupuncture, Dawna Ara, Nutrition 2 Comments

Suffering from dry skin? How about an itchy dry throat? The recent weather changes in Southern California have been a great conversation starter but have left me (and I’m sure some of you) with dry and irritated skin.

In Chinese Medicine Fall is the time of the metal element which rules the Lung and Large Intestine meridians. To keep things simple, these meridians are in charge of the dispersion of body fluids, or in other words they help to keep the body properly moisturized. During fall dryness dominates, irritating the lungs causing us to have problems with hydration. Our skin, hair, and eyes can becomes dry, the throat can become itchy, and respiratory problems like asthma can emerge. If the large intestine becomes dry we could suffer from constipation.
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Got Back Pain?

August 25, 2010, by Dawna Ara Acupuncture, Pain Management 3 Comments

Then why not try acupuncture? Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can significantly help to decrease back pain and improve mobility in some people.

Not only can acupuncture decrease your back pain but it could also help you to sleep better, be happier, and even give you more energy!

How can acupuncture do all this in just one session? The answer is simple. Chinese Medicine brings the body into balance, or in other words, homeostasis.

Once balanced circulation improves, tension melts away, and your body is able to heal allowing you to enjoy a new sense of well being.

So why not come in and see what all the buzz is about. ACUPUNCTURE WORKS!

Book online to schedule the next available appointment with Dawna Ara, L.Ac.