Losing weight and keeping it off is as much about the brain and the nervous system as it is about food. This is a gentle formula to keep the appetite steady and comfortable between meals. It combines classic digestive bitters with a seed that supports a natural feeling of fullness and a calming nervine, so it settles rather than stimulates.
What a Good Appetite Formula Contains
A good formula for a steady appetite might contain these five herbs:
- Fennel Seed, 2 parts. A sweet, aromatic seed long used to settle the stomach and ease digestion, with an old reputation for taking the edge off appetite between meals.
- Gentian Root, 2 parts. One of the classic bitter roots. It stirs up the digestive juices and has long been used to curb the desire to eat between meals.
- Fenugreek Seed, 2 parts. A mucilaginous seed that swells into a gentle gel in the stomach and supports a natural feeling of fullness. It is also used to support steady blood sugar, which plays a part in appetite.
- Skullcap, 2 parts. A calming nervine that supports emotional steadiness, so the body isn’t fighting a wound-up nervous system while it adjusts.
- Ginger Root, 1 part. The warming mover, supporting circulation and helping the body make good use of the other herbs.
“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 2 ounces each of the first four and 1 of Ginger. For a one-gallon batch, that works out to about 5.7 ounces each of the first four and 2.85 ounces of Ginger.
Putting It Together
Put the dry herbs in a glass jar and pour in 80-proof vodka. Once the herbs have settled, you want about 60% herb sediment on the bottom and 40% liquid on top. Shake the jar every day. The traditional timing follows the moon, from the new moon to the full moon, about two weeks. I prefer to let my extracts sit a full three months, which makes them good and strong. Then strain and bottle the liquid.
Crack the Fenugreek seed rather than powdering it, so its mucilage doesn’t cloud the extract.
How Much and How Often
About 20 to 30 drops (roughly 1 mL), taken 15 to 20 minutes before a meal, up to three times a day as needed.
For the bigger picture, see my weight-loss series, starting with The Weight Behind the Weight and The Brain Comes First.
This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.
