Author: Dara Dietz

Dara D Dietz is co-founder with her Husband of H.E.A.L. Marketplace, a private Natural Healing Association. As a teacher and counselor she has been supporting the members of H.E.A.L. with Natural Healing information and herbal supports since 1998. She continues to maintain strong ties to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Since healing her own kidney ailments she has assisted thousands of people in discovering and using natural herbal remedies. Dara has written and compiled numerous articles on a wide variety of natural healing topics. Drawing from her own healing experiences and borrowing from the vast wisdom of natural healers long departed, she continues to provide H.E.A.L.’s international membership with down to earth natural healing wisdom in H.E.A.L.’s bi-weekly newsletters. Dara and her husband currently reside in Rutherfordton, North Carolina.
Digestion & Gut, Herbal Healing, Weight Loss

Taking the Edge Off Between-Meal Hunger

Dara Dietz

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.

Brain, Nerves & Sleep, Herbal Healing, Herbs & How to Use Them

Clean Energy Without Caffeine

Dara Dietz

I don’t care for caffeine, and I wanted something for steady energy that works more like ginseng: mental clarity and physical stamina without the jitters or the crash of a stimulant. This blend is the answer I came to. It pairs two classic adaptogen roots with a warming digestive mover and a calming aromatic, so the lift stays smooth and grounded rather than wired.

What a Good Energy Blend Contains

A good caffeine-free energy blend might contain these four herbs:

  • Rhodiola Rosea Root, 3 parts. A high-altitude adaptogen long used to ease mental fatigue and support energy, focus and mood under stress. It’s the “drive” herb here, clearing brain fog and sharpening clarity.
  • Eleuthero Root, 3 parts. Also called Siberian Ginseng. It builds steady, stress-adapted stamina, helping the body handle physical and mental strain without crashing afterward.
  • Lemongrass, 2 parts. A bright, aromatic herb with a gentle calming, mood-lifting quality. It’s the “cooler,” keeping the lift smooth and clear rather than jittery.
  • Ginger Root, 1 part. The warming digestive mover. It supports circulation and helps the body tolerate and absorb the two adaptogen roots, which can otherwise sit heavy on the stomach.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 3 ounces each of Rhodiola and Eleuthero, 2 of Lemongrass and 1 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.

How Much and How Often

Start with about 30 drops (roughly 1 mL) once in the morning, 20 to 30 minutes before food. This is a morning-only formula; both Rhodiola and Eleuthero are energizing and are best taken early in the day.

For a gentler daily tonic, see Two Ginsengs for Steady Energy, and for more on energy, Power & Energy for a Happy Life.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Brain, Nerves & Sleep, Herbal Healing, Herbs & How to Use Them

Two Ginsengs for Steady Energy

Dara Dietz

Some energy comes with a bill attached: a quick lift now that the body pays for later. This simple two-root tonic works the other way. It builds stamina and supports focus steadily, without adding stress to the endocrine system, especially the adrenals. That’s why it’s meant to be taken consistently over time, not just reached for in a pinch.

I take it myself every day, along with my brain formula and a cup of ginger tea, for brain fog, and it works wonderfully for me. That said, there’s rarely just one right answer for something like brain fog; what works beautifully for one body may not be the best fit for another. If this combination isn’t the one that clicks for you, the caffeine-free energy blend in Clean Energy Without Caffeine was built with brain fog in mind too.

What a Good Ginseng Tonic Contains

Just two roots, in equal parts:

  • Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero), 1 part. An adaptogen that helps the body adjust to physical and mental stress and supports steady stamina, without the jolt of caffeine.
  • American Ginseng, 1 part. A gentler, cooling ginseng, valued for restoring energy and supporting mental clarity without overstimulating the system.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for both. By weight, that’s simply equal ounces of each.

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.

How Much and How Often

1 to 2 droppersful (35 to 70 drops), three times a day. Like most tonic herbs, it works best taken steadily; plan on a bottle or two to really feel the difference.

This same pair of roots also goes into my formula for tired adrenals and my blend for men’s vitality. For the brain formula I take with it, see Circulation Is Everything for a Clear Mind.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Herbal Healing, Women's & Men's Health

A Focused Blend for Male Hormone Balance

Dara Dietz

This is a smaller, more focused blend for men, built to support the body’s own hormonal balance and vitality. Ashwagandha, Fenugreek and Tongkat Ali form its heart, with Tribulus, Maca and Ginseng added for stamina, energy and libido.

What a Good Male Hormone Formula Contains

A good formula for male hormone balance might contain these six herbs:

  • Ashwagandha Root, 3 parts. A well-known adaptogen that helps the body handle stress and supports healthy hormone balance, energy and stamina.
  • Fenugreek Seed, 3 parts. Long used to support men’s vitality and hormonal health, and a supportive food for stamina.
  • Tongkat Ali Root, 2 parts. A Malaysian herb long used to support male vitality, stamina and healthy testosterone levels.
  • Tribulus Terrestris, 1 part. Used to support libido and physical performance.
  • Maca Root, 1 part. A root from the Andes, valued for energy, stamina and libido.
  • Ginseng, 1 part. One of the most used herbs for vitality, supporting energy, stamina and healthy sexual function.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 3 ounces each of Ashwagandha and Fenugreek, 2 of Tongkat Ali, and 1 each of the rest.

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.

How Much and How Often

2 to 3 droppersful, two to three times a day, or as needed.

For a broader blend for men’s energy, see Herbs for Men’s Energy and Vitality, and for the prostate, Keeping the Prostate Clear.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Herbal Healing, Women's & Men's Health

Herbs for Men’s Energy and Vitality

Dara Dietz

This is a blend for men’s energy, stamina and healthy male function. It brings together a mix of ginseng roots, Damiana and Yohimbe for vitality and drive, Sarsaparilla and Saw Palmetto for hormonal and prostate support, and Ginger, Kola Nut and Oat Seed to round it out.

What a Good Male Formula Contains

A good formula for men’s vitality might contain these herbs:

  • Ginseng Root Mix, 11 parts. The heart of the formula: Wild American “Blue Ridge” Ginseng, Chinese and Korean Ginseng, and Siberian Ginseng roots, for energy, stamina and male vitality.
  • Damiana Leaf, 3 parts. Long used to support male energy and healthy sexual function.
  • Yohimbe Bark, 3 parts. An African bark used to support blood flow and male vitality.
  • Sarsaparilla Root, 2 parts. Supports hormonal balance and healthy male function.
  • Ginger Rhizome, 1 part. A warming carrier herb that directs the rest of the formula to the lower body.
  • Kola Nut, 1 part. Stimulating to energy and alertness.
  • Oat Seed, 1 part. A nourishing food for the nervous system, long valued for vitality.
  • Saw Palmetto Berry, 1 part. One of the most trusted herbs for men’s health, supporting the prostate and a healthy balance of male hormones.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 11 ounces of the ginseng mix, 3 each of Damiana and Yohimbe, 2 of Sarsaparilla, and 1 each of the rest.

Yohimbe is a strong-acting herb. It isn’t one for anyone with heart or blood pressure trouble, or anyone taking medication for those.

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.

How Much and How Often

1 to 2 droppersful (35 to 70 drops), three times a day. It does its best work taken steadily for 3 to 4 months, alongside a good foundational diet and lifestyle.

For the prostate itself, see Keeping the Prostate Clear, and for hormonal balance in both men and women, Hormonal Food for Men and Women.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Brain, Nerves & Sleep, Herbal Healing

Feeding and Rebuilding the Nerves

Dara Dietz

Nerves that have been worn thin by worry, strain or injury need more than calming; they need feeding. This formula is built on two nourishing herbs, Skullcap and Oat Seed, with a few helpers to soothe the nerves, ease spasms and bring good blood flow to the brain.

What a Good Nerve Formula Contains

A good formula for rebuilding the nerves might contain these six herbs:

  • Skullcap, 4 parts. Naturally calming for anyone troubled by worry or emotional distress.
  • Oat Seed, 4 parts. A source of organic calcium the body can easily take in and use to meet the nervous system’s calcium needs.
  • St. John’s Wort Flower, 2 parts. A valuable nervine herb that supports and soothes the nerves.
  • Celery Seed, 1 part. Long regarded as healing to the nerves.
  • Black Cohosh Root, 1 part. Valued for its antispasmodic action.
  • Ginkgo Leaf, 1 part. Increases blood flow to the brain, supporting healthy brain activity.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 4 ounces each of Skullcap and Oat Seed, 2 of St. John’s Wort, and 1 each of the rest.

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.

How Much and How Often

2 to 4 droppersful, three to five times a day.

The nerves run on calcium, so it helps to feed them that way too; see Calcium You Can Actually Absorb. For a broader nerve food, see Food for a Frayed Nervous System, and for more on how these herbs work, Understanding Nervine Herbs.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Brain, Nerves & Sleep, Herbal Healing, Pain, Joints & Injuries

A Nervine Salve for Fiery Joint Pain

Dara Dietz

Dr. Christopher noted that the nervine herbs are good for nerve pain. I took him at his word and put my calming nervine blend into a salve, and it has become a favorite for that fiery, throbbing ball of pain that settles over an overused or injured knee.

Pain like that keeps you from a good night’s sleep and from moving and exercising during the day. This salve soaks into the inflamed nerves and lets them calm down. There’s no numbing; the throbbing simply stops. It has calmed nerve pain in knees, ankles and necks, and it has also eased the nerve pain that comes with shingles.

I’ve found it works quickly during the night, letting me get a good night’s rest when a knee or other joint is flaring up.

What a Good Nervine Salve Contains

A good nervine salve might contain these five herbs, in equal parts:

  • Skullcap, 1 part. One of the most trusted nervine herbs, calming nervous tension.
  • Hops, 1 part. A gentle sedative herb that eases restlessness and inflammation.
  • Valerian Root, 1 part. A classic nervine, valued for calming irritated nerves and easing pain.
  • Gentian Root, 1 part. One of the most bitter herbs there is, rounding out the blend.
  • Black Cohosh, 1 part. Long used to ease nervous tension and carry the body through inflammation.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s simply equal ounces of all five. These are the same five herbs as the calming formula I use for sleep and for crisis, taken by mouth.

Lavender essential oil finishes the salve. It softens Valerian’s strong, earthy smell, and it is a nervine and an anti-inflammatory in its own right, so it adds to the calming rather than just covering the smell.

Putting It Together

Fully extract the herbs in extra virgin olive oil in a 150-degree oven for three hours, swap the spent herbs for fresh, and do it three times through. Strain, thicken with beeswax, and stir in the lavender oil at the end.

How to Use It

Rub it into the painful area as often as needed. At night, a good layer before bed is often what lets you sleep through.

Once the Pain Settles

Once the pain and inflammation are under control, it’s time to rebuild the injured area. A joint that has been compromised needs a steady program to clear the injury and restore its strength. For that I turn to the bone, flesh and cartilage formula in Knitting Bone, Flesh and Cartilage Back Together, and to Mullein and Lobelia to release a locked-up joint and move excess lymph fluid out of the area.

Hydrotherapy matters too. Anytime you have injury or illness, you have blockage, and alternating hot and cold water is all about clearing it. The hot water brings fresh blood to the area, and the cold sends that fresh blood driving through the blockage, like loading and firing a blood bullet. The more dramatic the change between hot and cold, the deeper that blood, with all its healing nutrients, will reach. See Hydrotherapy, the Ultimate Healing Tool and Knee Pain.

For an overview of how I use herbal salves as topical applications, here is my video:

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Herbal Healing, Women's & Men's Health

Bringing a Heavy Cycle Back to Normal

Dara Dietz

A heavy cycle can catch anyone off guard, and it can be especially unsettling for a younger woman still learning what’s normal for her body. This formula is short-term support, taken right at the start of a heavy cycle, to bring the flow back down to something manageable without stopping the body’s natural monthly cleansing.

It was a real help to me years ago, when I needed to bring an especially heavy flow back to a normal cycle. That’s why I still reach for it, and why I recommend it to newer members just getting a handle on heavy bleeding.

What a Good Formula for a Heavy Cycle Contains

A good formula for a heavy cycle might contain these five herbs:

  • Red Raspberry Leaf, 4 parts. The anchor. A common plant but a powerful one, with a real affinity for the female organs, toning and regulating them better than almost any other herb.
  • Prickly Ash, 2 parts. Acts on the circulation and the nerves, long used for painful and irregular periods.
  • Blue Cohosh, 2 parts. “Woman’s best friend,” helping bring the cycle back into a normal rhythm.
  • Wild Yam, 2 parts. Relaxes the muscle fibers and soothes the nerves, easing pain centered in the uterus.
  • Cinnamon, 1 part. A warming tonic whose natural astringency helps stem excess bleeding.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 4 ounces of Red Raspberry, 2 each of Prickly Ash, Blue Cohosh and Wild Yam, and 1 of Cinnamon.

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.

How Much and How Often

  • As soon as a heavy cycle begins, start this formula and set aside your everyday female formula until the cycle has passed.
  • Take 2 to 4 droppersful (a dropper is about ¼ teaspoon) three to four times a day. The flow should begin to slow within a few hours.
  • It’s meant to be temporary, usually just a couple of months at the start of the cycle, while the everyday formula does the real work of balancing the hormones the rest of the month. Once that balance takes hold, the extra help usually isn’t needed.

For unexpected or menopause-related breakthrough bleeding, I use the higher-dose protocol in Food for the Female System instead.

Stress and the Cycle

Emotional stress affects the cycle as much as anything you take. Any time you take an emotional gut punch, your immune system and your hormones take the hit together. You can choose your reactions to life’s ordinary ups and downs, and learning to meet them with steadiness and dignity is as much a part of hormonal health as any herb.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Herbal Healing, Women's & Men's Health

Rebuilding a Cycle That Has Gone Wrong

Dara Dietz

This is one of Dr. Christopher’s own formulas, built to rebuild a reproductive system that isn’t working as it should, and to restore good timing when periods are painful, irregular, delayed or gone altogether. Over the years, women have seen painful periods, cramping, heavy flow and irregularity ease as these herbs go to work.

One story stays with me. A member’s close friend had gone years without a menstrual cycle at all. When the two of them came to me, unsure what else to try, I suggested this formula; when Dr. Christopher believed something would restore a cycle, it usually did. Several months later I heard the good news: her cycle had returned, and not long after, the two of them were married.

Herbs support the physical side of restoring a cycle, but they don’t replace the deeper work of resolving chronic stress, unprocessed anger or emotional trauma. Those affect the hormones and the immune system directly, and working through them is often just as necessary.

What a Good Formula for a Struggling Cycle Contains

A good formula for a struggling cycle might contain these five herbs:

  • Motherwort, 8 parts. Mainly a womb remedy, used for painful, delayed or suppressed periods.
  • Chamomile Flowers, 6 parts. A mild, relaxing herb that calms the nerves through the ups and downs of a cycle.
  • Blue Cohosh Root, 4 parts. Long called “woman’s best friend.” It regulates a habitually late cycle and helps restore a flow delayed by shock, chill or a cold.
  • Goldenseal Root, 1 part. A tonic and gentle cleanser for the whole reproductive system.
  • Ginger Root, 1 part. Carries the other herbs down into the abdomen.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 8 ounces of Motherwort, 6 of Chamomile, 4 of Blue Cohosh and 1 each of Goldenseal and 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.

How Much and How Often

2 to 4 droppersful (about ½ to 1 teaspoon) in 8 ounces of hot water, sweetened with honey if you like, three times a day.

For everyday balance, see Food for the Female System, and for a cycle that has turned too heavy, Bringing a Heavy Cycle Back to Normal.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.

Brain, Nerves & Sleep, Herbal Healing, Organs & Glands

Ear Drops for Hearing, Balance and Earache

Dara Dietz

This is Dr. Christopher’s hearing formula, a five-herb combination used for poor balance, hardness of hearing and earache. He taught that much hearing and balance trouble comes from a congested motor nerve, the nerve that runs from the base of the skull, and these herbs are chosen to feed that nerve and clear the congestion. Dr. Christopher and his patients used the drops for hearing loss and balance trouble with good success, as long as the eardrum was intact. They also bring quick relief to an earache.

What a Good Hearing Formula Contains

A good hearing formula might contain these five herbs, in equal parts:

  • Blue Cohosh, 1 part. A nervine Dr. Christopher used for the motor nerve, including for earache and hardness of hearing.
  • Black Cohosh, 1 part. Supports the motor nerve and eases tension.
  • Blue Vervain, 1 part. Supports circulation, eases anything spasmodic, and helps with nervousness, sleeplessness and nervous headache.
  • Skullcap, 1 part. Valued for the spinal cord and the motor nerve, where it rises at the base of the skull. When that nerve is congested, messages have trouble getting through, and Skullcap helps clear it.
  • Lobelia, 1 part. Its great strength is removing obstruction and congestion in the body.

“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s simply equal ounces of all five.

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.

How to Use It

  • At bedtime, put 4 to 6 drops of garlic and mullein oil in each ear with an eyedropper, then 4 to 6 drops of the hearing formula.
  • Plug the ears with cotton overnight.
  • Repeat nightly, six nights a week, for 4 to 6 months or as needed.
  • On the seventh day, gently flush the ears with a small ear syringe, using warm apple cider vinegar and distilled water, half and half. The ear is very delicate; never use force.
  • Also take 6 to 10 drops of the formula in a cup of juice or distilled water, up to three times a day.

For more, see Hearing Loss & Natural Healing for the Ears.

This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.