Category: My Opinion

Herbal Healing, My Opinion, Pain, Joints & Injuries

Back, Knee and Sciatic Pain: My Stories

Dara Dietz

My own stories and what I have learned about back, knee and sciatic pain. For the full teaching, start with the Pain and Arthritis information sheets.

A backache can be caused by any one of several issues. The first to look at is a structural or spinal issue. Has there been a recent injury, a fall or a sharp twisting of the spine, or overuse of the back, lifting a heavy object incorrectly, that has caused the back to rebel? An arthritic condition in the spine can seriously limit the freedom of movement, causing the back to ache, and when the affected joints become inflamed it can cause severe pain.

Kidney issues, stones or infection, should be ruled in or out when working to clear a backache. The kidneys sit toward the back on each side of the body. Kidney stones travel through the kidney, causing the pain to move from the back to the front as they wind their way through. An infected or inflamed kidney will be enlarged, creating pressure and muscle spasms around the organ and causing the back to ache. For women, menstrual cramps are another cause of a backache.

Is It My Back, My Kidneys or Cramps?

The first issue to address when working to clear a backache is why the back is affected. Being female, menstrual cramps were an issue for me. I had also cracked my spine in a car accident in the 1980s, and I had serious kidney issues since childhood. When my back would act up, I had to determine why. Over the years I found a fail-proof way, for me, to tell which of these was causing the discomfort.

  • Cramps. If menstrual cramps were possible, I used Lobelia, cramp bark, or the stronger combination for spasms that Dr. Christopher called the Antispasmodic. If the cause was cramps, it would take about 15 minutes for the uterus to relax and the spasms to stop.
  • Kidneys. When cramps were not an option, I would start with my three kidney support drinks: (1) 1 oz of Echinacea in 12 ounces of water; (2) hot lemonade (1 tsp cayenne, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and maple syrup to taste, in 16 ounces of water); (3) 1 tablespoon of Herbal Aid 1 in 16 ounces of hot water. It would normally take about 45 minutes for the teas to filter through the kidneys enough to calm the spasms. That would also tell me my kidneys had become inflamed and it was time to do the Infection Program.
  • The spine. If neither of those calmed it, I knew it was the structural issue in my back.

When my kidneys are inflamed, the muscles over them become spastic, making it hard to take a step without pain. I would have to hold onto furniture as I moved around the house. See the Kidney Disease sheet for more.

When It Is the Spine

My Story: Years of Back Spasms

Following a car accident in 1985, I endured years of debilitating back spasms. Out of the blue my back would go into a spasm, sending me to the floor in a world of hurt. All of this came to a blessed end when I discovered the BF&C (Bone, Flesh & Cartilage) formula in the late 1990s. Three months after I began using the body-repairing herbs in the BF&C formula, the devastating back spasms ended.

When my back acts up from the old injury, I have found a hot and cold shower will calm or end the spasm. After my shower I apply the M&L Salve, followed by a BF&C pack over the lower back where the injury occurred. I also take the BF&C extract, 1 teaspoon in hot water every three hours, for a week or so until the crisis is over, then go back to my normal dose of once or twice a day.

When an arthritic condition of the back becomes inflamed (hot and painful is the way I’ve heard it described), packing the area with an herbal support that dissolves the uric acid crystals causing the inflammation can be very helpful. Dr. Christopher’s A&R Salve packed over the inflamed joint has proved an effective support to stop the discomfort and cool the inflammation. Once the area is comfortable again, switch back to the BF&C Salve, which has the nutrients to repair the damaged joint. The same formula as the A&R Salve is also made as a liquid extract, Joint Support, for additional support.

Michael and the Rain-Soaked Lumber

My husband, who is 6’4”, fairly thin with a long back, had an up-close and personal opportunity to witness the power of the M&L Salve. While moving a pile of rain-soaked lumber to a sheltered area, he sprained his lower back. When will the over-forty masculine half of society realize they are no longer nineteen? Yes, I’ll get off that subject; you all pay dearly for your misconceptions.

His lower back grabbed as he went to straighten up with a load of lumber. When he found me in my office, he said he felt something rip in his back. We immediately massaged the M&L Salve into the affected muscles, and a BF&C Salve pack went on a few minutes later. Throughout the day he kept applying the M&L Salve. Later that day he took an Epsom salt soak, three cups of salt in a tub of hot water, which he felt was extremely beneficial, and went to bed shortly after his bath. Saturday he rested and kept applying the M&L and BF&C salves. Sunday morning he woke up feeling 90% better and was able to finish the job he had abandoned on Friday.

Knowing what to do when an emergency occurs can cut the recovery time down from weeks to days. Since the spastic muscle was not allowed to stay in spasm, there was no swelling or blockage to contend with, and the recovery shortened to only a few days.

BF&C: A Gift from the Father

Since my own back healed, I’ve been privileged to share in many healings brought about by the BF&C formula. Several years ago one of our members asked us to make the BF&C into a salve. It took some doing, but we mastered salve making, and since combining the BF&C Salve with the extract we are never short of dramatic healing stories.

  • A sprained ankle, swollen and sore, mended overnight. The BF&C Salve was applied right after the accident, supporting the soft tissue immediately.
  • An arthritic spine. A woman in her 80s, in bed and in pain, had a BF&C pack put over her spine at bedtime by her son. The next morning she bounced out of bed feeling “right as rain.” (Her story is on the Arthritis sheet.)
  • Scales cleared from a teen’s face. A young teenage girl with a scaly growth on her face was given the BF&C Salve and tincture by her loving uncle. Her condition cleared quickly.
  • Old injuries. These herbs correctly knit the body back together. Old injuries are cleared of adhesions and the mineral deposits that contribute to arthritic conditions.

My Knee

My Story: A “Fire Ball” in My Knee

What you might call a “fire ball” of pain had developed in my knee. None of the regular herbal remedies were bringing any level of relief. Searching in Dr. Christopher’s writings, I found a reference to the use of nervine herbs for nerve pain. I applied the General Nervine Tonic directly from the bottle to the painful area on my knee. It was as if I’d taken a fire hose to the pain. It just wiped it out. The relief lasted about three hours; when it began to wear off I applied more, and it continued to work. We quickly made a salve from the formula, now our G-Nervine Salve.

Once the pain and inflammation were under control, I began building up my injured knee with the BF&C Salve and extract. It takes time, but I could see positive progress every day.

Hydrotherapy is also important to healing an injured knee. Anytime you have injury or illness you have blockage, and hydrotherapy is all about clearing blockage. The hot water brings fresh blood to the injured area, and the cold slams all that fresh blood through the blockage. It is like shooting a blood bullet into the area: the hot water loads it and the cold fires it. The more dramatic the change between hot and cold, the deeper the blood with all its healing nutrients will penetrate.

  • M&L Salve: releases a locked-up knee and helps remove excess lymph fluid from the area.
  • G-Nervine Salve: for the fiery, throbbing pain of an overused or injured knee; no numbing, just an end to the throbbing, and a good night’s sleep.
  • BF&C Salve and extract: with consistent use, supports the body to restore and repair bone, flesh and cartilage.

Sciatica: Thirty Minutes to Relief

A Member’s Story: Sciatica in Both Legs

I had the opportunity to assist a woman dealing with sciatica in both legs. She had only had the discomfort for about a week when she began the herbal supports. To make a long story short, she cleared the worst of it overnight.

The sciatic nerve runs right behind the bowel, so an important part of clearing this issue is cleaning out the bowel. Our member had been using LBF #1 regularly, but while doing an intense program she had not increased her dose when her bowels tightened up, and she had become backed up. When the pain is this bad you don’t want to wait several days for the bowel to clear; we cleared it quickly that day.

Then we did Dr. Christopher’s foot soak. I added 3 cups of apple cider vinegar to about half a gallon of hot water. She soaked both feet for the first ten minutes while the chopped garlic was prepared; even before her foot went on the garlic she said she was more comfortable sitting in the chair. We added hot water several times, along with more vinegar, until we had used the whole 32-ounce bottle, and she drank two tablespoons of the vinegar in a large glass of water. She rested her right foot on the garlic for about 15 minutes of the half-hour soak.

At the end she said the pain and tightness were nearly gone. The next morning she told me she had slept through the night without pain. She did another soak the next day when some of the tightness tried to return.

For the full sciatica program, see the Arthritis sheet.

Watch

Back Pain Class. Structural issues, the kidneys and menstrual cramps: how to tell them apart and the herbal supports for each.

More on Back and Joint Pain

This information is for education only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat or replace care from a qualified health professional.

Sliced grapefruit, oranges, limes and green apples on fresh green leaves
Herbal Healing, My Opinion, Organs & Glands

My Kidney Stories

Dara Dietz

Photo: Julia Filirovska / Pexels

These are my own kidney stories, gathered from over the years. For the full information sheet, see Kidney Disease, and for the flushing routines and videos, see Kidney Flushing: From Light to Intense.

A Lifetime with Weak Kidneys

Kidney issues seem to have always been a part of my life. Kidney infections started in my childhood, and by sixteen an infection and high fevers put me in the emergency room in convulsions. Until I was introduced to herbs and natural healing in the early 1990s, prescribed antibiotics were a regular part of my life; I lived on them for fifteen years.

Since discovering the healing power of herbs, I have taken no prescribed drugs for infection. Combining the infection-fighting herbs into herbal extracts for my infections has proven effective every time I have used them. Kidney Support in my Kidney/Bladder Tea, along with my Hot Lemonade, have been my daily supports ever since, and I haven’t had a kidney attack or kidney pain in over 20 years. I know my kidneys are a weak spot, so I keep animal proteins very low, and I have no soda, sugary drinks or junk food. The body just doesn’t need that stuff.

Care and Feeding of the Kidneys

Kidneys or My Back?

During this time of my life, when my back began to ache there were three possible reasons. One was my cycle, which was easy to rule in or out. The other two were trickier. In 1985 I was in a car accident that fractured my lower back. I could go long periods without any discomfort, then out of the blue it would begin to spasm. Since the fracture was in my lower back, right at the same level as my kidneys, I needed to figure out which one was talking to me. When my back began hurting I would do the three kidney drinks. Within an hour, if it was my kidneys, the discomfort would be gone. If it did not go away, I knew it was my back, and I began using the BF&C formula for my back along with Lobelia for the spasm. We were not yet making salves, so my only relief was hydrotherapy and the extracts.

Ground-Up Rocks and My Kidneys

Regular calcium supplements are nothing but ground-up rocks, and my kidneys cannot take that at all. A friend told me about a high-quality calcium supplement that would never affect my kidneys. Within four hours of taking only one capsule, I could not even walk straight; my kidneys were completely spasmed. I had to drink emergency kidney teas and Hot Lemonade to clear the congestion and calm it down. I never touched those capsules again. Then I discovered Dr. Christopher’s Calcium extract. My mentor at the time talked me into making it, as I was very leery. It has been amazing: no kidney issues.

Michael’s Kidney Stone on the Road

My husband, Michael, and I made a weekend trip to Dr. Tim Jennings’ class in Collegedale, Tennessee. While we were there, Michael had a kidney stone attack. He admitted to feeling a little discomfort before we left but did not think it would become a problem over the weekend. The lack of proper fluids during the four-and-a-half-hour car trip likely set the active stones off.

One of the worst things you can do with a kidney stone is let yourself become dehydrated. The walls of the vessels in the kidneys are lined with nerve tissue. When the fluid in the kidneys falls off, the vessels collapse around the stones, and all the rough edges rip and tear into the nerve tissue as they pass through. Staying hydrated fills the vessels with fluid, keeping the stones buoyant and floating in the center, with much less ripping and tearing.

I learned a lot over two days in a hotel with a husband passing a kidney stone. First, hot fomentations can be done very effectively in a hotel room. I wet and wrung out two small hand towels and put them in the microwave for a minute and a half. That made them steaming hot, and by the time they made it across the room to the bed they were the perfect heat to lay over his kidneys. The stone began in the back and moved to the front over the next few hours. The wet heat kept the kidney calm and the pain all but gone. He also took some Advil, an over-the-counter pain reliever, which was an added help with the pain. I massaged the area with our Anti-Spasmodic Salve too. Our M&L Salve is normally perfect for muscle spasms, but the Anti-Spasmodic Salve is a bit stronger and proved helpful that weekend.

Friday night into Saturday morning he slept well, but the pain began to build again in the morning, likely because he had not kept up his fluids while he slept. The hot fomentations were what really eased it. He has said they were the only thing that truly helped.

Michael’s pain routine. Michael has given birth to many, many stone children over the years, and he has worked out his own routine for the pain. When a stone starts moving, he takes a nighttime pain reliever, either ibuprofen or Aleve. If there’s no relief in an hour, he takes two gel Tylenol and waits another hour or so. All the while I’m keeping hot fomentations over his kidneys, or he’s soaking in a very hot bath. He usually only needs to go through the routine once or twice per stone attack, and between the heat and his routine he can get the pain under control without breaking into the heavy-duty pain pills. Those save us trips to the ER and those awful bills.

This is what works for Michael, whose kidneys are otherwise healthy. Ibuprofen and Aleve are hard on weak kidneys, so anyone with kidney disease should ask their doctor what is safe for them.

A jagged kidney stone about 3/8 inch across beside a dime and a ruler
One of Michael’s “stone children,” passed in 2013, beside a dime and a ruler. Photo: Dara Dietz, H.E.A.L.

The Night at the Cabin Door

One night my husband’s boss showed up at our cabin door in severe kidney stone pain. His nephew was on the way to take him to the emergency room, but it would be over an hour before he arrived. I was setting him up for hot fomentations when he threw up blood all over my bathroom. I gave him an ounce of fresh-squeezed ginger root juice and an ounce of Cayenne extract. His stomach settled and the bleeding stopped. I left the mess, got him into bed and put the hot fomentations on his kidneys. About 15 minutes later he had fallen asleep, relaxed and exhausted from the pain. When his nephew arrived, he drove him, now comfortable, to the emergency room, where they could find no hole in his stomach lining and no internal bleeding at all. He later told me there was no way he had thrown up blood in my bathroom; I assured him I’d had to scrub the proof off the walls and floor. For as long as I knew him, he joked that I had tried to kill him with that ounce of Cayenne. It was the only part of the whole night he remembered. It worked.

I have had people rolling on the floor in agony from a kidney stone who were comfortable in 15 minutes or less with hot fomentations over the kidneys. They are so helpful.

A Member’s Bright Idea

So many of the healing truths I have learned have come from our members. A member called to order a Kidney Stone Dissolve Kit. When I asked if her stones were coming back, she said no: her blood pressure was ticking up without a real reason, and she knew that clogged kidneys full of sediment make the heart work harder to push the blood through. She wanted an intense kidney flush. What a brilliant thought, an ELF for the kidneys! That is how the Ultimate Kidney Flush was born.

More on the Kidneys

This information is for education only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat or replace care from a qualified health professional.

Brain, Nerves & Sleep, Herbal Healing, My Opinion

Managing Vertigo Naturally:

Dara Dietz

An Herbalist’s Approach

Background

As a 66-year-old herbalist with a history of three concussions and one case of whiplash, vertigo has become an unwelcome but not surprising companion. Rather than turning to conventional medicine, I’ve developed a natural protocol that manages my symptoms effectively — and in some cases stops an active episode within two to three minutes.

Understanding My Vertigo

What I experience is classic BPPV — Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo — caused by displaced otoliths (tiny crystals) in the semicircular canals of the inner ear. My history of head trauma means these crystals dislodge easily and don’t always respond reliably to conventional repositioning maneuvers like the Epley Maneuver.

My Specific Triggers

Over time I’ve identified three distinct trigger categories:

  • Vibration triggers — eating crunchy foods like raw carrots, dental drilling
  • Movement triggers — turning my head quickly while walking
  • Pressure triggers — wind and barometric weather changes

Each of these disturbs the unstable crystals through a different mechanism, but the result is the same — that disorienting whooshing sensation and full vertigo episodes.

Practical Solutions I’ve Found

For Wind and Pressure

I wear small ear muffs that fit directly over my ears when outdoors in windy weather. They create a simple pressure barrier that prevents wind-driven air pressure changes from triggering symptoms. It’s a simple, inexpensive solution that makes outdoor activity much more manageable.

For Known Triggers Like Dental Work

When I know in advance that I’m going to experience vibration or trauma near my inner ear — like a dental appointment — I take my vertigo blend preventively beforehand. Going in with already-optimized cerebral circulation means my vestibular system handles the disturbance much better.

My Vertigo Blend

This isn’t one formula I distill myself — it’s three separate preparations I combine together in a cup of hot water: one teaspoon of my Brain Formula extract, one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of my Super Ginseng extract, and a teaspoon of dried ginger root steeped as a tea bag right alongside the extracts.

What Each Part Contributes

Brain Formula — Ginkgo-Led

Brain Formula is a Ginkgo-forward blend (Ginkgo Leaf, Gotu Kola, Calamus Root, Rosemary Flowers, Kola Nut, and Cayenne Pepper) that’s been used for generations specifically to support brain and inner-ear circulation. Ginkgo has long been recognized for increasing blood flow to the brain, and has traditionally been used for tinnitus, hearing and eyesight problems, memory, and vertigo itself — balance problems and dizziness are named directly in its traditional profile. Rosemary and Cayenne add their own circulatory support alongside it.

Super Ginseng — 50% American Ginseng, 50% Siberian Ginseng

  • American Ginseng contributes calm, sustained focus
  • Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero) supports stress adaptation and stamina
  • Together they ease the brain fog and fatigue that often come with a vertigo flare — their role here is more supportive than direct, since they don’t act on inner-ear circulation the way Ginkgo does

Dried Ginger Root

Steeped as a tea alongside the extracts rather than blended into either one, ginger adds its own vasodilating effect and has a well-documented traditional history of use for vertigo and vestibular disturbances. It also helps carry the other herbs into the body more readily.

Why It Works So Fast

Because the Brain Formula and Super Ginseng are already alcohol-based extracts, and I take them in a cup of hot ginger tea rather than swallowing a capsule, they’re absorbed quickly through the stomach and mucous membranes — part of why an active episode can be stopped within two to three minutes, with severe episodes resolving in ten to fifteen minutes with a couple of doses.

The mechanism appears to be primarily vascular — Ginkgo (the dominant herb in Brain Formula) rapidly improves blood flow to the brain and inner ear, while the ginseng blend and ginger support overall circulation and ease brain fog. The displaced crystals may be the trigger, but insufficient circulation to the vestibular system is what turns a minor disturbance into a full episode.

The Broader Picture

What I’ve essentially built is a three-layer management system:

  1. Physical barrier — ear muffs blocking pressure-based triggers
  2. Preventive protocol — taking my vertigo blend before known triggers
  3. Acute intervention — using the same blend to stop active episodes quickly

None of this involves prescription medication. It’s the result of years of observation, experimentation, and deep familiarity with how these plants work in the body.

I am an herbalist sharing my personal experience and protocol. This is not medical advice. Individual results will vary based on your own health history and constitution.

Herbal Healing, My Opinion, Organs & Glands

Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS)

Dara Dietz

This past month I learned something new.  The answers for clearing this painful issue are easily available to anyone.  We spend so much time setting and no matter how many miles you walk each day it will not release the Pelvic floor.  I personally walk between 2 and 4 miles each day. 

This is Bladder Pain without a urinary tract infection (UTI). It is a chronic condition causing pelvic pressure, discomfort, and frequent, urgent urination.  Other potential causes include pelvic floor dysfunction, in men chronic prostatitis, or sensitivity to specific foods, stress, or soaps.

Potential Causes of Non-Infectious Bladder Pain

  • Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Muscles at the base of the pelvis become too tight, causing pain, pressure, and urinary urgency.
  • Dietary and Environmental Irritants: Spicy foods, artificial sweeteners, coffee, citrus, and alcohol can irritate the bladder.
  • Chronic Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate in men can mimic UTI symptoms.
  • Other Factors: Stress, sexual activity, or reactions to hygiene products can also trigger pain.

First Step: Rule out a UTI, since symptoms mirror a UTI, it is necessary to rule out infection.

The Pelvic Floor dysfunction: can be cleared up with stretching routines.  This will not happen overnight, but it will affect relief within a few weeks if you do a good daily stretching routine. 

Herbal Supports: What Actually Helped

Once I understood what I was really dealing with, the approach changed completely:

A dedicated pelvic floor stretching and release routine, done consistently three times a day, was the single biggest piece — no amount of walking or general exercise reaches those muscles the way a targeted stretch does. It took about six months of consistent practice, but the pain fully resolved.

Alongside that, I leaned on soothing, non-stimulating, non-diuretic herbs instead of the infection-fighting kind:

A Bladder Comfort formula: is not an option for this issue. Instead use the Aloe Vera juice a couple ounces two or three times a day. It may feel like burning urine but the way the herbs in this formula work it will not aid but only worsen the issue.

Lobelia, which is an anti-spasmodic and will aid in relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. A salve made of Mullein and Lobelia is useful used in the groin area to calm the spastic muscles on contact.  It is an excellent topical anti-spasmodic.

Check out YouTube for Pelvic Floor Release stretching routines.  I found several that proved very helpful. My favorite is: Fix Pelvic Floor Problems Fast:

Testimonies:

Several months ago, I was affected by my first bladder infection in over 20 years, or at least I thought it was an infection.  The discomfort in the bladder felt like my bladder was full of infection.  After testing and discovering no infection, I looked deeper and discovered my Pelvic Floor Muscles had become very tight.  Beginning with a three time a day stretching routine, the relief took several weeks to happen.  Using the bed best fits my needs for doing my stretches.  My knees are tender and kneeling on the floor is not an option.  There are many ways to do the stretching needed to release and relax the pelvic floor.  Finding what works best for myself I am now pain free after nearly 6 months of trying to clear the discomfort of an infection I did not have.

Bladder Pain Syndrome: Why the Usual Bladder Herbs Made It Worse

I want to go into more detail on Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) than I have before, because I learned something important the hard way: some of the very herbs I’d reach for automatically to help a bladder — the ones that work beautifully for an actual infection — can make BPS worse instead of better. If you’ve been treating what feels like recurring bladder infections and nothing seems to help, or actually seems to aggravate things, this one is worth reading closely.

BPS Is Not an Infection

Bladder Pain Syndrome, sometimes called interstitial cystitis, feels like a bladder infection — burning, pressure, urgency, pain — but there’s no bacteria there. Testing comes back clean. That distinction matters more than it sounds like it should, because it changes everything about what actually helps. A true infection responds to herbs that fight bacteria and flush the urinary tract. BPS is a different animal, and it doesn’t respond to those same tools — in my own experience, it responded by getting worse.

Why My Own Go-To Formula Backfired

My Bladder Comfort formula is built for fast relief from infection pain, and it’s excellent for exactly that. But with BPS, it didn’t help — it added to the pain. That was my first real clue that something different was going on. Looking into it further, I found a pattern worth knowing about:

Hot, pungent herbs like Cayenne are wonderful circulation stimulants, but a bladder that’s already irritated and hypersensitive doesn’t need more stimulation — it needs calm. And diuretic-type herbs like Juniper Berry and Uva Ursi, which are genuinely helpful for concentrating and cleansing urine during an infection, work against you with BPS: they increase urine flow and irritate tissue that’s already raw, which only turns up the pain and the urgency. None of these herbs are wrong — they’re simply the wrong tool for this particular job.

The Real Root: A Pelvic Floor I Didn’t Know I Had

For a great many women with BPS, the actual root isn’t the bladder at all — it’s the pelvic floor. When those muscles become chronically tight, or spastic, they refer pain and pressure right into the bladder that mimics infection almost perfectly. I didn’t know I had a pelvic floor, let alone one that had been holding tension for years, until this sent me looking.

There’s a real, documented connection between a history of trauma and this kind of chronic pelvic floor tension. The body’s protective response to trauma can settle into ongoing muscular guarding in the pelvic region, and that guarding can persist for decades without a person ever realizing it’s there — it simply becomes normal. I have my own history of early-life trauma, and looking back, it isn’t surprising in the least that it found a home in that part of my body. I had never thought there was anything to address there, because I didn’t know it existed.

My Opinion, Spiritual Healing

SOULMATES

Dara Dietz

As long as there is life there is growing to do, a becoming more than we currently are, it is often painful and can require serious effort on our part to stay the course.  I found this journal entry and wanted to share it.  My prayer is you will understand and find a blessing in it.

In pride and arrogance, we want to fix ourselves and present ourselves to God perfectly healed. This will never happen. Christ offers us the only cure to our sin condition.  We are sick unto death; sin is killing us. We must accept all the healing Christ brings. Grow up into adults who can understand all he has done for us.

Children insist on “doing it myself,” these words can be heard from the mouth of an independent child, unwilling to allow someone to help. We need to be able and willing to let Christ help.

Sin, the law, the healing, so much to understand. Jesus can and is able to heal all the brokenness in a surrendered soul. He is longing to be our soulmate, the one who is with us, our heart’s desire, who knows us and who we know so well we are of the same mind.  Our hearts yearn for more knowledge, healing, and loving care, it is His desire for us to have.

Soulmates with Jesus? I have prayed for years, “Let them see you in me”. “Let the Jesus in me see the Jesus in others”. These requests have filled my prayers since I was a child, alone and hurting, longing to understand my world. Lord, you held my world together.  You gave me time to grow up, a chance to choose you from my heart.

Always, you helped me pick up the pieces of my broken self, bringing the healing truth as soon as I was able to hear it. You kept me together, giving me the strength to take the next step, with you, always with you. So often it was not my feet walking. Only my will, given freely, and my wanting you, moving us forward, together, as you carried me over the hard roads I could not even walk. So much, too much for me to have done alone without you.

Yes, Lord, you are my soulmate, the one who knows me best and loves me most. My heart is and always has been yours. Be my heart, the choice I choose every day. Never without you, always you are here with me still.

Emotional Healing, My Opinion, Weight Loss

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

Dara Dietz
Dara Dietz September 2020
Dara Dietz: September 2020

In August of 2017, I begun a weight loss journey that ended around January of 2019 with the loss of 240 lbs.  It has been six years since I stepped back from my weight loss program to learn how to maintain what I had accomplished.  Against all odds I have not regained any of the weight lost.  The emotional work I needed to do has taken six years but I’m ready to finish this weight loss journey begun exactly 9 years ago this month.

My goal is to lose another 75 lbs. or more.  I’m not certain where I should set my ending weight, it will be a matter of what seems right, I’m thinking somewhere between 145lbs. and 165lbs. So onward and downward. 

Here is what I’m doing, and it works perfectly.  Here are the resources for those who want to do the reading. 

Life in the Fasting Lane

How to Make Intermittent Fasting a Lifestyle—and Reap the Benefits of Weight Loss and Better Health, by Dr. Jason Fung, Eve Mayer, Megan Ramos,

 The Obesity Code

Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss; By Dr. Jason Fung

Dara Dietz 2014 Before Weight Loss

When I begun my journey in 2017, the only book available was the Obesity Code, it is an excellent resource for understanding the value of fasting.  Life in the Fasting Lane, really maps out how to set your program up.

My Current Fasting Program:

I began doing 23 hours fast every day.  What this looks like is you eat one meal each day, allowing only an hour during the whole day to consume food.  The rest of the day you are fasting.  So, you are basically not eating for stretches of 23 hours each day. This routine did not work well for me. 

The pounds were not moving away at a rate that suited me, so I decided to fast every other day.  In real time here is what it looks like, I eat food for two hour every other day, so, I’m fasting from 2pm on Monday until 12 pm on Wednesday.  This is a 46 hour fast.  I find it painless, and the scales show a nice weight drop of around 2 to 4 lbs. for each fasting period.

A two-mile walk is a nice beginning to my day.  I seldom miss it rain or shine.  This walk is not about weight loss, as you will find when you read the two books above, it is about mental and physical health.  Your body needs to move to be healthy. 

Each morning, I consume my teas of the, Weight Support, Brain Food, Mood food and Echinacea formulas. I choose to add a splash of almond milk to my teas including on the days I fast. I also take my psyllium husk fiber each morning fasting or not.  The fiber keeps your bowels comfortable.  The LBF #1 Capsules (poop pills) are taken sometime around 5pm every day.  If my bowels are not working well, I’ll go ahead and use the ascorbic powder to give them a little push.   

Drinking all the tea or lemon water I can remember to drink throughout the day will ensure better results the next day.  If I find myself dealing with hunger pains I’ll have a nice cup of hot tea with the Digestive tonic, and some more brain formula, with a little almond milk.  Sip it and my tummy feels better very quickly. 

The Food Program for the days I eat is high protein, fat and fiber.  Absolutely no cheep carbs.  Nothing with sugar, white flour, or wheat flour, really if it is processed it is not going to work.  Wednesday for my meal I had, 4 pieces of toasted Ezekiel bread with olive oil and smashed avocado topped with Seasoned Salt and chopped onions, a nice salad with vegetarian bacon bits, cucumbers, onions, olives, red wine vinegar and olive oil. For dessert a bowl of fresh cherries. I found this satisfying. 

On Saturday I enjoyed 3 Chickpea flour patties, green beans, 2 slices of Avocado toast and a bowl of cherries.  You can find the recipe for the patties on my blog.  One day last week I had a pasta casserole make with chickpea pasta, pasta sauce, Mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, olives, chopped garlic, Tofu sausage, (the only one they make without sugar added).  This is good and can be eaten with cooked vegetables or a side salad. 

Hopefully you get the idea; good food made well, following the plan of high protein, fats and fiber.  Lots of great ideas out there.

I began this program 3 weeks ago, around the end of July and have lost 16 lbs. to date.  Read the two books recommended above and come join me for the end of my journey.  The fasting approach to weight loss works, since ending my active fasting program in 2019 I have not regained any of the weight lost. 

Emotional Healing, My Opinion

Choosing Something Better!

Dara Dietz

Life can become so chaotic with all our numerous obligations, it is important to step away and take time to catch up with ourselves.  Do a reality check.  Years ago, I unplugged from the secular media, television, Facebook etc. and discovered all that wasted time spent staring at a computer or television screen could be much better used feeding my brain.  I have also “tried on” several hobbies, things that keep my hands busy while I listen to my audio books or just relaxing while spending time with my husband in the evenings.

Stepping back from all the mind-numbing entertainment (so-called), has been one of the best gifts I’ve given myself.  I admit to wringing my hands in the beginning wondering what to do with myself, but I knew there had to be some changes.  The connections we form with our computers can destroy our emotional, physical and spiritual health.  We need to connect with people.  Spend time with our friends, real people in real time, in the same room with us. 

We also need to spend time with the Father every day.  Finding that place and time each day to connect with the one who knows us best and loves us the most is time well spent.  These quite hours have become my favorite time of day. 

Before the sun comes up, I’m slipping down the hall to my study area, where I find him waiting with his wisdom and blessings for my day.  I talk to him and then I open my bible where he talks to me.  The time sails by and I realize it is already 7am.  Time for my morning walk.

The cool crisp air bursting with the birds’ songs along with the exercise fill me with the joy of a new day.  The large black birds come for the peanuts we have tossed out for them.   The squirrels sneak in and grab a peanut then run for cover.  The early morning drama of nature. My morning is done; it is time to turn on my phone and wake up my computer.  Technology is here to stay, use it wisely.  It is a gift from God to us; it can also be a curse.

Emotional Healing, My Opinion

2024, A Year of Change

Dara Dietz

2024 has been a year of changes for all of us.  The problem with change is that when it occurs we must adapt, adjust our thinking and actions to accept or fight the changes.  So many questions need answering for us to make responsible decisions.  The only real unchanging, steady, and reliable aspect of my life is my relationship with the Lord.  There are no safe harbors aside from Him. 

What am I trying to say, to share today.  In recent months and weeks I have seen so many making fear based decisions.  When we are afraid our focus turns inward to self-preservation, it becomes harder to see the big picture when our hearts are fearful of the future.  The Father has promised to give us a spirit of peace and a sound mind. 

The two, Peace and a sound mind, go together.  This has been repeatedly shown out in the past 100 years.  The survivors of war, forced to live in fear for months and years develop post traumatic stress syndromes. Our nerves were not intended to remain in the fight or flight mode for extended periods of time.

In addition to the stress brought on by change, we continuously feed on an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual, diet of stressful content from the media.  The daily news channels are constantly focused on the next big change or disaster.   Any truly evil event is televised repeatedly just in case you did not get the full effect the first time.    The entertainment offered from mainstream media is full of shocking stories intended to grab your attention.  All of this wears on the fragile nerves of our minds.

It is important to disconnect from all the noise and confusion, come away each day to a quiet place where the Father can refresh your spirit.  Learning to trust Him will only happen when He is asked into our daily life.  He will not intrude but is very willing to join us in anytime or place we choose to make time for Him.  Then Continue to allow Him to remain beside you throughout the day. 

Gram Maxwell

Conversations about God by Grahm Maxwell provides an excellent understanding of who God is and how to becomes friends with Him.

Conversations About God By Graham Maxwell

“Conversations About God” is a recorded series of twenty Friday evening discussions with Graham Maxwell based on the conviction that the most important of all beliefs is the one that brings joy and assurance to Christians everywhere — the truth about our Heavenly Father that was confirmed at such cost by the life and death of His Son.

Interested in seeing the videos? They are available here.

Cleansing & Flushing, Herbal Healing, My Opinion

Targeting & Clearing Toxic Congestion  

Dara Dietz

Nothing is more frustrating than to invest good money and time into a project just to discover what you are doing is making the problem worse.  When the project is healing or clearing congestion from the body the result is often more than frustration, it can also include added discomfort and pain. 

Knowing what herbal aids will do the work needed to clear an issue is only half the answer.  The body must also be prepared to move the waste out of the affected area for elimination from the body.  When there are any obstructions preventing the “die-off” from being removed the toxic waste will be reabsorbed causing pain and discomfort.  

When beginning any healing program the Liver and Kidney’s must be cleared with a good flushing program.  The Bowels must be open and working well.  The Immune system needs to be boosted ensuring that there are enough immune cells to deal with the “Die-off” that will be produced by the cleansing, healing, Herbal Supports.

Using the Salves, Hydrotherapy and herbal supports allow the congested areas to be saturated with the healing, detoxing herbal supports.  Flooding the damaged, congested areas with the nutrients to rebuild, heal, and strengthen speeds the detoxing, healing process.

Using the “First Week” Flushing programs the body will be enabled to clear the congested areas of the body allowing you to use the Salves and Herbal supports without the worry of a back-lash detoxing issue.

Clearing the Liver with an ELF will ensure the internal vacuum is able to pull the waste from every part of the body, clearing the toxins out of the system for elimination through the bowels.

Clearing the Kidneys will ensure these two filters are able to effectively clear toxins from the blood without the backup of puss and gravel which can cause, edema, painful joints, (urea crystals);  and not least of all, the blood pressure to be elevated.

During the healing process it may be necessary to repeat the ELF and Ultimate Kidney Flush several times.  Anytime the herbal supports that were working, stop working, its time to clear the Liver and Kidneys again. 

Keeping the bowels open and working well ensures all the toxins the Liver is dumping onto the bowels is being removed from the body.  If the toxic waste is reabsorbed while sitting around in the bowels waiting for elimination, this can cause flu like symptoms, which can manifest as a toxic headache, over body aches and inflammation.

The best advice when clearing any issue from the body is: Keep the Bowels open and working well, the Liver flushed, and the Kidneys clear with regular flushing.

My Opinion

Accepting a Hard Truth

Dara Dietz
Dara Dietz

The hard truth is, I cannot help everyone.  Since the beginning of my journey into Natural Healing I have come across a certain type of mindset that is unable to accept or understand what natural healing can accomplish.  this mindset is not looking for healing, only for relief of their uncomfortable symptoms.  Symptoms earned as a result of years of unconscious living, the choices they have made and continue to make. 

Often because they are in such discomfort or someone they trust has told them the Natural, Herbal Route, worked for them, they grasp onto the hope that something outside western medicine will have some sort of magic.  The hope is to remove the symptoms, clear the discomfort with the minimum amount of effort on their part. 

An old adage I came across years ago truly fits this sad mindset: They give their soul to the preacher, their brain to the teacher and their body to the doctor then set back and wounder why their life is such a complete failure. 

The hard truth is, you are the only one who can determine the direction of your life or the degree of health and happiness you will have.  Choose to live consciously, deliberately making decisions for yourself is the only way to ensure personal health and happiness.  Natural healing is all about “Stopping the harmful choices, walking away from the hurtful people and things in our life, then choosing to replace them with healthful, healing choices and people.  Set yourself up for a life of success, filled to the brim with health and happiness, where the heart, soul, and physical body, can be well.” 

Once the body is sick or broken there are no pain-free roads back to health.  As the toxic waste,  that is creating the diseased condition in the body, is cleared there is a stress placed on the eliminative organs that must be supported.  The detoxing, flushing, programs aid the body in removing the diseased condition, clearing the sick areas of the body.  Once the toxic condition is cleared the body’s natural ability to self-heal begins.  The health of the body can be regained if the body is given the proper nutrients to rebuild  the sick or damaged area, and, the body holds enough vitality, (vigor, energy, strength,) within itself to affect the healing, restoring work needed. 

The connection between the eliminative organs, such as the bowels, liver, and kidneys, and the diseased or broken area can be confusing to this mindset. 

  • Why, I’m asked,  do I need to do a liver flush when I have an infection in my jaw? 
  • What do the bowels being cleared have to do with acid reflux or heartburn?  
  • Why when my blood pressure is spiking do you suggest flushing the kidneys?  

The answer is key to healing the body.  The toxic condition that has created the uncomfortable, painful issues in the body must be cleared.  The only way to truly clear the waste is for the bowels to be open to allow the waste to pass out.  Once the bowels are open the liver is then free to dump its waste and continue to “vacuum” or draw out the toxins from the affected area.   The kidneys filter the blood and must also be supported or they will begin to show signs and symptoms of toxicity.

The hard  truth is, the mindset that wants immediate relief from symptoms will continue to refuse to do the hard work or take responsibility for their life.  They look for someone who they can make responsible for their healing.  All around are aware of the pain or discomfort they experience.   When pressed to learn or do something that will aid their recovery that might look like work, they dissolve into tears or become agitated, it is all too much for them, just give them the relief they want, that is all they are asking for, all this detoxing information is way too much for them to handle.  The need to go to the root of the issue and support the body in restoring the broken or damaged area is what nature wants to do.  Natural healing is not into symptom suppression, it is about going to the cause and allowing healing to happen the way the Father intended.  The true gift of healing is in the journey, learning to accept all parts of who you are and begin making responsible choices from an understanding of the benefit received from the choices made.