Category: My Opinion

My Opinion, Weight Loss

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE

Dara Dietz

Waterfall & flowerFinally I’m learning how to feed myself and still lose weight.  Up until this past weekend I’d experience a slight bounce in weight when I would switch from my water fast to the low carb food program over the weekend.  It has taken a bit of experimentation to find the right foods to use on a Vegetarian low carb food program.  I believe I’ve finally done it.  Anyone deciding to follow such a program will need to work out what works for them while carefully monitoring their daily carb intake.  This weekend I had a huge craving for unsweetened Almond milk.  I don’t know what about it I was craving but I could not get enough of it over the weekend.

The really great news is I not only did not have a bump up in my weight but actually lost 5 lbs over my three day weekend.  The scales are now rounding down on 90 pounds off.  We have decided to update my FB pic on January 1st.  Those around me are saying they can see a good amount of change, I still don’t but I do believe them, my husband and friends have always been honest with me.

Yes, for those who will ask, I’m still doing 3 or 4 days water fasting each week.  I do not find this difficult as I wish to see the scales slide down more than I wish to consume food.   After the 4th day I’m ready to eat something.  During the work week the teas I’m using are providing good nutrition.  Daily I’m using the Weight loss formula, Calcium formula, Echinacea, Infection formula and BF&C.  The Echinacea and infection formula were added a few weeks ago for my Kidneys.  The stress on them to process out the waste at this time is great and they seem to need the extra support.  I’m also drinking a glass or two of water and apple cider vinegar which is good on so many fronts, along with the Psyllium husk powder in water for bowel support.  Will another week is here and time to get busy.  Onward and downward.

My Opinion, Weight Loss

My Weight Loss Program

Dara Dietz

Dara for NLI began my current journey after reading the book by  Dr. Jason Fung, “The Obesity Code”.  With the understanding provided about how to correctly lose weight I began to fashion a program that is working for me.  As of today I have lost 49 lbs. I began this current journey six weeks ago, the last week of august 2017. This morning the scales showed a three pound loss, I loved sliding that bar down a whole three pounds, soooo cool.

VeggiesThe keto food program seems to be the best fit for me right now. At first I was a bit concerned I would not be able to find enough to eat because I don’t consume animal products but with a little work the 50 carbs each day are not proving to be an issue.

When the weight loss begins to stall a bit I find a day or two of water fasting works great to speed things back up. As for energy and feeling good, I feel great.

On the days I eat the Coconut oil helps greatly if I began to feel a bit weak or off. It is a nice quick pick up. The only issue with the water fasting days is the constant running to the washroom. Even so it is all good. Onward and downward.

The ketogenic food program (aka Ketos) is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate food program. This food program forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates by remaining in a state of Ketosis.

Ketosis is a normal metabolic process. When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead.  This process can be encouraged and continued by keeping the body in a state of Keotsis by following a low carb food program.

In general, the daily intake of net carbs required to enter ketosis could vary. Most people, who have experienced ketosis, claim to have reached that state at about 20-50 grams of net carbs per day. I have found between 30-50 carbs a day the right amount for me.  The opinions of those on line seems to be split about when and how to consume my daily amount of carbs.  Since I’m most satisfied eating only one meal a day this is how my program is set up.  For people who wish to consume food more often throughout the day the amount of carbs can be divided into the number of meals you want to consume.

When I get up in the morning, after checking my weight, (my high point of the day) I consume a large glass of water, then a glass of water with 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar.  When heading for my office I stop in the kitchen and make my Superfood (2 Tablespoons of Superfood have 6 carbs) in water with my Flax oil.

I take a glass of tea with the Weight Loss Formula and Licorice Root extracts to my desk, a second cup usually follows shortly with the Female Formula and calcium formula.  Depending on how busy I am or if I get around to it I may have one or two more cups of tea, often the BF&C and heart tonic.

Around noon I take a glass of water with a rounded teaspoon Psyllium husk powder for added fiber support. I tend to eat between 2pm and 4 pm depending on how busy I am.  I keep water or tea at my desk constantly so I’m not overly hungry.

Pouring water 2The meal begins with a nice salad followed by cooked Vegetables with some veggie meats (check the carb value on everything).  It can be tricky following a vegetarian food program while doing low carbs but it is doable. I decided while doing this program to consume eggs and some cheese, so I’m not completely Vegan right now.  Because of the change in my food program I have decided to do an ELF, (Liver Flush) every other week, just to keep my liver cleared out.

I continue to drink plenty of water throughout the evening to keep myself hydrated.  Sometime during the evening I add Keltic sea salt to a glass of water.  When my body is in Ketosis I move a lot of water through my kidneys, about every hour up until bedtime I void a large amount of water.  The good news is I only get up once or twice during the night to void.

The web is full of support for anyone counting carbs.  Look around to see what the best fit is for you.

Herbal Healing, My Opinion, Women's & Men's Health

Herbal Supports for ALL Female Issues

Dara Dietz
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There are three basic herbal support combinations for women’s issues along with several others used when their specific herbal formulas are needed. Understanding when and how to use these formulas to support or clear everything from PMS to issues arising from Menopause will add to the quality of a woman’s life as well as that of her family.

The three basic formulas are:

  • Female Formula: A hormonal balancing formula
  • Nu-Fem Formula: Rebuilding formula for the female organs
  • Changease Formula: Hormonal food formula
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The Female Formula is a hormonal balancing formula.  The herbs in this formula have provided relief for menstrual issues ranging from excessive bleeding to extreme PMS issues.   Knowing how to use this valuable formula will aid any woman facing hormonal imbalance issues.  Using 1.5 tsp. daily stopping the week of your cycle will support most women enabling timely cycles while clearing all PMS issues.

At times of extreme hormonal imbalance when excessive bleeding is an issue the Female formula can be used in higher dosages to naturally stop an extended cycle and or slow the excessive bleeding to a more normal flow.   This can often occur after the birth of a child, during menopause, or when dealing with fibroid tumors.

When needing to stop an extended cycle, one that has gone on past the normal 5 to 7 days or has returned before the normal 21 to 28 days which should occur between cycles, use 1 tablespoon Female Formula daily all at once in cup of hot water, in very severe cases a tablespoon morning and evening can be used.  Continue this higher dose for one or two days after the bleeding has stopped to prevent breakthrough bleeding.  When mid-month break through bleeding occurs increase regular dose to the tablespoon daily for a day or two to stop the bleeding, then drop back to the normal 1.5 tsp. daily dosage.

For the everyday female formula, with the herbs, proportions and how to make it, see Food for the Female System.

Side effects of using high doses of Female Formula:  It is the natural progesterone occurring in the Wild Yam herb that controls or stops excess bleeding.  High doses of progesterone can cause tenderness in the breasts.  Not to worry when the dose is returned to normal the tenderness will disappear within a day or two.  No harm no foul or lasting effects.

For the rebuilding formula, with the herbs, proportions and how to make it, see Rebuilding a Worn-Down Female System.

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Nu-Fem Formula is a female rebuilding herbal combination.  This herbal combination should be added to the Female formula when needing to rebuild the health of the uterus and surrounding glands for issues such as cysts, fibroid tumors or endometriosis.  The entire incurables program needs to be used because flushing the liver and kidneys will aid in clearing the waste while the herbal supports rebuild the affected areas.

 Changease Formula is our Hormonal Food Formula for either women or men.  This formula is an excellent aid for times of serious hormonal shifting such as child birth, menopause, and at time for the early teens when hormones are building at the onset of the cycles.  Red Raspberry tea is often enough for the young girls but when that is not enough then the Changease can be used to provide the hormonal food needed for a smooth transition from childhood into womanhood.  For all issues begin with the Female formula adding the Changease as needed for hormonal support.

For the hormonal food formula, with the herbs, proportions and how to make it, see Hormonal Food for Men and Women.

THE ELF 183X253

When dealing with any degraded condition of the body or if the system fails to respond as expected to the female support combinations try adding a bit of liver flushing to your healing program.  These herbal combinations will do the job, they are the gifts provided by our Father for the balancing and healing of the female organs when they fail to work the cause is often the inability of the body to properly utilize the herbal foods properly.  If the nutrients cannot be absorbed there will be no healing.  Clear the liver and the herbal supports will be able to do the work they were created to do.

elf-the-amazing-liver-flush-my-way-1Download
Herbal Healing, My Opinion, Weight Loss

Successful Weight Loss

Dara Dietz
Dara’s Weight Loss Testimony

Pouring water 2Read “The Obesity Code” This was a real eye opener, so much about losing weight has been upside down and backward. What we have been doing is right and wrong, I think the bottom line is we have been linking weight loss exclusively to the concept of decreasing calories and increasing exercise. Yes it is important to move but we completely miss the real issue which is like every other activity in our body our weight is controlled by hormones. In his book Dr. Jason Fung MD, explains how to get off the diet merry-go-round by resetting what your body says is your set body weight. Anyone working with people or trying to lose weight themselves really needs to take the time to get thought this book. There are answers here.

tea-3Successfully did my first 24 hour water fast from Friday to Saturday. It was not as bad as I expected it to be. In fact I would say it was as easy as a juice fast (my longest juice fast was 40 days several years ago). Since clear, no calories teas ect are acceptable on a water fast I used the weight loss formula and the BF&C and Calcium formulas as a nutritional support for the day. The weight Loss has the kelp which supports thyroid and glandular function (a weak spot in my body) along with other herb high in nutritional support.

In the book, The Obesity Code, where Dr. Fung explains how to do the water fasting, he suggests when doing extended water fasts for a week or more to use a vitamin supplement. I don’t care for pressed pills overall and have used the superfood as my daily supplement for years. This is not available when water fasting.

If anyone can suggest a good high quality vitamin supplement I would be happy for the referral. I would like to be able to do a longer fast. I am a bit concerned that the extracts will not support well enough for longer water fasting.

Ok for the good stuff and the not so good. The weight loss has been steady. Since beginning the program and with the water fast I have lost a total of 18 lbs in two weeks.

The not so good is what Dr Fung said would happen when you beginning burning ketones, my body dumped a huge amount of water. This was to be expected he explained the reason for it in his book. I’ll not go into it here but except for the need run for the bathroom every hour or so I can’t say it was a bad experience. As he suggested I added a bit of sea salt to my water when I began to get a headache. The pain in my head ended nearly before I had finished drinking the salted water.

My energy is up and I feel so good that I believe I will do it all again today. He suggested intermittent water fasting from 16 hours in a day to a week at a time. We shall see how this all works out. I do suggest reading his book “the obesity code” it is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to understand how what you put in your mouth affects the body. Very good reference.

 

My Opinion, Spiritual Healing

Living in Love

Dara Dietz

Pink bunch flipWhat is real love, how does it materialize into a life?  What impact will honest loving have in real life?

To know true love is to learn to be at peace with whatever the day brings.  Why?  Because all truth and love come from God, the Father who is love is aware of all my needs no matter how small.  He has covered my life, is willing to take every burden, and heal every hurt.

Accepting, and living in the flow of his love allows all His loving goodness to flow through my life, healing my past while providing strength for today’s trials and annoyances.  Where true love abides there is no fear.  The future holds only the bright promise that when we have done all the good possible in this life we will take that last step into eternity.

The eyes of love see and understand the damage selfishness and fear can inflict on the innocent.  True love is other focused more interested in giving than receiving.  His love allows me to love the unlovely, to care for those who have no care or concern for me.  I am loved.

Many hold the dream that true love sweeps all trials and annoyances from life’s path.  Such a dream is foolish thinking.  How would one grow if not for the trials life brings?  How can I learn to believe in a benevolent, loving heavenly father if the need to test my faith in him never arises?  Each trial is an opportunity to grow beyond who I am today.  A chance to embrace the truth about myself found only when daily annoyances and trials push me beyond my limited resources.

True love is the assurance that when all doors have been closed and the only way of escape is the open window He will provide the wings for you to fly.  Love is the Freedom to live wide open allowing life to be what it is and everyone to be who they are.  Love’s eternal wave brings healing, wisdom, and strength to anyone willing to stand and receive the full happy life founded on truth and love.

Cleansing & Flushing, Herbal Healing, My Opinion

New Flushing Experience

Dara Dietz
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The best discoveries have come when something I have done over and again the same way for years is tweaked a bit with amazing results.  One of these “light-bulb” moments came a few weeks ago during a juice fast and liver flush.

My week of juice fasting was going well when I decided to do the “Amazing Liver flush” which is a bit different from an “ELF” Liver Flush.   The Amazing Liver flush should only be done once every 6 to 8 weeks because of the Epsom salt consumed during the process.  The concern is with the amount of water being dumped from the bowels during the process.  Don’t get me wrong this is an excellent cleanse but must be used with respect and common sense.  The ELF Flush can be repeated without concern that one might upset the Electrolytes balance in the blood.

Wednesday night I decided to do the Amazing Liver flush.  I mostly followed the directions but made a few tweaks in the process.  To be able to share this The Amazing Liver Flush My Way has been posted to the member’s area.  Everything progressed perfectly, no burps or upset in my tummy.  Normally when doing this flush I don’t get a lot of sleep due to the lose bowels that accompany the use of the Epsom salt drink.  It really was not so bad, I eliminated very well but was able to sleep soundly without issues.

I felt fine the next day and decided around 9pm to do another liver flush.  My body was so primed to flush and the little voice inside me was letting me know the work was far from done.  So I did an ELF. I followed the directions did not really tweak anything except instead of doing the ginger root juice I did 2 tsp. each of the Digestive Tonic and LP Formula in 6 oz of water, followed closely by the Oil drink.

The flush went perfectly, I slept like a log and the next morning was amazed beyond belief at the amount of waste eliminated.  Remember I’d been juice fasting for 4 days, there was no solid food to process out, and a tremendous amount of waste had been processed from my liver during the night.

So now it’s been three or four weeks since the flush the big question is: What effects do I continue to feel in my body?  What lasting benefit remains?

  • My need for the LBF #1 has been cut in half and appears to be holding at this lower amount.
  • The pain in my injured knee (always a bother, sometimes a BIG bother) has all but gone away.
  • My concentration has improved.

Following the links above will allow anyone who would like to try the chance to do this flush work.  The feeling that I need to do this again is strong, likely I’d repeat the process in the next week or so.

Getting Started, Herbal Healing, My Opinion

Debility: Rebuilding the Body

Dara Dietz

barefootSince my early teens anything that promised strength or energy was of interest.  A low functioning thyroid, bouts of depression and physical weakness have plagued my life.  Learning how to use the herbal gifts to better support the overall health of the body has enabled me to also learn what works and what doesn’t.

Is there a good plan or program for overall weakness, lack of energy, a general debility in the body?  Rebuilding the strength and vigor in a body takes commitment over many months.  The medical names given for these conditions are:

  • Asthenia: Abnormal physical weakness or lack of energy
  • Adynamia: Loss of vital strength or muscular power

Debility is a condition where the body has been run into the ground as a result of an improper diet.  Said another way the body has been starved for proper nutrition for so long it has lost the ability to function.  We all know a car will not run without a supply of gasoline to draw from.  The body works much the same way, it will not continue to function without a supply of nutrients to draw from.

Rebuilding the body will take dedication and time.  In some cases the whole digestion must be rebuilt.  A speedy recovery may be had with Juice Therapy alone or with Slippery Elm Gruel.  Other nutritional herbs such as Irish Moss or Comfrey may be used successfully.

Superfood for energy: the normal dose of super-food is to add 2 tablespoons of the green mix to a glass of juice. It has been discovered that doubling the dose to 4 tablespoons provides a nice energy boost.  Using an extra glass of Superfood in the mid-morning or late afternoon when an energy boost is needed has proven beneficial.

Super-Kelp Mix is an excellent herbal food aid to target and rebuild the entire glandular system while proving an excellent aid to the malfunctioning thyroid gland.

To the above herbal supports and juicing add a healthy food program along with bi-weekly or monthly liver flushing for a good rounded program. Once all the good choices have been enacted it is time to settle back and enjoy the new healthier lifestyle you have chosen.  Regaining the vital forces of the body will take time but there is a huge gift in the journey, the gift of learning that only experience can provide.

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

Understanding Nervine Herbs

Dara Dietz
NeckPain

The nervine combinations and herbs have been proven useful aids in relaxing the systems of the body as well as calming the mind, and relaxing the muscles.  Over the years I have discovered several truths about the herbals, one truth is the herbs have the ability to affect the emotional and spiritual life in the same way they affect the physical body.  An example is Uva Ursi, an excellent diuretic it aids in the removal of excess fluid from the body.

My father used Uva Ursi in his healing practice as an aid for those who were stuck in fight-or-flight mode.  He was a bit ahead of his time in his understanding of how this mindset would affect the overall health of the body.  He had discovered how useful this herb could be in soothing the mind and emotions allowing the body to calm naturally.  Listening to him counsel his clients I was able to gleam this little pearl along with many others.

As a young adult; I would take 5 capsules of this herb just before bedtime, which would cause me to fall asleep.  When I woke up the sense of emotional clearing was with me, I felt like someone had pulled a plug allowing all the pent-up emotions to drain out. After discovering the power of the herbal extract I have found 1 tsp. of Uva Ursi has a diuretic effect on the emotions, it has proven to be an excellent aid when used appropriately at aiding the heart and mind to clear the emotional stress caused by emotionally feeding on negative and stressful issues.

Old habits of thinking must be changed.  No herbal support can do this work for us; even so, creating a calmer, relaxed condition of the mind and spirit can aid to protect the health of the body while making it easier to choose a better, healthier, happier way of thinking.

A useful herbal combination is Mullein and Lobelia.  Lobelia as a nervine has a calming effect on the entire body, stopping physical spasms as well as calming serious emotional upsets.  Used as a topical salve these two herbs are a powerful topical antispasmodic, quickly relaxing muscle spasms, calming spastic coughing fits.  Dr Christopher developed this combination as an aid for the Thyroid and glandular system.  As a salve the combination has proven a valuable addition to any herbal medicine cabinet.

For the Mullein and Lobelia combination, with the proportions and how to make the salve at home, see Mullein and Lobelia: Letting Locked Muscles Go.

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The herbal NF (Nerve Food) combination has aided everything from insomnia to panic attacks.  One of the best emotional support combinations this writer has ever worked with, I’ve been truly impressed.

For the nerve food formula, with the herbs, proportions and how to make it, see Food for a Frayed Nervous System.

HEAL’s three sleep aids; General Nervine, Insomnia, and Sleep Aid each have their own special personality.  The General Nervine is a strong calming and restorative aid for the nerves, it may be used during times of severe stress in low doses during the day to prevent a complete emotional breakdown; it shores up the emotional strength preventing the descent into hysterics.

For the general nervine, with the herbs, proportions and how to make it, see A Calming Formula for Sleep and for Crisis.

For the two sleep formulas, with the herbs, proportions and how to make it, see Two Formulas for a Good Night’s Sleep.

The Insomnia is a nice sleep aid, allowing the body to become drowsy.  This is a formula that fits some very well while others have indicated it not that effective.

Sleep Aid is a calming aid for the entire body.  I’ve personally used this to calm my restless legs issues.  A teaspoon full in water works to clear that crawly, restless feeling in my legs.  I also find my sleep restful and unbroken when this formula has been used before bedtime.

My Opinion

Learning to Dance with the FDA

Dara Dietz

wet&wildOver the past 20 years I’ve had the opportunity to meet with several FDA Investigators. In recent years the rules have changed allowing them more involvement in our association.  Learning how to deal with nonsense they thrust upon us has been like learning to dance to a strange and unusual tune.  Common sense need not be applied.

The latest dance steps were spun through this past Monday & Tuesday.

The FDA is here. We were just getting started with our day when they arrived for another inspection. It is so unnerving to have them show up. I just hang onto the truth that the Lord is in charge and it will all be for the very best. He will give strength for the day.

Today is also my husbands birthday. I’ve been so blessed to have him in my life. Aside from being my best friend he has stood by me through it all and today appears to be another of those stand together days.

UPDATE TO FDA VISIT POST FROM JUNE 12

The FDA investigators arrived for their second day of their inspection and they left last night just before 6 pm. The team consisted of two women, very nice people overall. I think I could like them under different circumstances.

OK, so the bottom line is this is a dance we will have to learn and do if we are going to continue doing what we do. It is do-able.

Over the last two days Michael and I put them through their paces, we made sure we understood exactly what they want and how we are to achieve it.

I finally get it, I believe. That does not mean I agree with the complete stupidity of these regulations. Little of what we are having to do has anything to do with the quality of the herbal combinations we put out and everything to do with paper trials.

For those of you who may one day need to know here is what they want to see. I have to put in writing directions, that of course, agree with their regulations, for every thing we do. How we make our labels and apply such label. How we combine our herbs, the steps we go through when setting extracts. Every step of what we do has to be written out and comply with what they think it should be.

There is a rule book to follow so it is not arbitrary for the inspector or should I say the inspector does not get to make it up as they go. They were a bit surprised when I quoted their rules and made a stand on several points. I’ve read the complete FDA rules that apply to us. I put them into a kindle book so I can search easily.

Since their last visit I have been working on all these written documents they want but still did not understand exactly how it all fit together. IT makes more sense now. My husband and I do not feel discouraged but empowered, the women who were here gave us the gift of their knowledge and we were able to put our aversion to what they are and who they are aside so we could hear.

This is a long post I wanted to share the understanding that this is the world we are living in, to do the good we want to do we must learn to abide here while trusting in the one who has promised to see us through whatever may come.

Please feel free to ask questions, I will be happy to help.

Cleansing & Flushing, Herbal Healing, My Opinion, Skin, Wounds & First Aid

Liver Flushing for Itch & ECZEMA

Dara Dietz

OLive oil-grapefruit juice253x183Several summers ago I went to a Chinese Restaurant. Long story short, I ended up eating a bit of pork. This is something I can absolutely not tolerate. By bedtime that night I had small read pimple looking bumps all over my arms, chest, and legs. They itched. In the morning they had begun weeping a clear liquid and the itch was almost unbearable.

For two weeks I did all the topical remedies, packing my arms and legs with BF&C Salve and taking high doses of the extract internally. I was also using an ounce of Echinacea daily for six days a week. I did the hot and cold showers 3 or 4 times a day. Those showers were the only remedy that gave any relief from the constant itching.

After two weeks with no improvement I decided to try a liver flush. I had told so many other that when nothing is working do a liver flush. Get that Liver cleaned out and you will begin to see improvement. Will I could have saved myself two weeks of misery if I had taken my own advice sooner.

I did an ELF, the strong Liver flush,  first thing in the morning and by bedtime that night I was about 70% cleared. At the end of day two of liver flushing my condition had completely cleared. The skin on my arms, legs, and chest was completely healthy again. I’m sure the BF&C I’d been using for two weeks played some role in the fast healing of my skin once I eliminated the cause by cleansing my liver.

My understanding is when the liver becomes over loaded it will begin to detox through the skin. This is always a bad idea for the skin, since it is not able to handle the toxic waste and breaks down very quickly. So the key to healing the skin is to first, flush out the liver which will encourage it to dispose of waste through the proper channel, that being the Bowel. Then begin using the herbs to heal and restore the condition of the skin.

For those who have suffered years with this condition healing can come. It will take time to heal the long term damage done over years but relief and healing can be gained by continuing to cleanse the liver while using herbs to heal the skin.