Nature can teach us long before we realise we are learning. For Nobathembu Mthembu, growing up in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape, observing seasonal shifts fostered a strong curiosity about the natural world.
Early this year, her journey into broader healing practices inspired her to establish Heal by Nature, a brand dedicated to exploring how nature can help people care for and restore their bodies.
Rooted in ancestral wisdom and Eastern Cape soil
Growing up, Mthembu was surrounded by women who cherished nature – from the food they prepared to the traditional knowledge they shared and practised.
“My grandmother, Nomamfengu Dweba, laid the foundation for my understanding that the gut is the body’s second brain,” she says. “She used to explain that there is good and bad bacteria, and that you need a healthy balance in your gut.”
These early experiences also sparked a love for biology. While her mother, Nombuso Mthembu, a nurse, hoped she would become a doctor, Mthembu had a different path in mind.
She went on to study at the University of Fort Hare, completing a bachelor of social science and majoring in information systems and economics.
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Formulating healing solutions from kitchen to shelf
With so many products on the shelves containing ingredients she did not recognise, Mthembu says she began thinking more carefully about what she was putting into and onto her body.
In 2022, she moved to Johannesburg and attended several retreats. At one, Bliss and Stars, she came across natural skincare products, which caught her attention. She enquired where they bought their ingredients, and started small on her entrepreneurial path.
Mthembu attended short courses that helped her understand skincare formulation. She began experimenting in her kitchen, making skincare products and fermented products aimed at supporting gut health.
It took time to turn these experiments into a business, but Heal by Nature was formally established in 2026.
Today, the brand offers an anti-ageing oil containing four essential oils, including frankincense; a face cream containing niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and shea butter; tissue oil made with organic, cold-pressed rosehip oil; and a hair oil containing rosemary, tea tree and peppermint oils, as well as hibiscus.
Other products are slimming drops containing burdock root, dandelion, fennel and ginger. She says the ingredients are prepared as a tincture and infused in vodka for four to six weeks.
For Mthembu, the business is also about encouraging people to rethink how they nourish themselves.
“The goal is not to punish the body. The goal is to nourish it,” she says. Mthembu sources her ingredients from Isivuno Naturals, whose products have been tested.
Her approach, she adds, starts with returning to whole, nutrient-dense foods.
“We increase fibre. We drink enough water. We move the body. We support healthy digestion and regular bowel movements. We reduce ultra-processed foods and excessive added sugar.”
This is why her pantry is filled with herbs, vegetables, fruit and grains – foods to help nourish the body.
Nourishment, education, and the path forward
Self-sufficiency is important to Mthembu because it brings independence, security and confidence.
“By growing our own food, learning practical skills, creating income and making wise use of our resources, we become less dependent on others and better prepared for the future,” she says.
This philosophy also shapes her approach to food. Mthembu highlights fermented foods, which can contain probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, that support a healthy balance of microorganisms in the gut.
She sees Heal by Nature growing beyond products into a broader natural wellness and education offering. Her plans include wellness retreats, natural wellness classes and DIY skincare workshops, as well as teaching people about herbs, fermentation, gut-friendly foods, food preservation and growing their own herbs and vegetables.
Much of her clientele has been built through word of mouth. She shares her work and products through her existing social networks, which often prompts people to ask questions and show interest, particularly when she explains what the products are intended for.
She also hopes to offer herbal tea sessions, women’s wellness days and structured workshops through her Herbal Glow Coach programme.
Eventually, Mthembu wants to establish her own wellness centre and farm retreat, where people can attend weekend experiences and access courses, products and wellness kits.
Mthembu’s tips on starting a wellness brand:
- Start small and learn as you go.
- Know your ingredients and understand your products.
- Use your existing network and let word of mouth grow your clientele.
- Keep learning through courses, research and practical experience.
- Build from something you genuinely believe in and enjoy.
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