About
5e is a woman-owned wellness brand based in Santa Cruz, California, offering organic herbal products crafted to support emotional balance, embodiment, and connection to the natural world. While our roots are grounded in the Chinese Five Element philosophy, our work expands into a broader landscape of healing—drawing from somatic practices, energy awareness, and nature-based wisdom.
Every product is formulated by an experienced acupuncturist and herbalist with the intention of helping individuals soften emotional stress, reconnect with their inner rhythms, and return to a more grounded, authentic state of being. With a commitment to local production and the highest-quality organic ingredients, we create tinctures, body oils, and supportive tools designed to nurture harmony from the inside out.
Our Mission
Our mission is to support individuals in reconnecting with themselves and the natural world through a blend of elemental wisdom, emotional healing, and embodied practices. With the Five Elements as a meaningful part of our foundation, we draw from a wide range of modalities to offer tools that nurture balance, resilience, and inner harmony.
Our Promise
We take pride in sourcing our ingredients from premium organic herbal producers, ensuring that our customers receive the highest quality products. By producing locally, we support our community and reduce our environmental impact. We prioritize using organic cordyceps and Chinese herbs and keep plastic use in packaging to a minimum. In the future, we are working towards implementing a bottle return/recycle program to further promote sustainability. Every 5e product is made with integrity and is rooted in the Chinese 5 Element herbal traditions.
About the Creators
Founded by three passionate women in Santa Cruz, California, 5e creates herbal wellness products designed to support emotional, energetic, and physical well-being. While our roots are grounded in the Chinese Five Element philosophy, our work has grown to incorporate a broader range of healing practices—including somatics, energy work, and nature-based rituals.
With expertise in acupuncture, herbalism, and holistic health coaching, we craft organic, high-quality tinctures, body oils, and tools that nurture balance and inner harmony. We understand the intimate connection between emotions, the nervous system, and overall health, and we design our offerings to help individuals reconnect with their natural rhythms, regulate emotional stress, and feel more fully embodied.
At 5e, the Five Elements remain a guiding lens, and are part of a wider toolkit we use to help you explore your true nature, restore balance, and cultivate a sense of peace and presence in everyday life.
Neva Healer, LAc
Neva, a gifted acupuncturist raised in Santa Cruz, CA, discovered her passion for Eastern medicine and the transformative power of 5 Element Acupuncture during her career in environmental studies. A fortuitous encounter with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncturist greatly helped Neva overcome her feelings of depression and opened her eyes to the power of Eastern medicine. This sparked a fire within her to learn more and Neva followed her intuition, enrolling in the master's program for acupuncture at Five Branches University. It was during this time that Neva discovered the world of 5 Element Acupuncture, a philosophy rooted in the balance of mind, body, and spirit, which she has been practicing ever since. Neva's passion for the 5 Element approach grew, leading her to study herbalism and craft natural remedies for clients so she could share the transformative power of this ancient wisdom with others.
Audrey-Jean Meidl
Audrey Jean Meidl, is a women’s holistic health coach who struggled with painful periods/hormonal imbalances, migraines, and disordered eating in her teens. At age 19, Audrey Jean realized that true healing could only happen when she took ownership of her own well-being and met Neva while seeking out support and alternative methods.
It was through Neva that Audrey Jean began to understand her sensitivities to this world and identify herself as a highly sensitive person/empath. As Neva’s guidance and support continued, Audrey Jean began to unearth her innate power to heal herself. This journey has led her to overcoming symptoms of anxiety, disordered eating, and guided her towards steps of balancing her hormones.
This profound experience ignited a passion within her soul to share the ancient wisdom of the 5 elements and help others discover their own path to inner balance and fulfillment.
Audrey Remde
Audrey Remde, a health coach who battled chronic fatigue and Lyme disease in her teenage years, discovered acupuncture while seeking treatments for healing. Audrey met Neva and experienced the profound benefits of the 5 Element approach, realizing that treating the spirit along with the body was the missing link in her journey. As she delved deeper into the holistic approach she experienced both personal growth and knowledge, physical healing, and relief from her depression and anxiety. This is when Audrey knew she had to be a part of spreading this wisdom to others. When Neva approached her with the idea of creating products to support healing and self-understanding, Audrey jumped at the chance to embark on this shared mission.