Elyssa Glaus opens Humble Origins Botanical Curiosities & Apothecary to help provide relief through natural means

The practice of herbal medicine dates back thousands of years. In fact, researchers have found tooth scrapings from tens of thousands of years ago suggesting Neanderthals chewed on medicinal plants to soothe their ailments.

According to the World Health Organization, 75% of the world's population uses herbs for basic health care needs.

It's safe to say there's an interest in finding alternative or complimentary ways of treating physical and mental illnesses, complaints and viruses, and people are willing to pay for it. The global herbal supplements market size was estimated by Grand View Research at $5.9 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $6.3 billion in 2020.

Elyssa Glaus, owner of Humble Origins Botanical Curiosities & Apothecary, started her study into the field of herbalism at the age of 19. Glaus said she was experiencing health problems such as chest pain and seeing dark spots when exercising. Initially, she sought the help of traditional medicine, but eventually decided to take matters into her own hands.

With a background of guiding, teaching and supporting others on their health journeys, having worked as a doula and nearing completion of a 200-hour yoga teaching certification, delving into the field of herbal medicine seemed natural to Glaus.

Elyssa Glaus, owner of Humble Origins Botanical Curiosities & Apothecary, poses for a portrait near some of her products at her store in the Indie House on Thursday in Cape Girardeau.Sarah Yenesel

"I started playing with my diet and with herbs, and before I knew it, I was making little things for my family," she said. "Then I started worrying about what I was putting on my body as well as in it," saying it's difficult to find healthy products in large retail stores.

Ten years after those initial health concerns, and after studying everything she could find in books and on the internet, Glaus has opened an apothecary inside The Indie House, offering tea blends, tinctures and organic skincare, many of which she makes specifically to relieve or heal customers' emotional or physical health concerns.

During the two months Humble Origins has been open, Glaus said, "I've met so many amazing people. It's nice to meet kindred spirits, but it's also really nice to meet people who are just starting their journey and know that I get to be a step in that journey, and help get them."

When a customer details a health concern, Glaus said she will either recommend an herbal blend she made, labeled and has on the shelf, or tailor-make a blend specifically for the ailment.

Glaus is trying to go beyond creating herbal remedies to empower her patrons to learn about the herbs as well.

"Herbs are the people's medicine," she said. "If I can help you without pharmaceuticals that are going to shorten your life and give you more issues, then I want to do that to the best of my ability."

Tea blends she has packaged to sell include Vivid Dreams, Mother's Moon and Starry Eyed, but Glaus realizes herbalism is not a one size fits all fix.

"Probably my biggest takeaway through this whole journey is that health is so specific to each individual person, and what works for them may not work for you," she said.

Humble Origins also has ready-made tinctures (concentrated herbal extracts made by soaking the bark, berries, leaves or roots from plants in alcohol or vinegar) to help with digestion, female hormones, allergies and even chronic lung issues, which she notes many are finding helpful in the battle against the coronavirus.

"The herb mullein is a lung soother. COVID-19 impacts the lungs in a very negative way. So not only is it potentially beneficial for those issues, but also people who smoke or are around a lot of smoking or lung inflammatories. It actually helps reduce bronchitis," Glaus said.

Humble Origins carries jars upon jars of plants, herbs and spices, from mushrooms and elderberries to oatstraw and mullein.

Glaus is working on an all-natural baby teething tincture using clove and catnip. The clove is a natural anesthetic, which can numb the gums for days while the catnip soothes the child to sleep.

With a passion for helping others, Glaus and Humble Origins urge people to get informed about their health.

"I want to help — be a guide," she said. "Even if I just make you a tea that helps you sleep a little better, that in itself is huge because that means that you're a better person for your family and your co-workers the next day. We can't pour from an empty cup, and we don't have to."