Brittany Alas (picture right) and Raisa Simon (picture left), owners of The Daily Herb Co gift their knowledge to community. Inspired to heal themselves; encouraged by friends and family began building together an exceptional, natural, organic, vegan, and wild forage health and wellness business as a means to aid the healing of mind and body in the Leimert Park Village.
By LaMar Anderson | March 25, 2021 | 6:00am
Please tell us your names and the name of your business.
My name is Brittany Alas, and the name of the business is The Daily Herb Co; and I am Raisa Simon.
What’s The Daily Herb Co offering today in Leimert Park?
Brittany: Today, we have a few options. Our chicory root prebiotic tea helps gut health. And it allows your body to properly assimilate the foods that you ingest. It is reminiscent of coffee, but it is not coffee. It’s tea. People who are looking to wean themselves off [coffee], this is a great option. It doesn’t have caffeine.
Are The Daily Herb Co products supplements?
Brittany: So we have non-alcoholic glycerides, called glycerin extracts. And these glycerin extracts allow you to take in nutrients without the alcohol content. They are so versatile; you can put them in your water. You can take them sublingually. They can go in your juice, smoothie; they can even go in your salad dressing.
How long has The Daily Herb Co been in existence, and what was the inspiration for starting the business?
Brittany: I have been working on The Daily Herb for about four years now. Initially, when I went into business, it was because I was looking to improve my health. I wasn’t well at all and started looking for ways to help myself; then, my family got on board. I was given a lot of inspiration to come out and expose it to the world because it’s a good product. About a year ago, I asked Raisa to come and help me, and now we are officially building.
Do you have a background in health and wellness, medicine, or was passion in pursuing your health what led you to create products and form The Daily Herb Co?
Brittany: It was from my own personal health. I’ve always studied how to make myself well. But the application didn’t start until I actually started to get sick. From then on, the journey began. And it started with food; it didn’t start with the herbs. The herbs came after the food. They’ve been a part of the journey.
Raisa: About two years ago, when Brittany and I met, and I had just begun my wellness journey, spiritual journey as well, so I think once I met and recognized we had a soul connection here and previously, that was the catalyst for my spiritual journey. So she started talking about the business during normal conversation and thought it sounded amazing, thinking to myself, that’s completely something I would want to be involved with; I’ve always been extremely into food even before becoming vegan. When I became vegan, my focus became more-so on the nutritional side of food.
So we met, and I began having my own thoughts about how I want to be involved with her and the business and herbs and everything. I just started to become aware of herbs and realize -oh well, the TI drink from Trader Joe’s, those are herbs- and being in a business with all herbs that’s awesome and also goes into how well people eat. I love that too. I have a medical background, so I could tie that in, so for me, it’s just meshing all three into one for wellness and the business. And tying all that into one cute little package.
Are you both from Los Angeles? Did you both grow up in LA?
Brittany and Raisa: LA County [speaking & laughing simultaneously]
Brittany: We’re LA County for sure.
Raisa: Yes.
What does Leimert Park mean to you?
Brittany: I started scouting maybe two months prior to introducing the idea to Raisa. I was telling her I am ready to start bottling and really getting stuff packaged nicely. I was already selling products, but not like this. I was already working on things, getting what I could done. I was out here; I love the energy, I love the people I just got to know, the vendors walking around. I asked her if she wanted to give it a shot, haha, and she was so excited -like yes, I’m down!, let’s do it, let’s go- and that was my inspiration, like -okay, we’re doing it- I have confirmation from my friend. I got somebody telling me that she is going to be there, and it’s been a great learning experience.
It’s definitely a different culture here from where we grew up. The culture is night and day, but it’s beautiful; it’s diverse. So we appreciate it because we don’t get to see it that often.
Raisa: Yes, so aside from it being a learning experience for the business, on a personal level, we get to be here with people who are like us and look like us, which is what we don’t encounter a lot in the real world. Especially for myself working in Orange County, haha.
Brittany: Yes. I work over in South Central. We’re from Long Beach.
Raisa: Being out here on a personal level is just awesome. The energy and vibrations are just amazing, and to be with people who are like us on a spiritual level with sage burning and crystals, herbs, and drums. It’s unlike any place I’ve ever been. We are appreciated for what we have here, what we sell. People come and support. Even if they don’t purchase, they come and support. They talk, they gain knowledge. We’re appreciated for our skin tone and our hair, our curves, haha, everything. It’s a wonderful experience.
Brittany: We are vegan, so we get Wose [Pattyman]. You have a couple of Ital (I-tal) people out here. We don’t get this at home! I am in LA all week. It’s nothing like it. I come to Hot n Cool during the week, Eso Won. And to be here and support, we go and support businesses in our area and willing to pay what their prices are, people down here [Leimert Park] are doing their work too.
Raisa: We love coming here and being able to support other vendors.
Brittany: We spend a lot of money down here [Leimert Park]; we get it in return, haha!
Raisa: Absolutely, we do.
What are you both excited about for yourselves and The Daily Herb Co this 2021 year?
Brittany: Expansion.
Raisa: Expansion and growth, just having all the boxes checked on the to-do list that will actually feel amazing.
Brittany: That’s her job. I don’t do the boxes on the to-do list. I’m like -most high lead me, I need to be led there- haha! The vision is there but nope; you still gotta lead me. ‘Rai’ is like this – did you get this done? I say Rai make sure you text me during the week because I don’t remember half of it.
Raisa: Haha.
Brittany: I am constantly creating; she’s like focus, so we have a lot of that going.
Most people are familiar with “titles” what would you say your title is or want people to consider you?
Brittany: I heal on all levels. When people look at me, I want them to see a healer. This is not the only way I have learned how to heal. My calling has been on healing but on every level. I can speak to people; it heals me in-turn. But yes, healer is always the top priority; the herbs come with it, part of the perks, haha.
Raisa: I don’t know, I know I am a healer, I am considered as that, but as far as any other title we are still working on that, it’s a work in progress.
Can you tell us about the importance of these products in our life?
Brittany: You are getting the products in the most natural form possible. Not only are you getting them in the most natural form, they’re organic, foraged wild. The nutrients are there. Everything you need to regenerate your body on a cellular level is here. And not only do you get this you get the gift of us, who have the knowledge to take you past what this can offer you; this is just a piece of it.
Brittany: We are so much more in-depth than just the herbs but the importance of them in daily life. They are just as important as eating food and drinking water.
Raisa: Just to add on to what Brit said, Some people don’t intake the proper nutrients on a daily with their diet, and their lifestyle isn’t efficient enough to support the health of their body. With the herbs, you’re getting something that your body needs. You’re feeding your body something as opposed to nothing. And I think that’s something we offer down here because of our population as a whole. They don’t obtain everything that they need. I feel like we are saying -hey, do something – please.
Can you talk about what The Daily Herb Co products will help our community with, considering that we constantly have problems with, i.e., diabetes, allergies et cetera?
Raisa: Yes, right off the top of my head, I can say inflammation. Because the diet with processed food, sugar, starches, and bread eventually turns into sugars, gluten and flour promote inflammation and stick in your gut. A lot of these here are anti-inflammatory. You [Brittany] want to talk about colon health?
Brittany: Yes, we just lost Chad [Boseman] due to colon cancer.
Raisa: Right, A lot of these focus on colon health and bringing down the inflammation. Both work together to decrease colon cancer and constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, inflammatory skin disorders, mineral deficiency. Just thinking off the top of my head. The top two things we help with are colon health, which is essential, as well as inflammation or anti-inflammatory, which is also essential.
Brittany: We do have some things for allergies which would be like our black seed syrup. I normally, if people are okay with it, add some goldenseal to it, which is good for hay fever. I just had someone tell me that their acid reflux when they stop taking the product, realize -because their diet is the same- it comes right back.
Honestly, money is the perk. We are genuinely here to service the community. Our Five sSea is thick stuff, boy, haha, it’s made up of five different sea vegetables. So it means all your sea nutrients, amino acids, and things like that you will be receiving. It’s some strong stuff. She [Raisa] likes this one.
Raisa: It’s one of my favorites.
Brittany: I got her with the bitters today, haha, but all the bitters are gone. But It’s so good for you. You literally feel like you’re vibrating. You feel the vibration in your body.
Raisa: It’s amazing.
Brittany: We have a product specifically for hair, skin, and nails. Like, for hunger control, I’ve noticed that people eat out of boredom or having something else to do. So we created this one to reduce that [craving]. If you’re sitting at the computer, maybe have a bottle of water, every time you feel hungry, drink some water. This actually helps to curb that craving. It is designed to work with your body to shut that part down. The Daily Dose is a multi-nutrient designed to work with every system. Everything is getting its cellular rejuvenation with that one.
We sold out of male vitality, but we do have things specifically for males. Men’s prostate starts to deteriorate by the time they are twelve years old, but it still functions and works. We are just saying this idea of aging is a part of that concept-right.
Raisa: It helps with inflammation on the prostate
Brittany: It helps with semen [production], haha, because it does have some herbs that boost testosterone naturally. It’s good stuff. It’s gone more than it’s not, haha!
Raisa: Very true. We also have items for female health as well. We have our Hormonal Balance, which is wonderful. I do take that on the regular with some of the other items. It helps with the fluctuation of the estrogen levels during the PMS period and also into the cycle. We have our menopause which helps with the absence or decreasing of the estrogen during the menopausal time.
Brittany: These, in particular, give women all the hormones you need to keep you balanced. And the body always pulls what it needs from the nutrients your giving it.
Raisa: It helps with the symptoms that you will have from the absence of estrogen or the fluctuation of; with is the absence and then too much. The fluctuation of the hormones: the headaches, the night sweats, food cravings, mood swings, cramping.
Brittany: It allows you to properly release the estrogen as well.
What would you say to anyone thinking about visiting, who’s never been, to Leimert Park?
Raisa: Be open to the diverse group of people and personalities you will find and be open to supporting everyone. Be respectful to the culture and energy that has been here and preserve it and come down here with love and light to give and receive.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs, creators, healers interested in being independent, blazing their trail, healing, giving back, and creating value in the community?
Brittany: Study the masters. That’s all you have to do. You study the master’s; you’ll find your way because you have people at every level. So, if I am studying that peer, well, I want to see what book they’re suggesting? What websites are they telling me to go to? You follow these other people; go thru their comments read what people are talking about; it may lead you to somewhere else. You’ll eventually find what you’re looking for.
How can we connect with Brittany and Raisa and support The Daily Herb Co?
Our website is www.dailyherbco.com. We also have our Instagram @thedailyherbco, and we can be reached by email at [email protected]
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