In 2014, Eric T. Collins faced a turning point. At just 34 years old, the Jackson native was overweight, battling high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. But a trip to Atlanta to hear Dr. Sebi speak changed everything.

"When I came back, I was on fire," Collins recalls.

He committed to a 21-day plant-based fast that transformed his health, balancing his blood pressure and shedding weight. Collins learned through his own health journey that "it made no sense for me to put dead food inside of a living body." The experience ignited a passion that would eventually lead him to open Thee Herbal Blessing on Farish Street in 2019. His mission became clear: remind people that herbs have always been humanity's medicine.

"Once upon a time, I don't think we had Walgreens. We had herbs. And they never stopped working. We just stopped working with them," the herbalist said.

A Farish Street Staple With Hundreds of Herbal Remedies

Seven years later, Thee Herbal Blessing has become a Jackson staple, offering nearly 400 herbs and close to 300 medicinal herbal blends. From tonics and bitters to teas and capsules, Collins and his team provide natural solutions for everything from high blood pressure and diabetes to digestive issues and stress relief. For tourists exploring Jackson's rich culinary scene, Thee Herbal Blessing offers something essential: a reset.

"Everybody needs a break," explains Collins, a plant-based eater. "This is not saying you need to stop eating this or that. It's just saying, ‘Okay, I'm going to give my body a break.’"

A Different Kind of Happy Hour

Visitors and locals can trade their tequila shots for shots of vitamins and minerals, along with cleansing blends for their colon, blood purifiers, and remineralizing supplements like sea moss, which Collins describes as a superfood loaded with minerals that he credits with boosting energy, supporting skin health, and helping balance blood pressure. Not to mention, Thee Herbal Blessing's number-one seller for seven years running, Full of Poop No More. It's a detox blend Collins describes as cleansing the colon and supporting gut health, which he says is foundational to overall wellness.

Dexter Maberry, also a local herbalist and a regular patron, said, "If we want our bodies to become healed, we have to put the stuff in it that it needs."

Sourcing Herbs From Around the Globe

Collins sources herbs from around the world – Mexico, St. Lucia, Jamaica, the Ivory Coast, Croatia, and California, and he's traveled to meet his suppliers personally. An upcoming trip to Honduras will bring back even more life-changing ingredients to help him supply not only the Jackson store, but additional locations in Ridgeland and Frisco (Texas), and more stores opening soon in Meridian, Vicksburg, and Biloxi. For Jackson visitors and residents, Thee Herbal Blessing is more than a store; it's a gateway to natural healing and renewed vitality.