When traditional medicine didn’t work, JoLynn Makelin turned to plants. Now, she has built a business trying to help others find the same natural support.
Rayz Haven, a handcrafted herbal wellness company founded in 2021, offers another approach to health and healing — one grounded in tradition, care and clean ingredients. Makelin, its founder, offers supportive herbal teas, tinctures, glycerites and seasonal blends.
“Everything I make is thoughtfully formulated for people with sensitive systems, including those navigating chronic stress, inflammation or seasonal changes,” Makelin said.
Her journey into herbalism started with necessity.
After experiencing adverse reactions to prescription medications because of autoimmune issues, she turned to plant-based remedies. What began as a personal wellness journey soon turned into a business, as friends and family began requesting blends to help manage their own stress, digestion and seasonal challenges.
“I started doing it for myself and using different plants, and I found that it just worked with my body so much better for me,” Makelin said. “It just gives people another option besides just medication.”
Makelin has formal training in various herbal traditions, such as Western, Ayurvedic, Native American and folk. She also takes monthly education classes to stay up-to-date on clinical applications.
Rayz Haven’s products are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure disease, and the founder emphasizes the importance of working with the medical system, not against it.
“My role isn’t to replace your doctor, but to offer plant-based support that helps the body feel more grounded, balanced and resilient,” Makelin said. “Rayz Haven products work with the body’s natural pace of healing, and I often collaborate with customers and their health care providers to ensure the herbs are appropriate for their individual needs. I always advise everyone to talk to their health care provider before using herbal supplements, especially if they have existing health conditions or are on medications.”
A major goal of Rayz Haven is education. Makelin regularly teaches community classes in Norfolk, Battle Creek and surrounding areas, offering plant walks and wellness workshops.
That said, she’s quick to clear up some common misconceptions.
“I’ve heard so many people say, ‘Well, it’s natural. You can just take anything, and it’s all just fine.’ Or they think, because my products are natural, that they can just double the dose, or just take it all the time because it’s natural,” Makelin said. “So then they think that it’s not dangerous or that it’s OK then, but poison ivy is natural, and it doesn’t mean you want to go roll in it.”
Despite early challenges, such as zoning issues that prevented her from opening a shop on her rural property, Makelin is hopeful about the future.
“I would like to be able to help educate people and offer this in a way that I can actually help people — that would be just wonderful,” Makelin said. “It’s not hopeless just because you haven’t found the right medication or the right whatever it is that you have going on with your body, that there’s a lot of different ways out there to help you.”
Rayz Haven products are available online at www.rayzhaven.com, through local retailers in Norfolk and Elgin and by local delivery. Custom orders are sometimes available by request.