Plant The Seed and Health Will Grow

“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds.” - William Wordsworth

To ‘plant the seed’ applies metaphorically and literally to all that flourishes and grows.

When nurtured, every seed, whether it be the fertile soil of the human mind or that of the earth, will bring about change. Seeds transform into plants, plants mature, and produce more seeds - the perfect cycle.

When we have a thought, it becomes a vibration, an energy, and, ultimately, an action. When we cultivate the gardens of our minds and nourish seeds of joy, love, and wellbeing we invite abundance into our lives.

You reap what you sow - the flow of life

At Hippocrates Wellness, we believe in the power of planting seeds of positive thoughts to become healthy habits and actions while also planting seeds that become nourishing food to support vibrant health and longevity.

Everything is connected. Positivity leads to positive actions; hope leads to faith and love.
Throughout the universe, patterns are integral to everything and within these patterns lay messages from the very core of life and the beginning of existence itself.

Life is flow. When we resist the flow and go against nature, we suffer, attracting more struggles and challenges into our daily lives. When we move in harmony with nature and observe how it surrenders to the process it exists to perform, we learn to align with the flow of life, be at peace with ourselves, and fully embrace the present moment.

We are nature

Have you ever noticed the remarkable resemblance between our anatomy and plants? Ever held a leaf up to the sunlight to see how its vein structure is similar to ours? Or how the branches of a tree look like our lungs?

Our biological circulatory, pulmonary and nervous systems generate the same ‘branches’ structure to optimize flow. Trees and lungs are modeled by fractal geometry for their continued branching structure. So much so that the lung is even referred to as the tranches-bronchial tree. The parallels are astonishing and further proof that we are nature.

If we are what we eat, why wouldn’t we want to eat the most wholesome, life-enhancing diet possible to live the best life? The transformation that can occur when we prioritize our health is phenomenal, and once the initial adjustments become habitual, there’s no looking back.

Connect with the process - grow your own food

Remember when you were a child, playing outside when you’d think nothing of pushing your hands in the soil and rubbing it curiously between your fingers caught in the wonder of it? The way it smelt, the way it felt, and quite simply, how much fun it was!

Little did we know back then that soil was the bedrock of all our food and one of the most valuable relationships we formed. Studies have shown that gardening can reduce stress and anxiety while educating you on how connected we are to the earth and all it provides. You may even notice that others follow your example when they see how much you enjoy your newfound relationship with food.

When you grow your food, you know what’s in your food.

We are more aware now than ever of how important it is to protect our bodies from the harmful impact of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers. Exposure to these hazardous toxins plays havoc with our systems, causing health issues including:

• Respiratory tract irritation
• Hormone imbalances
• Cancer
• Neurological disorders

When pesticides combine with one or more similar substances, they can enhance or alter other chemicals. It is still unknown what the impact of exposure to chemicals combined - the ‘cocktail effect’ - is on us, and there is strong evidence of their trail of destruction on our environment. Many pesticides, such as insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, harm pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Exposure to agricultural pesticides called “neonicotinoids” has been linked to large-scale bee population extinctions. This poses a serious threat to the food chain as we may lose all the plants that bees pollinate and the animals that eat those plants, continuing up the food chain. Bees also pollinate around 80% of wildflowers in Europe. Imagine how less beautiful and diverse nature would be without them.

Instinctive Eating

When we pay attention to the difference between what our body craves and what our emotions crave, we listen to what our body truly needs.

Not only does organic, homegrown food taste the best, but when our food is grown with time, love, and patience in healthy soil, abundant in helpful microbes, we produce living, nutrient-dense food.

Feeding our body is not the only benefit. We also feed our senses. The smell, taste, therapeutic colors, and primal connection with nature all contribute to a wholesome experience costing us less money, leaving less waste, and providing a great hobby.

Plants can also act as air purifiers, removing toxins from the air by trapping them in their leaves, soil, and roots. They even oxygenate the home by taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.

How do we start?

The rewards of growing your own food - ‘Garden Therapy’ - will be noticed immediately.

Almost anyone can create an affordable edible garden, no matter how small or inconsequential it may seem. You can grow your own food inside or outside if you can access sunlight and water.

Visualizing your garden in full bloom will help to keep you on the path of persistence and bring you radiant joy when you first see the seeds you planted with love and attention flower into their full glory. Many choices are available depending on where and how you grow your food. Edible plants require at least six hours of sunlight across 24 hours - especially sun-hungry fruit plants.

If you select your plants wisely and by how much shade or light your chosen plot receives, you’ll be harvesting healthy, homegrown organic food in no time!

Space is also a key factor. Whether you have an allotment or a beautiful sun spot on your window sill are vital factors to consider when choosing which seeds to plant to ensure success.

Here are some plants for beginners to try growing at home:

• Kale
• Endive
• Cress
• Sorrel
• Radishes
• Tomato
• Peas
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Beetroot
• Cabbage
• Spring onions
• Broad/Runner beans
• Herbs - Mint, Coriander, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme

Sprouting Health

Sprouts are nutritious powerhouses, possessing enzyme-rich, concentrated levels of easily digestible vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Sprouts are young plants that are harvested a few days after germination. They are also an easily accessible food to grow at home because they require very little space and can be grown indoors any time of the year.

Some of the best seeds to sprout are:

• Alfalfa
• Broccoli
• Beet
• Adzuki
• Red clover
• Mung bean
• Fenugreek
• Mustard
• Snow peas
• Sunflower
• Lentil
• Chickpea

Superfoods - Raw Seeds

In addition to the many miraculous offerings Mother Nature provides are what have become known as ‘Superfoods’. These add a great nutritional boost to smoothies or meals.

• Chia seeds
• Brown Linseeds/Flaxseed
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Buckwheat
• Wheatgrass
• Clover seeds
• Garbanzo seeds

You can discover more about seeds, vegan foods, and the tools to grow them at our store.

Good For You, Good For The Planet

“Every leaf that grows will tell you: what you sow will bear fruit, so if you have any sense, my friend, don’t plant anything but Love.” - Rumi

When we return to nurturing our connection with how we produce and consume our food, we become aware of how and where our food is grown, allowing us to eliminate any potential harm to ourselves and our environment. Our choices directly impact the nutritional value of our food and whether or not we obtain it efficiently, compassionately, and cost-effectively.

Mother Nature is constantly demonstrating the brutal consequences of Climate Change. The food we eat has to come from somewhere, right? Whether locally grown or imported from around the world, it still had to travel from where it was produced to the grocery store and then to our homes. When we grow our own food, we support the reduction of carbon emissions as it requires no transportation.

It also guarantees no waste or plastic packaging, showing a commitment to a Zero Waste to Landfill philosophy while helping to avoid contributing to the toxic pollutants in our drinking water. When we come together to achieve a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to our way of life, we benefit the planet’s welfare and our own.

So, which seeds will you choose to plant today?

Hippocrates Wellness - the seed of wellbeing

Life is a constant flow of change and choices. When we plant seeds of health and wellbeing, we invest in our future selves and generations to come. At Hippocrates Wellness, we know that, at first, trying something new and accepting change can be overwhelming and confusing. When we let go of the fear of being ‘perfect’ or the notion of having to get things right on our first try, we allow ourselves to surrender to the process without self-judgment. In our 3-week Life Transformation Program, we will help you to sow the life you deserve and flourish. Rushing your process is like shouting at a flower to grow - all good things take time and patience.

Take the first step today by contacting one of our experts for your free consultation, and remember: “mighty oaks from little acorns grow.”