Mountain Notes by Mischa Ko
What’s even greater than being alive? Greater than surviving? The answer is to thrive.
So then, what does it mean to thrive? The definition of thrive is the ability of an organism (plant or animal) to grow or develop well or vigorously; or to prosper, to flourish.
Every living organism is fulfilled when it follows the right path for its own nature.
Marcus Aurelius
It is nearly impossible to thrive when in poor health. This is not only true for plants and animals but for the health of ecosystems and communities.
Being alive doesn’t mean going without struggles and suffering, however, thriving means that one has learned to transmute those pains and struggles and channel difficulties into opportunities for growth.
So what does it mean to be healthy?
Health is the state of being free from injury or illness, both in mental and physical condition.
The origins of the word health are telling — according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word health originated from the Old English hǣlth, which is of Germanic origin (before the 12th century), meaning whole. It follows that whole foods are healthy foods.
Whole foods, being preferential in a healthy diet, differ from processed foods in that they retain all of their active ingredients and nutrients. Examples of whole foods include fish, poultry, veggies, fruit, whole grains, sprouted nuts, and seeds.
Being mindful of one’s diet and environment is often necessary in order to maintain good health, and, again without maintaining one’s health, it is difficult to thrive. Just as animals can be hindered in their potential by an unfavorable environment and diet, so too can plants.
All living things require nourishment to survive. Nourishment is the food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition. Nourishment comes in many forms and is essential for the life of both plants and animals.
Nourishment for both plants and animals includes sunlight, air, water, and of course food. Without these things, an organism may not survive; in order to thrive each form of nourishment should be of the highest quality.
Take for example a diet of heavily processed food compared to a whole-food diet. Athletes performing at their peak are very mindful of what they put in their bodies in order to optimize their capabilities, maintain hydration, and mindfully consume nutrient-dense food.
Although one may be able to sustain life through eating processed foods, sooner or later their health will suffer as a result of their diet and it will most definitely affect their ability to thrive. The same is true of plants in regard to salt-based nutrition versus natural farming approaches.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
Hippocrates
Natural farming systems create healthy and productive carbon-negative environments that foster diversity while conventional agriculture produces energy-intensive and unsustainable systems in contrast. Naturally farmed crops tend to also thrive and exceed the nutritional content of conventionally farmed crops resulting in not only increased nutrient density but increased value as well.
Treat nature the way we wish to be treated and together we shall thrive!
* For all your natural farming needs check out Jai Dee Agriculture.
