Awaken Your Inner Artisan

by Amritakripa Watts-Robb

Britannica online describes art as "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others." An artisan is one who has developed such a skill, and the idea of skill itself suggests a proficiency that has been developed through training or experience over time. Clearly to become an artisan, skilled enough to create a product of quality, has required a valuable investment of time and energy.

MegaFood Artisan Powders

What does it mean to be an artisan or a company dedicated to quality? How do artisans thrive given our current obsession as consumers with getting more for less? As a company committed to making whole food supplements, from scratch in small batches, MegaFood has always been an artisan company ahead of its time! Supplements which are made purely with isolated vitamins are a lot easier and a lot cheaper to make than those using concentrated whole foods. That makes them undeniably more attractive to companies as a business proposition.

So what is it that drives companies to break out of the mold, and to go beyond the lowest common denominator of expectation? What is it that distinguishes the artisan from the manufacturer? I like to think that the seeking and producing of quality goods reflects our essential need to express beauty; stemming from a true desire to be of service and an inherent need to be at ease with ourselves – the desire to go to sleep at night knowing that we have truly done our best to create real value. In the health food industry that feels like an especially appropriate aim – after all, to be at ease implies the absence of disease.

No doubt there are challenges associated with producing a premium quality product – not least the increased need for education. As an individual or a smaller company, how does one’s voice get heard in the vast marketplace, especially when time and resources are limited? Fortunately, one of the great blessings of this time is that we now have a substantial resource at our disposal – we have the internet. We have the possibility of connecting with millions of like minded individuals, sharing our information and supporting one another in spreading the word. This is indeed a wonderful time to be able to communicate and cooperate and we are grateful for our grass roots community on line.

To demonstrate our support for true craftsmanship we will use our blog to feature the words of other artisans. Elena Ray and Karyn Robinson are two artisans in their own right – each specializing in her own unique form of creativity and business – they will be contributing their thoughts and inspiring ways to nourish your life. We hope that sharing the ideas and poetry of others who are lovers of craftsmanship will bring you food for thought. We encourage you to check out the work that they are doing and draw inspiration from them to stimulate your own inner artisan.

Reflecting on Holistic Practice

by Elena Ray

Body is earth, formed from earth elements. We are nature, unfathomable, and have the potential to express all that that is. In the dual pulse of receiving and releasing, our breath embodies the basic truth of all life. Life is movement and constant change. Unimpeded movement becomes a dynamic stillness which sustains a holistic creativity perfectly exemplified in the vitality of undisturbed wilderness.

Mind is intelligence; what we are, and knowable to us in the flow of information coming from all that exists. An overactive grasping to what is inadvertently channels our creative energy into fixed mind states. The various practices of meditation have been developed to address this dilemma of self determination and restore us to our true flowing state of source.

Spirit is energy, life force, the mystery. Through the impossible act of completely defining it, we have, over the course of civilization, built a labyrinth of sacred doors to the intimate knowing of the incomprehensible.

This Art: "All Is Well" Elena Ray © 2010. Ink brushed outline over teapot photograph printed on Asian paper with brushed chinese character for "All Is Well" with acrylic and ink stained collaged paper details. Collage. 7" x 11" I will be offering this collage in the True World Art Gallery show "Sacred Connections" opening March 6th through the end of April, 2010. To inquire contact bonnie@trueworldgallery.com

The Breathing Excercises of Yoga

by Marlize Joubert

The word Pranayama consists of two parts; prana and ayama. Ayama means to stretch or extend, and describes the action of pranayama. Prana refers to that which is infinitely everywhere also referred to as energy. With reference to us humans prana can be described as something that flows continuously from somewhere inside us, filling us and keeping us “alive" it is vitality. We create more prana in our beings by doing pranayama exercises in yoga. Pranayama exercises we do by playing with our breath. Someone who is troubled, restless, confused and ungrounded have more prana living outside of his body than inside. When we have too little prana inside the body we can feel restricted or stuck in our lives and can show up as a lack of drive or motivation to do anything. If all the prana lives within our body, we can be free from all this suffering, feel more peaceful and well balanced. Our state of mind is closely linked to the quality of prana living within us. Because we can influence the flow of prana through the flow of our breath, the quality of our breath influences our state of mind and vice versa. Whatever happens in the mind influences the breath. As yogis our goal is to reduce the amount of prana outside of the body, and do pranayama exercises and yoga to cultivate more prana living within. This will create less suffering and move us towards pure happiness in our hearts. Whenever you feel stuck in your life, stressed out, or ungrounded, bring your awareness to your breath, take a few deep breaths. This will be the first step towards calming the mind down. Then learn a few pranayama practices and start 5 minutes a day. This practice is much more powerful than the asana practice most of us do in the Western World. Remember, breath is healing, breath is balance, breath is life, breath is everything. Without breath there is nothing.

What is a Structure Function Claim

By Kripa Watts

If you have ever searched for a product to help you with a specific physiological challenge and then looked at a product label, only to read something like, ‘This product can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels that are already within a normal range’, you may have wondered at the point. Why take something if it is only helpful for those who are already healthy? The reason that statements are worded like this boils down to the rules and regulations for “Structure Function Claims” as defined by the FDA. Structure Function Claims refer to the language that manufactures are allowed to use in order to describe the role of a nutrient or dietary ingredient intended to affect normal structure or function in humans. According to the FDA supplement companies cannot make or imply any kind of disease benefit on a product. Neither can they claim or imply that the product can affect a condition, such as inflammation or high blood sugar levels, which indicates a disease benefit.

Where a Structure Function Claim is listed it must also be accompanied by the following information: ‘This claim has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.’

Michael Ventresca of Vital Choice Health Store has a wonderful podcast on this particular subject – I would definitely recommend listing to his short presentation which might help to clear up any confusion you have experienced when reading product labels. http://vchoiceblog.com/podcast/Structure_Function.mp3

A Vision of Violets

by Brigitte Mars

You know spring is here when you catch a whiff of Violets (Viola odorata), which are members of the Violaceae (Violet) family. You may also know them as Heartsease. In mythology Zeus had a lover named Ione (from which the word viola is derived from). His wife, Hera was jealous and turned her into a white heifer and so violets were created by Zeus to give her something lovely to graze upon. Wherever Venus and Adonis lay together a bed of violets was said to have sprung. Persephone, the daughter of the Earth Mother Demeter, was picking violets when Pluto kidnapped her to live with him in the underworld. Athens was once known as "the city of violets."

The leaf and flower have been used for thousands of years by millions of people as an antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic agent. Violets have been used to improve acne, anger, asthma, bronchitis, colds, eczema, fever, fibrocystic breast disease, grief, headache, heartbreak, lymphatic congestion, mastitis, mumps, psoriasis, scurvy, sore throat, ulcers, urinary tract infection, varicose veins, and whooping cough. Apply a cloth soaked in violet leaf and/or flower tea to the back of the neck to treat headaches. The flowers are eaten as a breath freshener.

Violet flower essence helps those that feel lonely, despite being surrounded by others. It increases openness and helps shy aloof people that want to share but feel overwhelmed.

As long as the leaves are heart shaped, the leaves and budsare edible raw in salads or as a potherb. The flowers are edible and make a beautiful garnish. Freeze the flowers into water in ice cube trays for a touch of elegance. Violet sherbet, puddings, and candied violets are sweet delicacies. Violet tea is most often prepared from the leaves.

Ancient Greeks wore crowns of violets to promote serenity and sleep. Ancient Romans would plant violets upon the graves of children. Violets are regarded as a symbol of innocence and modesty. Violet is the state flower of Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Violet flowers are carried to bring good fortune.

Violet leaves and flower contain beta-carotene, vitamin C, salicylates, the flavonoid rutin, mucilage, and in the flowers: essential oil.

Violets are pungent, bitter, and sweet, cool and moist and corresponding to Venus, and the element of water

*Violet leaf tea is safe and gentle; it even can be used as a substitute for baby aspirin. Do not substitute African violets as a medicine plant.

Viola odorata is native to western Asia and Europe but is widely cultivated and naturalized. This evergreen perennial grows to about 6 inches in height and has heart-shaped leaves. The flowers are self-pollinating and purple, pink, lavender, or white in color. They usually have five petals, two on the upper portion, two laterals, and one on the bottom. Though flowers appear in early spring, the true seed-producing flower is inconspicuous and appears in autumn.

In gardening, violet leaves are used as a fertilizer for leaf crops. Some Native Peoples have soaked corn seeds in cool violet tea to prevent insect damage during germination.

In the garden, violet provides nectar for early butterflies. The plant prefers full to partial shade, soil that is rich in organic matter, and moderate to high amounts of water. There are over one hundred of the Viola genus. Most are perennial, though there are a few annuals in the genus. Viola. tricolor, also known as Pansy, also edible is one of the most recognized.

Place as many violet flowers as possible into a jar. Cover with white wine vinegar, cork and allow to steep for one month, shaking daily. Strain and refrigerate. Voila!

In the spring, collect 2 cups violet flowers. Place in the blender with 1 cup raw unfiltered honey and the juice of 1 lemon and blend. Store in a glass jar in the freezer. Use as a spread on sprouted crackers.

www.megafood.com

Stay healthy while travelling.

By Kripa Watts

I just returned from a quick trip to Hamburg. It was a 5 day visit – not long considering the travel time there and back was 24 hours each way. Even if I had been traveling first class (maybe next time), that kind of time spent in transit, coupled with the nine hour time difference and the inevitable jet lag is enough to rattle even the most hardy physique and nervous system! I, on the other hand, have a fairly sensitive system; I have to be careful with my choice of foods because certain edibles just don’t agree with me, my digestive system objects if my routine becomes erratic, and disrupted sleeping patterns don’t necessarily bring out the most sunny side of my personality!

Planning a supplement program in advance of traveling is one the best ways to ensure a happy and relaxing vacation. Since digestive issues are often one of the main causes of concern when traveling, the first supplement that goes into my bag of tricks is one of MegaFood’s excellent enzyme formulations – MegaZymes or High Active Enzymes are super blends that can be taken with each meal to help your body break down the food properly and enable you to digest and assimilate the nutrients fully. If you have specific dairy or gluten sensitivities, keep a bottle of Gluten & Dairy MegaZymes handy – it’s not always easy to find out exactly what is in the food you are eating (especially if the menu is not in your native language), and this specific formulation offers extra protection from digestive discomfort. Don’t leave without taking your MegaFlora or MegaFlora Plus (Kids n Us MegaFlora is great if your children will be travelling with you). This broad spectrum, high potency probiotic can help maintain digestive regularity (and keep you smiling). It is fine outside of the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks – just take what you are going to need for your trip and leave the rest in your refrigerator at home.

To help maintain energy levels and protect myself from ‘free radical attack’ I rely on my MegaFood Multi and an additional antioxidant such as the Complex C – this ensures that I am getting a good range of nutrients on a daily basis, even if I have been limited to airplane food for a couple of meals! And finally, because of the added concern of catching an illness due to confined travelling conditions, poor air quality and general susceptibility as a result of added stress, I always take a little extra immune support. Maitake Gold 404 is one of my favorite mushroom complexes, or you might consider Liver Strength (Purple Reishi Antler) if you are likely to indulge in an alcoholic beverage of two more than usual.

Aside from my MegaFood supplements, I like to pack at least a couple of essential oils – Tea Tree for minor skin irritations and Lavender to keep my head clear. Dr Bach’s famous Rescue Remedy is another staple in my bag of travelling companions – a couple of drops in my water bottle and I’m good to go.

Nourishing Your Life with Creativity

By Kripa Watts

Life and creation are inseparable. You can see it every moment - in nature, in the cells of your body, in your thought process and in the abundance of artistic expression all around you. Every human being is inherently creative. Taking the time to honor your own creative talents can be a real source of joy, enriching your life in more ways than one.

Sadly, many people assume that they were born without talent and have shut down the possibility of nourishing their life with this invisible food. If this is you, you might ask yourself how many times have you started on a project or idea and then decided to scrap it because your inner critic began reviewing the product of your efforts and judged them as inadequate. Have you told yourself you can’t sing, can’t dance, can’t paint, don’t want to make a fool of yourself in front of others. I say do it – be prepared to make a fool of yourself – you might end up having the best laugh of your life and you may eventually accomplish something you never thought you would be capable of. Some years ago I visited a small sari weaving facility in Mumbai, India; I was told that in each of the magnificent hand woven silk sari’s there was a single, tiny almost non-discernable error. Each error was purposely included in the design in honor of the idea that no human being is absolutely perfect. To me, this small error represents the absolute uniqueness of each sari and indeed each human being. In some cases the beauty of a moment actually lies in the error itself!

Another common limitation that stifles creativity is the idea that we are too old to learn something new. Again I am reminded of a meeting some years ago. I was looking for an item on Craigslist and found someone in a neighboring town with just the right thing. When my husband and I arrived at her home we noticed a beautiful Cello, polished and shiny, standing in the corner. This vibrant 65 year old was all to willing to demonstrate her musical prowess and we enjoyed an intimate recital. She told us that, 5 years earlier when she was at a friends 90th birthday, she realized that if she took up a new ‘hobby’ that same year, then, by the time she was 90 she would have 30 years of practice under her belt. It was a lesson for me which I hope I will never forget.

In order to bring your innate talents to the fore, take the time to consider what type of environment nourishes your ability to be creative. For some people a quiet place, close to nature opens the doors of inspiration, others might find their spark when with a group of like minded individuals, and there are probably more than a few who are at their creative peak when surrounded by a retinue of pots and pans – I actually know someone who comes up with genius ideas when she has the house to herself and gets absorbed in the act of vacuuming!! Once you know where your creative flow thrives, give yourself the gift of developing a relationship with that environment, build into your consciousness the idea that your environment and yourself work together to create beauty.

One of the subtle health benefits of creativity is the fact that it usually requires an element of focus. A focused mind is a peaceful mind and this has a relaxing effect on the entire nervous system. It is interesting to consider that a relaxed mind is actually more creative than an agitated mind, so, by allowing yourself the time and space to be creative you actually create a positive feedback loop – creativity requires focus – focus leads to relaxation and relaxation opens you up to creativity. Whichever way you look at it you can’t go wrong – I encourage you to nourish your life and say yes to creativity.