Wellness & Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness Practices

Most of us will agree that stress plays an important role in onset and escalation of diseases.  Too often, Western medicine’s approach mainly focuses on treatment of diseases at the physical domain only.  Although this approach led to many discoveries of effective medicines, it also made patients passive consumers of those medicines.  In contrast, traditional Eastern medicine sees diseases as products of an unbalanced and stagnant energy system. This approach assigns active roles to patients in the healing process.

Mindfulness practices teach us to be aware of our inner being.  Movement, breathing, and Tai-chi classes offered at the HongIk Eco Farm are based on the ancient energy principles and methods.  It is our wish to help our community members to maintain and to restore the health of their body and mind through these powerful practices.

Food As Medicine

Our bodies are the vessel through which we move through life.  It makes sense to take good care of this one body we are given.  Nutrient rich organic food promotes good health and can help reduce the risk of chronic disease.  Herbs can also be used as “food as medicine” by incorporating them into the diet for their nutritional and medicinal properties, which include high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.  Here are some examples of herbs and their uses:

• Ginger: Helps with nausea can add it to teas, soups and other dishes.
• Turmeric: Supports cognitive function, helps with inflammation, and has been studied for its potential role in managing conditions like osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes.
• Basil: Soothing to the stomach.
• Oregano: As a tea is a great way to treat a cough, add honey and lemon for extra flavor and vitamin C.
• Sage: Also a tea, can be used to soothe sore throats.

At the Hongik Eco Farm we will be offering wellness classes on how to use food as medicine and learn about the medicinal property they provide.

Being on the Farm Can Improve Your Mood

The act of gardening can stir up microbes found in the soil that contributes to mood-boosting effects.  The bacteria are said to be absorbed through your skin or inhaled from the air, and they will quickly get to work transforming your brain chemistry for the better.

How does this work you might ask? Well, some microbes in soil can alter brain chemistry to improve mood, primarily by stimulating the production of serotonin, often called the “feel-good” chemical. This can happen indirectly through immune cells releasing chemicals that activate nerves sending signals to the brain, or through inhalation of compounds from soil bacteria that affect brain wave activity.  So come on out to our farm and get HAPPY!