“[Salmon] hatch in a gravel bed in a stream somewhere deep in the wilderness, wiggle up into water current and eventually enter an overwhelmingly vast ocean. After years of swimming with whales and avoiding sharks, they travel sometimes thousands of miles back to that same little stream in that same wilderness where they reproduce and die.”

No maps, no guides, and no GPS units, but they manage the trip. 

How?

Through interacting with the earth’s magnetic field (and smell, but this isn’t an article about salmon migration). 

They solve the problem of getting back to the place they’ve only been once, by interacting with what is fundamental…in this case, the earth’s magnetic field. 

Dr. Tony Nader and garten CEO Michel Heinrich discussed in a recent garten Infinity Speaker Series interview how consciousness is highly practical to businesses wanting to be effective. 

With medical and scientific degrees from Harvard and MIT, Dr. Nader isn’t the average meditation teacher. He explains how an understanding of consciousness can propel businesses because it is how to cultivate a workforce with the clarity of vision to be truly effective. 

Why Should Business Leaders Care About Consciousness? 

The subject of consciousness is fascinating, but that’s not why it’s relevant to leaders. 

Instead, it’s because understanding consciousness is how you are able to interact with reality on a more fundamental level. The more closely your effort and innovation are applied to reality, the more valuable your company’s solutions will be.

What does it mean to say that consciousness is fundamental? 

Saying that consciousness is fundamental is saying that our physical world is an expression of consciousness as opposed to them being 2 separate things or that consciousness is a product of the physical world. 

It’s something like saying that steam, ice, and liquid water are all H2O. If you think that water is only liquid or only ice, you will not be able to see the bigger picture and you’ll make mistakes because of it. 

If you see H2O as fundamental, you can see that steam, ice, and liquid are all expressions of the same thing. 

The video at minute 10 discusses this:

Being effective comes from clarity of vision;

Clarity of vision comes from clarity of thinking;

Clarity of thinking comes from the source of thought;

The source of thought comes from deep within us which is consciousness.

Stress – the normal workplace reality – reduces the field of view. Stress restricts what can be considered. Practically speaking, stress reduces broad comprehension and long-term vision. 

Watch this famous video about the monkey business illusion to experience what happens with a narrowed focus. 

The Monkey Business Illusion

Just like you missed what are – in hindsight – obvious things, stress reduces focus to just what is thought to be the important details from the stressful standpoint. It’s remarkable what can be missed in that state. 

When a workforce is in a state of stress, physiology dictates that important pieces of the picture will be missed. Imagine what that means for your company… 

Wellbeing is a sustainable competitive advantage  

The most valuable problems to solve are the issues most fundamental to life on earth. When you cultivate a workforce that is more squarely dealing with reality, you will have more people who can discern between what matters and what is a distraction. 

If humans were salmon without valuing the reality of the magnetic field, we would devise all sorts of ways to navigate. The trouble is, the starting point would be away from reality – any of our solutions would be subpar. Move back to reality – sensing the magnetic field – and we can now ignore all of those clever innovations that we had to develop simply because we weren’t starting from reality. 

Dr. Nader explains that with meditation, people are able to experience – not just know about – this greater field of consciousness or awareness. The ability to tap into greater awareness is available, but its value in the business world has only begun to be realized – probably because we are only just awakening from the trance of hustle culture. 

Supporting workplace wellbeing is about more than being nice or having programs that attract good hires. Wellbeing is a sustainable competitive advantage. 

More about garten:

Business leaders committed to wellbeing in their own lives and in their companies bring in garten to support mind-body-environment wellbeing. Our bread and butter is setting up amazing food and kitchen programs that save your internal team time and stress while fueling your people with better-for-you food. We’re also expanding our offering of resources like on-demand yoga that can support your mission. If you see the ROI on investing in wellbeing, get started here. It’s easy and we are friendly. 

To your wellbeing!

The post Is consciousness the missing piece for business growth? appeared first on garten.

Most people spend at least a third of their day at work, and what they eat and drink throughout the day has a powerful effect on their overall health and well-being. Now, visualize this common scenario: donuts for breakfast, a quick lunch from the closest fast-food restaurant, soda, and chips as an afternoon snack. Bluntly put, American corporations have become an important distributor for the ultra-processed food industry. When it comes to healthy eating, many people are hindered by limited choices and poor habits. And their employers are not only not helping but sometimes making things worse.

It’s time for corporations to realize they have an opportunity to positively impact the overall well-being of their employees. There’s a myriad of studies showing the connection between proper nutrition and increased productivity and a large number of studies reporting on the staggering costs of poor health habits, for individuals and for corporations. Bottom line, offering healthy foods, snacks, and drinks to employees is not only good for employees but also a sound business investment. 

To learn more, read our white paper How to Make Healthy Eating Part of Your Corporate Culture.

We’re on a mission to transform the office into a destination for healthier living. If you’re not an Oh My Green customer, get on board now and make the upgrade now to nutritious and delicious!

The post What Today’s Corporate Wellness Programs Are Missing appeared first on garten.

When used for cooking, we suggest making fresh juice and using it to replace concentrated sweeteners. Sumo Citrus adds a lovely sweet note and brightness to salad dressings and sauces.

This incredibly sweet citrus is typically available from mid-January through the end of March. 

Sumo Citrus Salad

Proper nutrition is one of the cornerstones for good health. Vitamin C is well known for its role in supporting a healthy immune system. In this recipe, we’ll show you how to reap the benefit of combining vitamin C-rich foods with iron-rich plant foods. This salad combines spinach, Butterleaf, Sumo citrus, avocado, and pumpkin seeds creating a bright, flavorful, and light starter. To make it a full meal, just add protein! 

Ingredients: 

2 heads of Butterleaf roughly chopped
3 cups of baby spinach
3 Sumo Citrus fruits peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
2 red bell peppers thinly sliced 
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1/4 inch cubes
3 tablespoons of toasted pumpkin seeds

For the dressing: 

4 tablespoons of Sumo fruit juice 
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of honey
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar 
1/2 clove garlic, minced  
Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions: 

1. Layer the butter leaf, spinach, Sumo fruits, bell peppers, pumpkin seeds, and avocados in a large bowl. 
2. Combine Sumo fruit juice, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir with a whisk until combined. 
3. Drizzle salad with vinaigrette. Enjoy! 

We’re on a mission to transform the office into a wellbeing destination. Our corporate culinary services are currently offered in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and Boston. If you’re not yet customer, get on board now and make the upgrade!

Be sure to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Teresa Liu is a Certified Nutritionist and member of Oh My Green’s amazing culinary team. She works alongside Oh My Green chefs to promote healthy eating and wellness throughout our customers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The post Produce of the Month: Sumo Citrus appeared first on garten.

Through certified organic farming practices, Riverdog Farm cultivates vegetables and fruits year-round. More than eighty different crops are grown on the farm, as well as chickens and hogs, all with great care!

Trini and Tim’s driving forces are creating a better food system, minimizing environmental impact, and taking care of people. In the early 2000s, livestock was introduced to the farm. Trini and Tim knew how disruptive this could be to the rest of their operations, but that didn’t stop them from pursuing their vision of contributing to a healthier local economy. Bringing livestock to the land enabled them to employ a symbiotic system, in which the chickens provided a nutrient-dense fertilizer composed of the same organic soils they grazed. Chickens feed on the organically grown alfalfa, clovers, and rye.

The farm sells to local customers through the Community Supported Agricultural Program, Berkeley Farmers’ Market, wholesale distributors, and select retail markets. Selling locally allows them to minimize environmental impact and nurture relationships with customers. The high quality of their products, as well as their commitment to social responsibility, are the reasons why we love sourcing from Riverdog Farm. 

We’re on a mission to transform the office into a destination for healthier living. Oh My Green’s corporate culinary services are currently offered in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and Boston. If you’re not yet customer, get on board now and make the upgrade!

Be sure to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find us as @OhMyGreenHQ.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Teresa Liu is a Certified Nutritionist and member of Oh My Green’s amazing culinary team. She works alongside Oh My Green chefs to promote healthy eating and wellness throughout our customers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The post Farm Spotlight: Riverdog Farm appeared first on garten.

We source our coffee beans direct trade from a family farm in Chirinos —located in the San Ignacio region of Peru — a lush, majestic forest outlined by the beautiful mountain landscapes of the Andes. The region offers the perfect environment of mountain, forest, diverse microclimates, and rich soil that allow for unique and quality coffee production.

And of course, the product is organic and fair trade. We have forged long-term relationships and sustainable practices to positively impact the local community, to elevate the farmers and our customers. 

Our coffee is roasted in California and crafted one batch at a time. Available in three distinct and delicious roasts —light, medium and dark— our coffee will satisfy even the most discerning tastes.

Light Roast coffee offers hints of Graham crackers, honey, floral tones, and citrus. Our Medium Roast coffee suggests chocolate, toffee, and mandarin. And our Dark Roast coffee has dark chocolate and sweet dried fruit undertones.

We’re currently conducting private tastings are our customers’ offices. If you are an Oh My Green customer and would like to sample our coffee, please contact your Happiness Manager. 

Oh My Green is on a mission to transform the office into a destination for healthier living. If you’re not an Oh My Green customer, get on board now and make the upgrade now to nutritious and delicious!

The post Organic and Fair Trade Coffee – Our First Branded Product appeared first on garten.

1. Promote Healthy Eating Habits

If your employees have to go out of the office to fetch lunch, chances are they are not being particularly picky about what they eat. They have a limited amount of time and they are hungry. Chances are they will prioritize convenience rather than nutrition.

While the immediate negative impact will be directly on them, ultimately you and your bottom line will be impacted as well. 

Unhealthy habits are costly – not only for individuals and society in general but also for employers. In the past ten years, chronic diseases have increased by 25% in working-age adults, and the CDC estimates that productivity losses due to missed work cost employers $225.8 billion, or $1,685 per employee, annually.  

2. Improve Productivity, Creativity, and Team Building

A study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology reports that healthy eating throughout the day isn’t just good for the body, it is also good for the mind. The report said that the more people consumed nutritious food during the day -including fruits and vegetables- the happier, more engaged, and more creative they were.

Another frequently missed aspect that positively impacts productivity is that you are creating an environment where employees can mingle with members of teams they normally don’t interact with while sharing a meal. The potential exchange of ideas in these impromptu meetings and connections can mean saved time, develop stronger bonds among people, and increase cross-functional collaboration.

3. Keep Employees Focused

Leaving the office to get lunch can be distracting and leads people to waste time. If your employees don’t have to worry about fetching lunch in the middle of the day, they will be able to focus on their work. Even if they bring their own lunch to work, many end up grabbing their meals from the refrigerator and going back to their desks, which may be counter-productive.

4. Boost Employee Morale, Retention, and Recruitment

A positive office culture where employees feel valued goes a long way. Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and will work harder and be less inclined to jump ship. Also, free lunch helps you stand out from the competition by sending the right message to potential job applicants. It says your company, as an employer, cares about providing a great work environment where employees are valued and they can thrive. 

5. It Positively Impacts Your Bottom Line

As we mentioned earlier, offering lunch to your employees is not an expense, it’s really an investment. You are directly impacting productivity and turnover rates which means you’re also affecting profitability. Even if you’re not in a position to offer daily meals, weekly lunches — or even healthy snacks and drinks — won’t go unnoticed by your staff. An investment in your employees’ health is an investment in the growth and success of the whole company.

Offering meals at work has to be a well-thought-out decision. If this is something you plan to do in 2020, be sure to read 7 Questions You Should Ask When Selecting a Catering Service Provider. 

Oh My Green is on a mission to transform the office into a destination for healthier living. If you’re not an Oh My Green customer, get on board now and make the upgrade now to nutritious and delicious!

The post 5 Benefits of Offering Free Lunch at Work appeared first on garten.

Good Lovin’ Foods, Inc., makers of the bars, is a family-owned business —mother and two sons— based in Southern California. Mom Bernie Smith, a self-described foodie, came up with the bars’ recipe. She tested them at farmers’ markets around San Diego County with great success. Although Good Lovin’ Foods is still a very young company, they have been able to secure the distribution of their bars at Whole Foods and other SoCal markets. 

We loved the bars and decided we had to offer them to our customers. So, if you are a current customer and you don’t see The Good Lovin’ bars in your kitchen, be sure to let your Happiness Manager know to add them to your snack selection. You won’t be disappointed! 

If you are not a current customer, get on board and make the upgrade today!

The post January’s Snack of the Month is The Good Lovin’ Bar appeared first on garten.

We greeted our guests with signature cocktails (and mocktails). We showcased some tasty bites crafted by our talented culinary team. We celebrated the expansion of our catering services in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Austin, and Seattle.

In addition, we introduced and sampled our new branded Oh My Green Coffee our first ever private label product. It is sustainably sourced from Peru, and roasted one batch at a time. If you have an account with us, be sure to ask your Happiness Manager for the delicious Oh My Green Coffee today.

Attendees at the event also received the first edition of “Snack Inspirations”, an amazing recipe book designed to take your office food program to the next level. 

We mixed. We mingled. We shared ideas and planned for a new way of working in 2020. Together, we’re transforming the office into a destination for healthier living. If you are not an Oh My Green customer, learn how to upgrade to delicious and nutritious. 

Check out the great photos from the events below. And be sure to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find us as @OhMyGreenHQ. 

The post We mixed, mingled and celebrated appeared first on garten.

When it comes to healthy eating at work, employees at most companies are hindered by limited choices and poor habits. According to a recent survey from CareerBuilder, “nearly half of U.S. workers (45 percent) believe they’ve gained weight at their present jobs. Of these workers, 1in 4 say they’ve gained at least 10 pounds in their current position, and 1 in 10 say they’ve gained 20 or more.”

The good news is that office cultures are shifting and companies are now recognizing the role they play in the health of their employees. Employers are beginning to realize that health status not only affects individuals but also have an impact on the entire company’s bottom-line. The CDC estimates that productivity losses due to missed work cost employers $225.8 billion, or $1,685 per employee annually. Unfortunately, employers don’t know how to start or what is the best approach to bringing wellness into the workplace. We believe you should start by making healthy food and snacks a benefit. 

When employees are busy and on the go, they tend to eat what is quick and convenient. This often means hitting up the vending machines which are filled with sugar-packed and nutrient-void drinks, snacks, and candy. In order to encourage better eating, consider increasing healthier convenient options and offer it fully, or even partially, subsidized as part of your company benefits. Employees will feel supported by their employer and be incentivized to make better choices, leading to a more healthy and productive workforce.  Truly a win-win situation. 

Oh My Green is a concierge-style office kitchen service offering healthy snacks and catering. We partner with you to fully manage an office snack program, transforming the kitchen into a destination for healthy living. Learn how Oh My Green can help your office become happier, healthier, and more productive.

Be sure to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find us as @OhMyGreenHQ. 

The post Best Approaches to Workplace Wellness – Part 1: Make Healthy Snacks a Benefit appeared first on garten.

What immediately impressed us about Oz Farm was its focus on preservation and sustainability. A solar-wind power system charges a common battery that provides power to the 240 acres of land, allowing the farm to be completely “off the grid”.

The land is managed by a conservation easement that helps maintain the forest that protects the watershed that flows into the Garcia River —home to the endangered coho salmon and steelhead. Soon after the start of conservation efforts, Oz Farm was recognized to be in compliance with the Garcia River TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load), an effort to restore wildlife and overall appearance. In just a couple of years, the land was measurably more vital, produced higher quality trees, and improved wildlife habitat.

17 acres of the Oz property is used for agricultural operations. On the growing land, Oz specializes in espaliered farming, a method used to grow crops against the wall. They offer an incredible variety of apples that are rarities and uncommon in more mainstream stores. These interesting varieties include Pink Pearl, Spitzenberg, Hudson’s Golden Gem, White Winter Pearmain, Arkansas Black, Cox Orange Pippin, Belle de Boskoop, Cinnamon Spice, Roxbury Russet, Columbia Russet, Jonagold, Ashmead’s Kernel, King of Tomkins County, Calville Blanc d’Hiver, and Elstards.

Oh My Green chefs love the variety of apples Oz Farm has to offer! At your next catered lunch, pay attention to where your apples come from. Feel proud that together we are being socially responsible consumers, who not only eat to nourish but invests in farms who make an effort to converse land and wildlife. 

We’re on a mission to transform the office into a destination for healthier living. Oh My Green’s corporate culinary services and catering are currently offered in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and Boston. If you’re not yet customer, get on board now and make the upgrade!

Be sure to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find us as @OhMyGreenHQ.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Teresa Liu is a Certified Nutritionist and member of Oh My Green’s amazing culinary team. She works alongside Oh My Green chefs to promote healthy eating and wellness throughout our customers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The post Farm Spotlight: Oz Farm appeared first on garten.