Healthy Soil Was the Connection

There was however, one important food preservation breakthrough, fermentation. The first recorded use of fermentation as a means of food preservation occurred over 6000 years ago in China, where cabbage was fermented. As a preservation tool fermentation was vital and in fact, it was one of the only means of food preservation until the “modern” introduction of chemical preservatives took over for the “outdated” fermentation technology. Ironically, in addition to being a great method of preservation, fermentation has the almost magical ability to increase the nutrient value and digestibility of food.

Healthy soil teeming with beneficial Microorganisms. Organic, Whole Foods. Fermentation. These concepts would become the cornerstone of the Garden of Life nutritional philosophy.

When Jordan Rubin was a young child, these concepts were vividly illustrated to him by this grandfather. Jordan’s grandfather, Joshua “Jerry” Rubin (for who Jordan’s son is named), was Long Island dentist and an avid gardener. Out back of his house laid his garden and a huge compost pile.

“I remember being very young and walking outside with grandfather. He reached his hand into the moistened black dirt of the compost heap and grabbed a fistful of the soil. He opened his hand and said to me, ‘this is where healthy food comes from.  And healthy food, leads to healthy people. This soil is alive with all of the good things the earth has to offer.

“I can remember when Grandpa would dig his shovel into the soil and pull it out covered with what looked like thousands of earth worms. It was certainly a young fisherman’s dream, but more importantly it made for incredibly healthy mulberries, cucumbers tomatoes and more.”

It would take few decades and a near death experience for Jordan Rubin to apply this health secret taught to him by his grandfather to his own life. So in essence, Garden of Life is a 30 year old company.

A Child of the Healthy Food Movement

Jordan Rubin was literally born into the world of natural health.  He was delivered at home by his father, who was the at the time a student at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon along with some fellow students. Two of those naturopathic students would go on to start successful nutritional supplement companies that are still in existence today, Jordan’s mom and dad were among a group that founded Life Grocery in Marietta, Georgia, a food co-op that still exists today. Another classmate of Jordan’s father would start his own nutritional supplement company and go on to author some of the most widely respected natural health books and resources available today. To say that Jordan was destined from birth to start a health and wellness company is not a stretch. After all, those influences were all around him.

Jordan’s connection to the health food industry continued throughout his early childhood  His parents shopped at health food stores, and his father, who along with Naturopathic medical training also received a degree in Chiropractic Medicine, Dr. Herb Rubin was always on the cutting edge of natural health. 

Jordan’s upbringing served him well. He was in incredibly active child, always the picture of health and energy. All the while a vision of what health and wellness should be was forming in Jordan’s mind, sometimes consciously, sometimes not. 

“I wouldn’t say that I was overly concerned with leading a healthy lifestyle, what teenager is? At the same time, you couldn’t grow up in my family and not have an opinion on how to achieve optimal health. My father was an outspoken activist. He marched on Washington D.C. to protest the war in Vietnam. Her certainly was not shy in making his views on healthy eating and how to live a healthy lifestyle known (or rather dictated), especially with his family.”

So for the 19 years of his life was perfectly healthy. It was during the summer before his sophomore year in college that Jordan’s health began a serious decline.

It was a decline that almost cost him his life. His illness would take him to 70 different health practitioners from seven countries. It was a bizarre journey to say the least. Between the summer of his freshman and sophomore years Jordan became very ill. He was diagnosed with a serious condition that was causing him to be malnourished and he was eventually hospitalized. This began a two year odyssey that would lead Jordan through a maze of conventional and alternative treatments. After being released from the hospital Jordan attacked his condition like he had previously attacked life. He read everything he could get his hands on regarding digestive health and diet.  He tried numerous (and often time strange) therapies. While at times he felt he was improving he would soon return to a state of distress. Nothing was working for him.

During another hospitalization Jordan’s weight reached an all time low of 104 pounds. Some of the staff at the hospital feared he would not make it through the night. Of course Jordan survived the night, and despite the ordeal, Jordan’s resolve to find an answer to his health problems only strengthened. 

Soon after he left the hospital Jordan’s father stumbled onto an eccentric nutritionist living in California. His diet program consisted of foods that were consumed by our ancestors. Raw, organically grown whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Fermented foods, especially fermented dairy (life kefir). Grass fed beef and poultry. Jordan even moved out to California to be closer to his new diet mentor.

As Jordan’s health slowly improved he also began taking a probiotic that contained soil based organisms that used to be plentiful in our diets. While Jordan had tried probiotics previously, with little success, he was intrigued by the new probiotic. It fit with his new diet.  These soil based organisms were once consumed by our ancestors. After two years of seeking an answer Jordan finally found an answer. He began putting weight back on quickly (29 pounds in 40 days) and his old energy returned. By his 21st birthday he was back to 177 pounds and ready to restart his life. 

Upon returning home Jordan “re-started” his life by getting a job. He started working at Nutrition World, a health food store in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Jordan’s connection to the natural products industry had been made stronger by his experience. he wanted to share his message of health and hope with as many people as possible, and he figured he’d find a receptive audience at his local health food store. 

He didn’t stop there. He contacted many of the same health practitioners that he had consulted with during his illness. While all of them were happy that he recovered, none of them really wanted to promote Jordan’s story. After all, they hadn’t “cured” him.

It wasn’t until Jordan approached Dr. Morton Walker, a medical journalist who had befriended Jordan that he finally was able to share his success. Dr. Walker published Jordan’s story in a prestigious alternative medicine journal. Overnight Jordan was flooded with over 2000 requests from people seeking to learn about Jordan’s experience. He knew immediately that in order to help these people obtain the education they needed to maintain their own health; he would need to start his own company. 

Garden of Life was founded on the key principles Jordan had discovered during his recovery. Jordan wanted to provide people with educational resources and nutritional supplements that delivered whole food nutrition, the power of fermentation, probiotics and soil-based organisms placing supreme importance on digestive health.

Garden of Life was founded on principles that are thousands of years old. It was founded on principles that Jordan learned growing up in the natural products industry. Those principles were forged while Jordan struggled with his own health issues. The next step for Jordan was to apply those principles.

Not that it has always been easy. The world of natural products industry is highly charged and competitive. Staying on top is a constant struggle. It forces you to stay true to your principles while at the same time innovating. The need to use the latest and most relevant science combined with developing products that the market demands can be daunting task. It requires Jordan Rubin and everyone at Garden of Life to re-invent their initial success, every day. So in essence, Garden of Life is a Brand New Company.

Hyper-Growth

It is hard to say what it was about Jordan’s story that was so compelling to so many people. Perhaps it was the fact that Jordan maintained his faith and never lost hope. Maybe it was because Jordan was so young, at an age where most people would expect to be in the prime of their health.  It could very well be that Jordan’s experience enlightened and inspired people.

They were compelled to seek out ways to take control of their own health. 

One thing is certain.  Jordan’s story connected with so many people from all walks of life.

Almost overnight Garden of Life entered into hyper-growth. Jordan himself was shocked to learn just how many people were interested in supporting their digestive health. Primal Defense, whole food probiotic containing soil based organisms, quickly became one of the fastest selling probiotics in industry history.  Perfect Food, a green superfood supplement, followed suit.  Both products would become the top sellers in their respective categories. In fact, Primal Defense would become the #1 selling product in the entire natural products industry.  Not just #1 in its category, #1 in the industry.

While the success Garden of Life was experiencing was exciting, it left Jordan concerned.  He discovered a need in the marketplace, a huge need, and Garden of Life helped meet that need.  Jordan’s concern involved the people who needed help that he wasn’t reaching.  What followed was a whirlwind of product development, not exclusively supplements either.

Over the next few years Garden of Life would launch several new products. They launched whole food multivitamins, whole food fiber products, a detoxifying cleanse product, protein supplements, energy supplements and more. In 2006, they launched the Living Foods line that included certified organic food bars made with live probiotics. Jordan always demanded that the products adhere to the principles the company was founded on.  Whole Foods. Organic. Fermentation. Probiotics. Jordan somehow found the time to write 19 books, including the New York Times bestseller The Maker’s Diet.

He founded the Maker’s Health Ministry which has donated over 1 million books to raise money for mission and relief work.  The Maker’s Health Ministry donations are being used to help build an orphanage in India and construct much-needed water wells in other nations in desperate need of assistance.

In 2007, Garden of Life entered into the weight management category for the first time. Their first product, Perfect Meal was a success. Their next product, fucoTHIN® has already become the stuff of legends around Garden of Life headquarters.