Our planet, our health – two entities so intertwined that one cannot be healthily sustained without the other.
For Laughing Water, co-founder of Real Food Market & Deli in Helena, health just boils down to “real food, really local.”
It’s that simple.
“The power of real food extends beyond our immediate community to the community of living things. For food to do its magic, it takes a clean environment, exercise and rest, along with a sense of purpose and loving connections with people and other living things,” he said.
“We must care for this Earth as if our lives depend on it. Through organic, regenerative agriculture, we can help heal the Earth and its people.”
The independent store, which Laughing Water opened in 1975, features plant-based, organic and local products. The store composts and uses recyclable deli containers. Local foods are sourced from dozens of Montana suppliers, including organic foods from small growers in the Helena area. Real Food has long been one of the rare natural food stores to be a certified organic food handler. The fresh meat department features strictly grass-fed Montana meats. The store’s T-shirt shows the Earth with the slogan, “Perishable – Keep Cool.” The shirts are available for sale as a reminder to staff and customers of the store’s commitment to helping address climate change.
Laughing Water, Owner and General Manager
In addition, Laughing Water’s store is a member of the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, a nationwide cooperative of more than 500 mission-driven stores. He and his team also support local charities, including Montana Shares, a program aimed at eliminating plastic bags.
“We’re proud to say that we are not part of a chain, but part of a movement toward a future that supports family businesses and family farms in a world of natural abundance and resilience,” he said.
Laughing Water’s passion for natural foods was fed by the Human Potential movement of the 1960s. At 13, he began practicing yoga and went on to study philosophy, developmental psychology and Eastern religions. Eventually, he joined a three-week yoga vacation at Feathered Pipe Ranch, where he met and later married his wife and Real Food co-founder India Supera.
The couple’s dream to bring healthy food to Helena dovetailed with their desire to save the world from pesticides, pollution, a detrimental lifestyle and a medical system focused on treating diseases rather than healing people.
“We thought it would take a new vision or a change in consciousness,” he said. “And in some ways, we have succeeded. I mean, natural foods are now mainstream. Vitamins, herbs and other dietary supplements, as well as organic foods, are now defined and regulated by federal law.”
Laughing Water said he will continue doing his part by selling Earth-friendly products and, ultimately, getting the store to net carbon zero by 2039.
“That’s a tall order and may include everything from switching from gas to electricity, installing solar panels and redesigning our refrigeration and heating systems,” he said. “I want to inspire others, especially through INFRA, whose mission is to forge a sustainable future.”
Body and Earth, united.
For more information, please visit realfoodstore.com.
