Is anyone else feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders? It’s so hard to shut off the news and not feel stressed about what is happening. Personally, I want to read and see as little as possible, but it seems there is no escaping from stressful news. That is why I love to escape reality sometimes and go on little weekend tours. That can vary from hikes in nearby forests, sleepovers at friends or our little cottage, city trips or exploring Sweden where I live.
So, it happened that we traveled last weekend to Swedish Lapland. And it was just magical. Spending time with friends in a cosy cabin surrounded by the beautiful nature of the North was just what my tired soul needed. There is something special about snow. It covers the surrounding in white icy snow flakes and for me that feels like there are no worries in the world. Like everything is pure and clean. It made me wonder though, why it’s so hard to create your own reality just as pure and clean and why I feel the need to “escape” sometimes. When I go on trips or holidays I can shut off normal life in a careless and free way. When I come back home I always try to maintain that feeling, and although I carry so many wonderful travel memories I never seem to succeed in keeping that specific feeling of carelessness. Sure, I live a life that I am very happy with and I take care of my health and well-being, but somehow I can’t shut out negative feelings about unnecessary stuff creeping into my life.
Health and traveling are my interests so during my travels I always search for healthy local habits. What I learned from the indigenous Sami people in Lapland is the use of Lingonberry. This healthy little red berry is used in many ways and maybe the most famous use is the lingonberry jam that comes with Swedish meatballs. However, up North it is eaten with various meat dishes, especially Reindeer and Moose. What caught my attention most was a warm Lingonberry juice drink.
No wonder they use those berries so much in Lapland. They grow abundantly in the wild and have many health benefits. Lingonberries contain plenty of organic acids and vitamin C, A, B (like B1, B2, B3), and the elements potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
In traditional medicine it was used for digestion and various disease conditions. Some tribes ate the berries or used their juice to treat minor respiratory disorders.
Now you know why you should definitely try it sometime!
Recipe of Warm Lingonberry Juice:
- 1 package of concentrated lingonberry juice
- 1 liter of water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
Heat it up in a pan for 20 minutes, remove the herbs and drink it warm. Enjoy!
I hope you have your own healthy ways on shutting off stressful news and that you take time to relax as much as possible.
Stress is creeping up on us and weighing us down in a way that is affecting our health negatively on daily base. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of relaxation. For now I will start to relax and pour myself another glass of warm Lingonberry Juice.
Love,
Diana
