Enjoy our archive of nearly 100 previous features in:

Design
Food
Gardens
Outdoor
Relaxation & Mind

Enjoy our archive of previous design features.

Botanically Inspired: Josef Frank In this article read more about Josef Frank’s story and inspiration, plus get a few tips from revered Swedish design house, Svenskt Tenn, about creating botanically inspired interiors that you'll feel comfortable in.

Choosing Things that Work All of us want to buy the best that we can for our children. We want them to have things that work, that they like and at the same time are good for them or help them in their development. I asked one of the world's top-ranking design firms, Ergonomidesign of Sweden, about their experience of designing and their thoughts about purchasing the things that do all of the above for children and parents.

Designer Garbage In this article, find inspiration for your environmentally-conscious designer's eye in our list of common items that otherwise immediately will end up in the garbage dump.

Disobedience for Balance A chair that once stole the show at the Stockholm Furniture Fair highlights the way that disobedient behaviour can sometimes be good for you. “Tilt: The Chair for Disobedient Behavior” lets you do what the teacher always told you not to do.

Funkis Returns We take a look back to learn more and to consider how Nordic functionalism's original ideals are relevant to good living today.

Green Home Renewal Now that the sunlight once again floods your rooms, you might feel as though you want to put their contents on the nearest dump heap and start all over again. Think again! Let us help you to renew your home the lean, green and mean way!

Hermitic Design In Scandinavia this urge to retreat to nature in solitude is a dream inherent in culture. We look more at how this longing continues to express itself in modern Scandinavia as well as at ways that you can create your own hermitage at home.

Intimate Table Design Creating a relaxed and intimate feel at the meal table is an important component of eating well. What are the special tricks behind keeping the simplicity at the same time as you make things feel special?

Linen for the Everyday We look at linen from new perspectives. Its vital role in the everyday lives of people in Scandinavia in centuries gone by. And its practical even wellness promoting qualities, which are being increasingly appreciated with the revival of linen in our times.

Linen in the Genes After 25 years of self-imposed exile from his home in Hälsingland, Sweden, Rolf Åkerlund ran into a project that he just couldn?t let be. The revival of an old, run-down linen mill in his home town of Växbo became a life?s project.

Low Tech Toys Computer games can be mentally stimulating and a good learning tool, but don?t provide the variation in sensual stimulation that kids need in order to feel well. What is a Good Toy?

More North What happens when you put three energetic, visionary and well-travelled grandmothers with a passion for Nordic art and design together? You get a heavenly space for viewing, feeling, touching, tasting and smelling the very best that the North has to offer. In this case, you get More North, an other-worldly experience of Nordic art and design based in Manhattan.

Rag Rugs are in The Scandinavian rag rug has never been more popular in its long history of existence than today. Its emergence hundreds of years ago out of the need for thrift, fits well with our 21st century need to recycle. Learn more about this lasting design feature of Scandinavian homes which has arguably become a national symbol.

Relaunching Life from HomeHome is a place that has been increasingly under-rated in modern life - that is until now. Suddenly home is assuming a greater importance in everyday life once again. We look at why and provide you with our best ideas for making your home a place for relaunching life.
(Part 5 in our series 100 Great Ideas for Wellbeing in Hard Times)

Scandinavian Color School In a meeting with Berit Bergström, Managing Director of the Scandinavian Color School and President of the International Color Association, we shed light on some questions about colors through Berit's vast experience with color.

Shine the Light on White Take off your shoes, slip on a white robe and leave the dark winter behind. No, you?re not in heaven, you?re in Stockholm?s Iglo Ljuscafé or Light Café. An hour in the Iglo and you feel born again. What?s the trick? Shine the light on white.

Tiled Stove Renaissance In Scandinavia today there is a strong interest in replacing energy sources based on fossil fuels with renewable forms both to reduce the green house effects and to reduce dependency on declining global stocks of oil. Wood stoves of all kinds are experiencing a renaissance, and technology is making them increasingly efficient. One of these is the Swedish kakelugn or tiled stove.

What Wood? The famous Finnish designer Alvar Aalto once said that "nature is the symbol of freedom". Small wonder that many of us want the feel of wood around us in our living and working environments. Yet it is precisely the source of that wood - our forests - that forms a vital piece of the puzzle to make our planet sustainable for human and other life into the future. What should we as consumers be doing today to enjoy the incomparable feel of wood in our home and work environments at the same time as we do the right thing?

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Enjoy our archive of previous food features.

An Apple A Day Read about why and how to make sure you get your apple a day and enjoy our recipe for hot stone baked apples with vanilla custard.

Eating Well on a Budget We provide you with some of our best tips for eating well on a budget this holiday season. With this you’ll be able to add another ten ideas for Wellbeing in Hard Times in our 100 Ideas series. You'll also be able to find out our best suggestions for your holiday season Smorgåsbord.
(Part 3A in our series 100 Great Ideas for Wellbeing in Hard Times)

Food & Climate, Mat & Klimat The familiar and calming face of a popular daily television weatherman may be what is needed to avoid alarmism and to move common people to act energetically. We hear from Pär Holmgren, author and activist, about his journey into the linkage between what we eat and the earth’s future.

The Natural Eater Series #1: Eating Together This issue marks the beginning of a food series in which I will be opening up for you a system for healthy food and eating that will stand you and your family in good stead for life. I have decided to begin the series due to the high interest in food and health expressed by readers. The series and system is called “The Natural Eater”.

The Natural Eater Series #2: Food is from Nature not from the Supermarket In this second part of the Natural Eater Series we look at how rethinking food as a product of nature rather than of the supermarket can be an important guideline for a healthy diet. Enjoy preparing a spring salad followed by our very own light recipe for semlor in the sunshine – great recipes for getting your children to participate in working with food from nature.

The Natural Eater Series #3: Food as Creativity In this article I look at why seeing food as personal creativity is a path to healthy eating and ultimately good health. Enjoy my suggestion for a creatively-packed summer meal in half an hour.

The Natural Eater Series #4: Food as Calm For many people today food is stress: stress related to time; stress related to not knowing what to do in the kitchen; stress related to bad food habits and overweight; stress related to the jungle of environmental and health information that today surrounds our food choices. What can we do to break this association and reinvent our relationship to food as a moment of calm and confidence in our lives?

Fantastic Frugal Food Your refrigerator is nearly empty, save a few carrots and onions. You are cold and tired. What do you do? Don’t order in! Make a delicious and healthy soup in minutes.

The Hippocrates of the North A look at the legacy of the Nordic region's greatest health prophet, Are Waerland.

Honey - Food of the Gods Food of the gods in the legends of many cultures. A critical disinfectant in the pharmacies of days gone by. The livelihood of small stinging creatures. Nature’s sugar. What are we talking about?

Light & Satisfying Winter Meal An artical about meals that don’t leave you feeling weighed down and that give you precisely what you need in the cold weather: a little more energy and a nutrition boost. Try our no-fuss recipe in this article for a hearty winter meal that will leave you feeling light, refreshed and well-fed.

Mushroom Toast with Caviar In this article you'll find a recipe from ecological food expert and chef, Rune Kalf Hansen, for wild mushrooms on toast and pumpkin salad which is a special variation on an old standard favorite.

The Nordic Wellbeing Guide to Responsible Eating including the downloadable Responsible Eating Guide (PDF) Once upon a time, not very long ago, our considerations of what we ate were driven by what was available to eat in our surroundings, what the season delivered, what we knew how to prepare and what was left in the larder. Today plentiful inexpensive food supplies from near and far 24 hours a day, 7 days of the week, 365 days of the year, ready-made by the food industry mean that we no longer need to think in this way. Or so it seemed….

Nuts, Oranges & Chocolate Is your stomach gurgling just halfway through your cross-country skiing outing? Are your kids complaining that they´re hungry, yet lunch is still a few miles/kilometers away? Next time pack your backpack with three simple and delicious snacks that are real quality food.

Pretty Food: Edible Flowers The list of flowers that you can eat is long. Read more about those that you can typically find in a Scandinavian garden as well as some good ideas about how to use our favorites.

Rhubarb Renaissance Let us try to help you along the way by giving you the rundown on rhubarb and discovering some interesting ways to use this zesty and healthful ingredient. Check out our old favorite Scandinavian dessert recipe for Hildur’s Rhubarb Pie.

Saffron Light Once the privilege of the wealthy, saffron has become a people´s herb in Scandinavia during the holiday season. What is the allure of this pricey herb and what can you do with it other than make buns?

Strawberry Summer Summer would not be summer in Scandinavia without the beloved strawberry. The average Swede will down about 2.2 kilos or about 5 lbs. annually of this sweet, juicy red fruit. What’s so good about strawberries? Learn more and enjoy a fabulous strawberry cake that’s on the light side.

Sweet & Small New Years and Christmas are over but in Scandinavia the celebrations officially go on until the ceremonial "undressing" of the Christmas tree on 13 January. So, it is still time to party, but perhaps on a lighter and smaller scale.

Traditional Diets & Health Husmanskost, the food of the common man, is in again in Scandinavia and the big question is why. We explore the mystery and provide you with our ten best ideas – including recipe suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner - for eating well the husmans-way.
(Part 3B in our series 100 Great Ideas for Wellbeing in Hard Times)

Warm Lingon Juice Ever get tired of finding just tea or coffee in your thermos? Try warm lingon (alternatively cranberry) juice which can be particularly stimulating on a cool crisp autumn day.

Warm Mushroom Wraps with Swedish Thin Bread Certain types of mushrooms such as the shiitake variety have for some time been highlighted as a healthful food. In Scandinavia gathering and consuming mushrooms in the wild, particularly in the autumn, is a part of culture. They are low in energy and fat, and if you pick them in the forest, they get you moving around and burning up calories.

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Enjoy our archive of previous Gardens & Herbs features.

Angel Plant Once thought of as a cure for the plague, Angelica is today valued in Scandinavia for its many unusual qualities.

Colony Gardens In Scandinavia the desire for one’s own garden is growing at a faster pace than local authorities can organize. We take a look at this phenomenon and the vision that it might offer for cities into the future.

Dreaming of a Garden & Realizing it on a Budget. In this article we tell you why you should keep gardening on your high priority list and help you with small means to realize the garden, great or small, that you have been dreaming of.
(Part 4 in our series 100 Great Ideas for Wellbeing in Hard Times)

A Garden for the Winter Here´s one clever and creativity-evoking way of keeping contact with your garden all year.

Feed the Birds While you should always be aware of illnesses that birds can spread, can you imagine a summer without the sweet chirping of birds? Encourage the bird life in your garden at the same time as doing it safely.

Grandmother's Garden Grandmother’s old-style garden plot remains a timeless favorite in Scandinavia. But what is it that makes up this island of cultivated sentimentality disguised as wild? Discover, below, what flowers to consider if you want to turn your garden into a Scandinavian summer paradise.

Healing Gardens: What is new? Researchers at Alnarp, Sweden have since the 1980s been digging into what this garden wisdom is all about in order to help people suffering from the increasingly common conditions of overstress and burnout. So what´s new? The role of horticulture in human health and wellbeing is becoming a science rather than just something that we have always sensed we need.

Keeping Off the Crawlies Check out some of our best home grown ideas for making this year’s gardening season safe and less painful.

Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve We speak to Sven-Erik Magnusson, the power house behind Sweden’s Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary and with this has become a leading tourism destination in southern Sweden. The reserve is home to northern Europe’s largest aquifer and a cultural landscape today rare in the world. Hurricane Katrina researchers now agree preservation of similar wetlands in New Orleans could have avoided a catastrophe.

Let it Bloom at Christmas Time to open the dusty boxes of Christmas decorations once again, untangle all of the Christmas lights and put out the angels. Is there a different, simpler and more fulfilling way to do things that can ring in the season in an equally festive way?

Lichen: An Environment Thermometer Use for both their medicinal and nutritive value, lichen has today an important new role to play for humans in the northern hemisphere. Read more in this article.

Nordic Garden Lore How to maximize the summer house garden in a way that ensures that we don’t simply take but also give back to the land. We look at the emergence of a new Nordic Garden Lore.

Printemps Pelargonium If the winter just seems to drag out for too long, put a pelargonium at your windowsill and you´ll realize from the way that it reacts to the new light that Spring is just around the corner.

Raking as Therapy Why not purchase a humble rake and start scratching away at those leaves? We explore the surprising wellness benefits of this favorite Scandinavian past-time.

Red as a Rosehip Read in this article about why starting to consume a little more of this fruit from one of our oldest rose species, can be a boon for health and a culinary delight.

What the Trees Can Do for You We look at 5 Nordic trees, their fascinating past symbolism and how they have been used for good health in Scandinavia.

Wisdom Tree If you are wondering whether to plant an apple tree around your home, what type to plant and how to get the most out of the tree, check out our best tips in this article.

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Enjoy our archive of previous outdoor features, below.

A Walk in the Park With the assistance of environmental consultant and nature guide, Sara Borgström, we take a closer look at what parks actually mean to us and why Sweden is celebrating its national parks this 2009.

An Optimistic Adventure You can become a devoted sailor at any time in life and experience the spiritual relationship to nature that sailing is all about. But the chance of developing a real passion is higher at an early age. We check out the Optimist Dinghy.

Back to the ForestWhy do so many of us wherever we are find a stroll in the forest calming and energy-giving? Couldn't we get the same from just strolling down the street? We give you 8 good reasons to go back to the forest.

Barely Outdoors You can walk barefoot this summer safely in the knowledge that it not only feels good but that it is most likely good for you in ways that you didn’t know about.

Chicken Soup for the Cold We give you three good reasons not to forget the chicken soup and provide an unbeatable chicken soup recipe.

Cross-country for Body & Soul In this article Jessica Petersson and Jonas Rejdemo, ski instructors at Fjätervålen Ski Resort near Idre in Sweden, tell us why and how to get the most out of this often underrated ancient skiing technique.

Cross-country: Getting Equipped We draw on the expertise of Jan Martinsson who equips hundreds of people on a daily basis at the height of the skiing season in Fjätervålen, Sweden.

20 Great Ideas for Wellbeing in the Outdoors If you look out of your window right now, even if you live in the city, you will see some of those best things that are free for the taking right now: the air, the sunshine, the trees, the park, the birds. In this article we explore 20 great ideas for your wellbeing in the outdoors. The good news? It’s free.
(Part 1 of 100 Great Ideas for Wellbeing in Hard Times)

Happy Trekking Feet Here we present our ideas on what to consider when choosing footwear. We explain exactly what to go for so that your day in the outdoors doesn't get cut short.

Nature Through a Lens In this article we hear from and about Claes Grundsten, one of Scandinavia’s top nature photographers, and the powerful source of wellbeing that experiencing nature through a lens can be.

Nordic Walking Originally from Finland, Nordic Walking is an activity which is rapidly growing in popularity. It is suitable for all people, regardless of age or sex, and is particularly good for families, since it is more fun and beneficial than ordinary walking, while it is low in cost and not difficult to master.

Outdoors the Nordic Way We talk to Klas Sandell about the Nordic tradition of 'friluftsliv' or free time outdoor life, why it is relevant to modern society and how we can increase interest among young people, in particular.

A Paddling Perspective What if you capsize? What if you cannot manage the current? What if you cannot get the canoe or kayak to go in the direction that you want it to? Set aside these concerns and enjoy yourself with our article about paddling.

Pace & Posture How you walk makes all of the difference to the workout that you get and how you feel during as well as after. Check our best tips for good posture & pace while walking.

Peace from the Saddle Horse riding and its rapid expansion during the past few years in Scandinavia is linked to a number of trends, not least the desire to experience one’s surroundings at a calmer pace and in a way that people have done in this part of the world for many thousands of years.

Rethinking Playgrounds A Finnish initiative is taking a new look at playgrounds and how their roles can be expanded to meet today’s and future needs.

Thinking Positive in the Wilderness In this feature article, we consider the experience of a remarkable Norwegian wilderness adventurer, who has undertaken journeys that most of us would never contemplate, yet whose inspiration and thoughts we can benefit from in approaching our own nature experiences.

Survival & Wellbeing Lars Fält, one of Scandinavia´s leading wilderness survival experts, author of eight books and founder of the Swedish Defense Ministry´s Survival School, is finding that his experience of surviving in the wild has a mainstream relevance, and he is reaching out to companies and kids alike.

Swedish Golf: Everyman's Sport in Nature Oberto, tells us more about why playing golf in Sweden is an experience for everyone, serious and casual golfers alike, and introduces us to his new site, Swedish Golf On-line.

Warming up for Winter Action Warm up for winter action with 10-15 minutes of simple exercises that can make all of the difference.

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Enjoy our archive of previous Relaxation & Mind features, below.

1.6 Miliion Club With more than 30,000 members and rising, the 1.6 Million Club for women’s health, named after the number of women over 45 years of age in Sweden when the club was founded (1998) is a phenomenon spreading in Sweden and the world. We interviewed Alexandra at the 1.6 Million Club headquarters in downtown Stockholm.

A Laugh a Day Like people everywhere, Scandinavians are waking up to the health benefits of a good laugh. What better way to spend your time in the darkness of the cold, dour winter? Learn more in this article.

A Soul for the Sauna With roots in the Northern crossroads between Sweden and Finland, Pär Granlund thinks sauna is a central part of his heritage and one that he has given much of his time to promoting through the Swedish Sauna Academy.

Breathe Deep In this article we review the importance of good breathing and give you a handful of ideas for increasing the quality of your breathing in a regular working day.

Christmas Cleansing December may be just the time to clean out and scrub up. In times when Christmas feels increasingly like consumer chaos, it is worthwhile to remember this traditional practice which reminds us that Christmas is a time of personal renewal.

Cold Water Bathing Cold water bathing in Finland is not seen mainly as a competition, rather as a means of treating rheumatism and keeping healthy.

Cool Feet Take heart: nature offers you just what you need just when you need it. Read more below about how to make your very own rose and peppermint cooling splash.

Digital Multitasking, Effectiveness & Health The research is still thin but increasingly studies reveal that the radically increased load that our brains seem forced to carry these days is harming us. Here in the Nordic region we are wired but how wired is enough?

Food for Relaxation Bastuklämmor or sauna wraps have become a tradition at some of the most special places for enjoying sauna in Scandinavia. In this article we introduce you by way of a couple of recipes to these delicious light and healthful snacks that can be the perfect finish to a relaxing interlude.

Grain Against Pain This idea has been passed on from one generation to the next and today wheat pillows are a popular choice in Scandinavia for natural health and healing.

Herbs that Relax In this article we suggest some regular garden herbs that are easy to grow and that can give your body the signal that it is time to take the pace down a notch.

Hydrotherapy Icelandic-Style Amongst the Nordic countries, Iceland is the country that has most consistently held fast to beliefs in the rejuvenating powers of bathing.

Getting Effective in the Sauna Sauna bathing is a practice that can take several hours if done right, or so the experts tell us. How can this be considered good use of time, when we have so little of it these days? 

Modern Meditation Read in this article about meditation Scandinavian-style and try out our very own relaxation routine using this autumn’s wind to blow away complication, noise and chaos.

Nordic Nature Tips: Seasonal Meditation This exercise (inspired by Rolf Olsson, Ekocentrum), aims at increasing the experience of belonging in nature through an identification with nature’s creatures.

Ole Nonbye says no When Danish sign producers Ole Nonbye said "no" to the financial crisis they said no to this psychology and today, a little over three months later, are very pleased that they did so. We spoke to Lars Nonbye, Managing Director, about going against the prevailing current and the value of consciously maintaining a positive attitude.

Raindrops On Your Back: Child Massage Is there something about massage that has an intrinsic value in a school environment?

Sourcing Own Energy Learn how to source your own energy with our 20 minute daily program.

Sweet & Clean A highly valued healing elixir for the skin, honey is often used in combination with massage and sauna. What can a good quality honey do for your skin and soul?

20 Best Ideas for Managing Stress In this feature, we take a look at what stress is, why you need to be concerned about it, and our 20 best ideas for managing it.
(Part 2 in our Series 100 Great Ideas for Wellbeing in Hard Times)

Touch Wood In prehistoric Scandinavia, as in other prehistoric cultures, the practice of touching wood was considered a protection against illness and evil spirits. We consider in this article why it is that the touch of wood, particularly smooth wood, calms us. Make your own simple wood relaxer.

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