Lingonberries are small red berries which grow in the wild on low bushes.

Common in Scandinavian countries and consumed by their peoples for centuries, lingonberries were especially popular with early Norwegians, Danish, Icelanders, Finnish, and Swedish peoples due to their ability to be kept at room temperatures for many months. They could be easily stored “simply by placing them in jars of water (vattlingon) or by stirring them with a small amount of sugar (raorda lingnon),” according to About.com: Scandinavian Food.

With no cooking required, lingonberries are delicious as a jam, sauce, sorbet, and the like, and are also a welcomed ingredient in a variety of recipes.

Read the full article on Laurie’s column at LifeCycles in the Communities at The Washington Times »

Have you ever wondered why Americans are relatively unhealthy, ranking among the lowest in the world on the global scale of good health, even though we outspend the rest of the world on health care, spending billions of dollars each year?

Apparently spending more does not necessarily equate to healthy living and good quality of life.

The Japanese approach to health and well-being might hold some answers for us.

Read the full article on Laurie’s column at LifeCycles in the Communities at The Washington Times »

Music is a universal language. Spanning time, space and cultures, music has been interwoven with the fabric of our lives since the early days of humankind.

The sounds, tones, vibrations, and general cadences of music can bring virtual strangers together at all kinds of events and ceremonies ‒ such as baptisms, weddings and more ‒ in shared moments of connectivity.

As art continues imitating life, the 2013 Oscar Awards ceremony may be a signal that our views about Ageism are changing for the better.

With award nominations for actors, directors, and artists such as Sally Field, Daniel Day-Lewis, Steven Spielberg, Alan Arkin, Robert DeNiro, and Emmanuelle Riva (age 86) among others, respect and admiration is rightfully being extended to those with decades of contributions and dedication to their craft.

For those of us who are avid Los Angeles Lakers fans, viewing the current NBA basketball season was everything but inspiring. In fact, watching the Lakers lose games to the point of having low rankings in the Western Conference was heartbreaking.

So what, then, had been going so very wrong, yet now seems so right with recent Lakers wins against the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder? It would seem to indicate a turnaround for them, as they begin to debunk the naysayers and critics.

Read the full article on Laurie’s column at LifeCycles in the Communities at The Washington Times »