6 Lessons From Norway – An Arctic Adventure

As the year winds down and we gear up for 2025, Kathy and I wanted to share some insights from our recent journey to Norway. This trip took us through Oslo, Troms?, Bergen and Flam, immersing us in Arctic landscapes and cultural traditions. What we learned was not only eye-opening but also incredibly relevant for anyone striving to live a healthier, more intentional life.

The Sami People: Organ Meats and Performance

The Sami people, indigenous to Norway, Sweden, Finland and parts of Russia, offer a remarkable lesson in using nature’s resources. They eat reindeer nose-to-tail, ensuring nothing goes to waste. But they often reserve the best cuts, including the organs, primarily for their hard-working herding dogs.

Why? Organs are nutrient-dense superfoods, rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are essential for endurance. Their dogs are often gone for days at a time herding reindeer in extreme conditions, and they rely on these nutrients to perform. One Sami man I talked to jokingly said that if he gets tired, he takes a break. His dogs don’t; they do not stop until the job is finished. And that’s why they often get the best meals.

This approach highlights the incredible value of organ meats — not just for dogs, but for humans too. Unfortunately, many of us overlook these powerhouse foods.

Barefoot In the Arctic: Staying Warm Naturally

If you think thin-soled boots can’t handle the Arctic cold, think again. My barefoot boots not only kept my feet warm but outperformed Kathy’s thick-soled traditional winter boots. Why? Flexible, minimalist footwear allows your feet to move naturally, stimulating circulation and keeping them warm.

This trip reaffirmed my belief in barefoot shoes. If you’re curious about transitioning to minimalist footwear or finding the best shoes for any occasion, check out my blog post and YouTube video.

→ If you want to see my barefoot boots in action in the Arctic, check out the clip I published on Instagram and YouTube.

Pro tip: Many traditional boots restrict movement and cut off circulation, making your feet colder. Switching to barefoot boots with room for toe splay can make all the difference.

Cold Water and Vitamin D: A Surprising Connection

Troms?’s near-total darkness in December presented a unique challenge. With no sunlight for weeks, you’d expect Vitamin D deficiency to be widespread. But we discovered a fascinating alternative: cold water exposure.?

Recent research shows that cold water immersion stimulates biophoton production, which may help facilitate the body’s ability to produce Vitamin D — even in the absence of sunlight.

We embraced this by plunging into icy fjords and the Arctic Ocean, following a 15-minute hot sauna and 1 to 2-minute cold plunge protocol. Not only was it invigorating, but it also boosted our mood, energy, and resilience.?

Educational nugget: Biophotons are ultra-weak light emissions produced by cells during metabolic processes. Cold exposure activates these emissions, potentially supporting processes like vitamin D synthesis and mitochondrial function.

Seafood: A Nutrient Goldmine

Norwegian cuisine is rooted in seafood, and it’s easy to see why. Fish, shellfish and even sea urchins are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and selenium — nutrients that are crucial for brain health, thyroid function and inflammation control.

One highlight of our trip was eating raw sea urchin reproductive organs, an adventurous but rewarding experience. It reminded us of the importance of nutrient density in our diets, inspiring us to incorporate more high-quality seafood at home.

Fun fact: Sea urchin gonads are incredibly high in zinc, an essential mineral for immune health, hormone production and wound healing.

Sauna + Cold Plunge: The Ultimate Combo?

In Norway, sauna bathing almost always includes cold plunging. This combination raises an interesting question: how many of the benefits ascribed to saunas come from the heat, the cold, or the interplay between the two?

We stuck to a 15-minute hot and 1-minute cold protocol throughout our trip. The result? No illness, even while others around us were falling sick. This dual exposure trains the body to handle stress, boosts circulation, and strengthens the immune system.

→ Check out our sauna and cold plunge experiences in Oslo (Instagram, YouTube) and the Arctic (Instagram, YouTube).?

Educational nugget: Studies show that alternating hot and cold exposure enhances vascular function by expanding and contracting blood vessels, improving blood flow and reducing inflammation. You can learn more about the benefits of combining sauna bathing and cold plunging in this article.

Plastic-Free Living and Food Quality

One of the most refreshing aspects of Norway was its minimal plastic usage. Even small amounts of plastic, like liners in coffee cups, are clearly labeled. It’s a stark contrast to what we often see in the U.S. However, we noticed the encroachment of American fast food chains, and the difference in food quality was unmistakable. Traditional Norwegian cuisine, with its emphasis on local, fresh ingredients, simply tastes better and feels healthier.

Pro tip: Start reducing your plastic footprint by opting for reusable containers, and always check for hidden plastics in disposable products.

This trip was a reminder of how much we can learn by stepping outside our routines. From the Sami people’s nose-to-tail diet to the benefits of cold exposure, there’s so much we can incorporate into our own lives to thrive in the new year.

Warm wishes,

Michael Kummer

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