Popcorn time with Webber Naturals!

Add some pizzazz to your movie night snack with this Tasty Tuesday tip of the week!

What is the most popular snack to buy or make when you are watching a movie? Popcorn! When you go to the cinema, the smell of popcorn is everywhere. Open those doors and you are most likely walking into a cloud of popcorn aroma that make a cartoon trail to the snack bar! Look on the floor and you will probably see pieces of the buttery corn treats that have been dropped on the way to the different screening rooms.

At home, although probably less messy (seeing as we would have to clean it up ourselves), popcorn is a quick and easy go to for a snack. Who hasn't heard the unmistakable popping from the microwave or stove as the buttery, salty smell begins to fill the kitchen?!

As delightful as this snack is, sometimes, I'm not in the mood for the butter-soaked movie house option or the salty (20% or more of your daily sodium!), microwavable packets. On top of the sodium, there's also those pesky trans fats and mystery preservatives! So what's our alternative without sacrificing this classic movie snack? It's time to turn to the blank canvas of fresh air-popped popcorn! Did you know that plain air-popped popcorn is full of antioxidants and three cups contains as much fibre as a cup of brown rice?! It may be dull and tasteless alone but it gives you the creative kitchen freedom to make your very own flavoured popcorn! And there's no need to limit yourself to butter!

Check out SHAPE Magazine's tips to dress your popcorn from nutritionists, food bloggers, healthy chefs and popcorn enthusiasts in 25 Easy, Delicious Ways to Flavor Popcorn Without Salt!

Enjoy!

Image source: Shape Magazine

Strategy #5:  Rave for Resveratrol

Don't let that cold sore keep your smile out of pictures!

I am sure you have heard of resveratrol – the potent antioxidant from the skins of grapes that may contribute to your glass of red wine’s heart healthy benefits? Yeah, you’ve heard about it!

Well, this multi-tasking super-nutrient also appears to inhibit the replication of the herpes virus. At this point, the studies have only been in vitro (aka in cells in petri dishes), so specific dosing for humans isn’t known. But we do know that resveratrol has a host of other benefits including cancer prevention, anti-inflammatory effects, heart protection, weight management and immune modulation. So, taking a little resveratrol (1-2 capsules per day) could lead to rave reviews!

Also Read:

• Introduction to Cold Sore Combat
• Cold Sore Combat: Strategy #1
• Cold Sore Combat: Strategy #2
• Cold Sore Combat: Strategy #3
• Cold Sore Combat: Strategy #4
• Cold Sore Combat: Strategy #6

Image: Still from Abreva commercial, AdPharm.net

Feel the Sniffles Approaching? Zap Them with Zinc!

Beat the cold bug and support your immune system with Webber Naturals!

It's raining and the daily temperature highs are dropping. Now this feels like fall! I love almost everything about this season: the colours of the leaves, wooly socks, the smells and sounds of crackling wood fires, pumpkin pie! But the one thing I do not love about autumn is the rise and spread of that nasty, common cold!

There may be no cure but I think I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that have always helped me keep that cold at bay...or at least very minor!

Usually the day before I catch a cold, I am sneezing. I'll wake up with a scratchy throat and sneeze all day long. That tickle in my nose just won't go away. When this happens, I immediately reach for my echinacea to give my immune system that extra boost. I bundle up with those wooly socks and wrap a fleece scarf around my neck while I enjoy a hot drink of chamomile with lemon and honey (sometimes ginger). I also try aim for an early night.

But there's more to cold prevention than echinacea. Another key ingredient in the recipe to fighting colds is zinc! Zinc is a mineral that can help boost the immune system and has been shown in studies to help reduce the severity and duration of a cold. You can get your zinc through your diet by eating foods such as oysters, roast beef, pumpkin and squash seeds, toasted wheat germ and peanuts. If you're not a fan of oysters (approx. 25 mg of zinc in every 100 grams) or find that you don't eat many of the zinc-rich foods, you can try zinc supplements (always check with a doctor first). 

So if you feel that sore throat coming along try our Sunkist Zinc Throat Lozenges and give your immune system extra strength. It may not be a cure but I'll take whatever armour I can get in the battle between the body and the cold germ!

Want to know more about the supplements that keep you healthy during the chilly months? Check out our Immune Support products and get tips from naturopathic doctor and Webber Naturals expert, Quinn Hand and her post, Stocking the Medicine Cabinet!

Stay healthy and heed your sneezes! Don't let the cold bug get the better of you!

Image source: labyellow.org,