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,

Head back to your roots (literally!) with the Paleo Diet - but first, learn the Pros and Cons.

Talk about back to basics! Based on a diet that consists only of the type of food that a caveman would've had access to, such as wild plants and animals, it's no wonder that the Paleo Diet is being referred to as the Caveman Diet.

When I first heard about the Paleo Diet three years ago from a roommate of mine, I thought for sure that it was just a passing fad. But three years later, people are still pursuing this diet in hopes of achieving a healthier lifestyle. So, I thought it would be worth investigating for this week's Shape Up Thursday post!

All the rage amongst CrossFit fanatics, the Paleo Diet presents both pros and cons to a healthy, balanced diet; learn about the benefits, drawbacks and best ways to approach this popular diet in The Ultimate Guide to Eating Paleo below.

If you're looking to add to your Paleo menu, give our Ground Flaxseed a try for a boost in fibre and omega-3s!

Image source: http://greatist.com/health/the-ultimate-guide-to-eating-paleo-022012/

Wendy Tao explains how to Shape Up by naturally lowering bad cholesterols.

High levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol signal a need for changes in lifestyle and diet. While HDL cholesterol should be above 40–50mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre of blood); your LDL cholesterol should be kept below 140mg/dL. Eating low cholesterol foods is important but additional factors need to be considered.

Increase:

• Fibre Intake. Cholesterol is used (thus lowered) when you digest fibre-rich foods.
• Garlic and Onions. These provide sulfur, B vitamins and flavonoids and promote lower cholesterol levels.
• Antioxidant intake. Antioxidants prevent damage to artery walls where plaque forms.
• Healthy fat intake. Essential fatty acids from fish or flax can improve heart health.
• Exercise. Even small amounts of regular physical activity have great benefits for cholesterol levels.

Decrease:

• Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates. They contribute to high “bad” cholesterol and lower “good” cholesterol levels.
• Bad” fat intake, including trans fats, hydrogenated fats and rancid fats. These can damage and clog artery walls.
• Smoking. It increases free radicals in the body, damaging cells and artery walls.
• Weight. Fat cells contribute to cholesterol levels.
  

Fibre is Important

Fibre is any type of plant-component that the body cannot absorb or digest. While fibres supply no nutrients or calories, they perform many important biological functions.

There are two main types of fibre,

Soluble and Insoluble:

• Soluble fibre dissolves partially in water and its components include pectin, mainly found in fruit such as apples, in vegetable, legumes and oat products.
• Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water and its components include cellulose or lignin, the fibre mainly found in grains such as wheat and corn.
  

A high fibre diet offers many benefits:

• Incorporating high-fibre foods into the diet may help lower the risk of heart disease.
• Soluble fibre helps stabilize blood sugar levels by delaying stomach emptying ultimately slowing the rate of carbohydrate absorption, improving regulation of blood sugar and lowering insulin requirements.
• The water-holding capacity of fibre relieves constipation by adding bulk to stool and speeding its transit through the gastrointestinal tract.
• Fibre increases satiety (the feeling of fullness) by adding bulk to foods without additional calories.

Increase your intake of dietary fibre

• Choose whole grains foods such as whole grain breads, pasta and rice
• Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast
• Consume whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices
• Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars
• Add ground flax seed, chia seeds to cereals, yogurt and baked goods
• When increasing the amount of fibre in your diet, do so slowly, because large, sudden increases can cause discomfort, gas, and bloating. It is also important to drink more water when you increase fibre intake.

Image Source: Profilaxis