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,

Get Cooking this Tasty Tuesday with Seasonal Veggies!

Get to know your winter squashes and how they can help keep the winter colds away!

I know it says winter squash but these veggies like to make an early appearance in the fall. Aside from adding more variety to the grocery shelves and to your tables, these winter veggies are full of nutritious value and can help keep you healthy this season!

Did you know that winter squashes are surprisingly full of goodness: phytonutrients, antioxidants, potassium, fibre, beta-carotene, B vitamins and vitamin C? The nutrients found in members of the squash family are helpful to our bodies in many ways, such as aiding in the proper function of the nervous system, the brain, recovery after exercise, bone health and supporting our immune systems!

This fall and winter, get to know your winter gourds. Try cooking with more squash and keep those pesky cold bugs away! And to be extra sure you don't catch the sniffles, check out Webber Naturals immune support products!

Illustration by Claudia Pearson

Part VI of Dr. Quinn Hand's Series, Understanding the Vegetarian Diet!

Don't Forget These Other Important Nutrients (see chart below for more information).

Iodine

Iodine is a very important nutrient when it comes to thyroid function.  Iodine is the primary mineral used to make thyroid hormone.  The thyroid is the driving force behind metabolism and without iodine it can become sluggish. 

Calcium/Vitamin D

Some vegans may become concerned that due to lack of dairy, they will become calcium and vitamin D deficient. The good news is, that many vegetarian foods are rich calcium sources – think tofu, almonds, green leafy veggies. Also, there is some evidence to suggest that animal protein may cause calcium loss in the urine. So, by not eating meat, vegetarians and vegans may preserve calcium in the body.  However, this research is inconclusive and other studies suggest protein intake is required to promote calcium absorption. As such, vegetarians/vegans should try to achieve calcium adequacy of 1000mg per day in adults 19-50 years of age and 1200mg in women over the age of 51 and men 70 years and older.

While many products are vitamin D fortified, the reality is that naturally occurring food sources of vitamin D are limited. Fatty fish is the best dietary source of vitamin D and even then it isn’t abundant. Thus, omnivores and vegetarians alike are best to head out in the sun or take a vitamin D supplement. In particular, those of us that live in the northern hemisphere where we don’t get enough sunlight eight months of the year to allow adequate vitamin D production in the skin, can benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Anything labeled “essential” means that the human body can’t make it and it must be obtained via diet. This is true of our EFAs – we require Omega-3 and Omega-6. Sources of Omega-3 include: flax, hemp, canola, soybean, walnut, safflower, sunflower, dark leafy greens and fish oil. Sources of Omega-6 include: safflower, sunflower, hemp, soybean, walnut, pumpkin, flax and sesame. EFAs are critical to cell membrane function, improving cell communication, and they play an important role in the balance of inflammation in the body. They confer cardiovascular, neurological, eye and skin health benefits. Two of the more critical omega-3 fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), found preformed in fish and fish oil. Many of the health benefits attached to EFAs are a result of these two long-chain fatty acids. If humans aren’t ingesting DHA and EPA, preformed in fish or fish oil, the body needs to convert the omega-3 in vegetable sources. Unfortunately, we are not very good converters. However, for vegetarians, it is still critical to use sources of omega-3 such as flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, walnut, hemp, and pumpkin. Vegetarian algae sources of omega-3 can also be purchased. Algae oils provide high amount of naturally occurring DHA (that’s what the fish eat in the first place) and can be converted into EPA in smaller amounts.

Recognizing and Addressing Deficiencies in Vegetarian Diets

Deficiency	Possible Signs of Deficiency	Foods to Eat	Possible Supplements
Protein	Key building block for all cells and tissues, thus can affect entire body.  Symptoms include: fatigue, poor wound healing, brittle hair/nails, decreased immune function, swelling, muscle loss/wasting, difficulty building muscle	Lacto-ovo Eggs, dairy   All (vegans/veggies) Beans, legumes, nuts, seeds	Whey protein isolate powder  (lacto and lacto-ovo) or vegan protein powder,   Vegetarian/vegan friendly protein bars
Vitamin B12	Megaloblastic anemia (big red blood cells), weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, numbness and tingling in hands/feet, difficulty maintaining balance, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, soreness of mouth/tongue	Lacto-ovo Eggs, dairy   All (vegans/veggies) B12 fortified cereals, soy products, beverages	500mcg per day has been shown to stop depletion and adequately maintain stores in vegetarians   A lower daily dose in a multivitamin or B-complex could also be sufficient   Over deficiency may require higher doses ranging from 1000-5000mcg/d
Iron	Anemia, paleness, fatigue, reduced ability to exercise, shortness of breath, frequent infections, brittle nails, decreased appetite, irritability, sore tongue/mouth, thinning hair/hair loss	Spinach and other leafy greens, tofu, beans, dried fruit, iron-fortified breads/cereals	Based on blood tests by your health care practitioner, recommended doses can be anywhere from 10-100mg, depending on deficiency status.   Vegetarian men should get 14mg/d and women 33mg/d to avoid deficiency
Iodine	Hypothyroidism, symptoms of which are fatigue, weight gain, depression, low body temperature, mental slowing, dry skin, hair and nails, and possibly goiter	Sea vegetables - kelp, hijiki, dulse, nori (seaweed)   Salt (iodized or naturally mineralized salts like Celtic sea salt)	Approximately 150mcg is required daily, but I do not typically recommend supplements unless there is overt deficiency. Sea vegetables are a safer more accessible source
Calcium	Bone density loss, muscle spasm	Lacto-ovo Dairy   All Green leafy veggies, almonds, tofu, tahini, fortified beverages/foods	Adults 19-50: 1000mg/d (including diet)   Women 51+/Men 70+: 1200mg
Vitamin D	Bone disease (rickets/osteomalacia), loss of bone density, muscle pain/weakness, increased risk of certain cancers, autoimmune disease, immune dysfunction	Lacto-ovo Fortified dairy   All SUNSHINE! Fortified beverages (soy/rice/almond)	Minimum: 1000IU/d
EFAs	Fatigue, dry skin/mouth/eyes/hair, depression, hypertension, increase risk of cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disease	Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils	1-2 Tbsp (15-30mL) per day of omega-3 rich vegetable oils like flax seed oil OR 1-2 1000mg flax seed oil capsules   Evening Primrose oil can be added as a gamma linoleic acid source – 1000-2000mg (1-2 capsules)
Zinc (not discussed but included for completeness)	Loss of appetite, reduced taste sensation, impaired immune function, mental lethargy	Seeds, beans, legumes, whole grains, mushrooms, spinach, corn	15-50mg per day

Image source: natural-homeremedies.org, joanmorais.com