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,

What is an Omega Oil and what’s in it for me?

Essential has a special meaning in the science of nutrition. Not only does it mean that a nutrient or compound is needed by the body, but it also identifies nutrients that cannot be manufactured in the body and must be consumed in one’s diet. Essential Fatty Acids, or EFAs, such as omega-3 and omega-6, are such dietary necessities. Omega-9 fatty acids, however, can be formed in the body so they are not, technically speaking, “essential”.

How The Body Uses Good Fats

The body uses all fats for energy (calories) and the “healthy” fats are also important for metabolic processes, reducing inflammation, lubricating the skin and joints and for the health and resilience of cellular membranes and tissues throughout the body.

Most diets are deficient in polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3, followed by omega-6 and then omega-9. In general, North Americans consume very high amounts of omega-6 in relation to omega-3; we consume about 20 times as much omega-6 as omega-3. Health authorities suggest the optimal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio should be somewhere between 4:1 to 10:1. Refined vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, sesame, grape seed, soybean oils and animal meats are very rich in omega-6. If you consume a typical "North American diet" with lots of processed, prepared, and/or restaurant foods and you consume grain-fed animal meats on a regular basis, you may want to choose more foods rich in omega-3 oils, like cold water fish, or increase omega-3 intake with supplements. All types of polyunsaturated fats are needed, in the right balance, for optimum health.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids exist in two forms: long-chain and short-chain. This refers to the way the molecules are constructed. The two most common long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The most potent of these long-chain EFAs are fish oils.

Short-chain omega-3 is called ALA (alpha linolenic acid) and has a vegetable source, the richest being flaxseed oil. To be used in the body, ALA must be converted to DHA and EPA. However, flaxseed also contains lignans, phytochemicals that support normal estrogen levels and may protect against breast, endometrium and prostate cancers. 

DHA and EPA are especially important for cells of the brain, nerves, eyes, organs and hormonal functions. Deficiencies of DHA and EPA can affect cardiovascular health, memory and mood. EPA is particularly helpful for arthritic and inflammatory conditions.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

While omega-6 fatty acids are abundant in most diets, GLA (gamma linolenic acid), a derivative of omega-6 fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties, is often deficient and is rarely found in foods. The type of omega-6 fatty acids we usually get from refined vegetable oils, grains, seeds and animal meats are called linoleic acid (LA). People in good health can make GLA from LA but many people need to supplement GLA, found mostly in evening primrose and borage oils, to receive the full benefits of omega-6 fatty acids.

The omega-6 fatty acid GLA is especially important due to its anti-inflammatory and hormonal support functions. Deficiencies of GLA can result in skin problems such as itching, eczema, reddish or dry patches and premenstrual syndrome. The way the body uses EFAs varies slightly from omega-3s to omega-6s, so both must be present and in the correct balance for optimal health.

The omega oils from fish, flaxseed, grains, nuts and seeds contribute to the health and function of the brain, the heart, hormones and even our joints.

Image source: http://www.quantumleapwellness.com/bionews0611.html

A very good reason not to neglect that broccoli on your plate.

No wonder Mom would always make a point of making you eat your broccoli! Although seen as the enemy to many of my friends when we were younger, I personally never had a problem with broccoli.

Referred to by my Mom as “little trees,” I would eat my broccoli as if I was a giant and the broccoli were…you guessed it, small trees (I was a very “imaginative” child…). To me, a dinner that included broccoli (although not necessarily delicious to my tiny taste buds) was fun.

Which is why I was very happy to learn that, according to a new study published in Nutrition and Cancer, broccoli may have anti-cancer benefits.

Read Broccoli May Have Anti-Cancer Benefits for more information. Enjoy your greens!

Image source: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?aid=24020&context=va