Happy December! We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying the frantic fun of the holiday lead-up. We gave our thanks last month for having such an enthusiastic and supportive group of fans. This month, we wanted to share a few posts that show that you’re not only supportive, you’re fun and engaged online! We love that you’ll talk to us on Facebook, Twitter, and our blog, and answer all of our questions. Here are some of our favorite contributions from our questions this past month.

We began “Dueling Tuesdays” on our Facebook page this past month, where we ask our fans to weigh in on very important topics. Our first battle was polling you all on whether you prefer our Strawberries & Cream or Cherry flavored lozenges. Cherry edged out in the end; we couldn’t help but laugh when Eldred F. chimed in: “there’s a strawberry one?!” It might not have been the point of the whole thing, but if Dueling Tuesdays helped a Cold-EEZE lover discover a new favorite flavor, well, that’s just an added bonus!

The next Tuesday, we asked which you preferred: fuzzy slippers, or cozy socks. Opinions were divided, but we had to laugh at Katie R.’s definitive response: “Cozy socks, hands down. (Or would that be feet down?)” We’re all for starting a new movement to re-coin that phrase…especially since cozy socks ultimately did win the fan vote!

We also loved to hear what you had to say during our Caption Contest posted below. Check out Elizabeth M.’s winning comment that made us laugh out loud –see if you can come up with one of your own!

We asked you to fill in the blank about one thing you daydream about when you’re sick. Ron J. emphatically responded: “chocolate!” while Ralph F. shared his sick-day happy place: the beach.

On Twitter we asked you another “fill-in-the-blank”. This time, we wanted to know your thoughts – if “sickness was a color it would be ____ because ____.”

We totally agree – and may we also add “because you want to stop it in its tracks!”

Thanks for keeping us entertained and on our toes with your great answers! And for those who haven’t already, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and participate in our contests! That way you can tell us all about your favorite Cold-EEZE flavor, your best sick day ever, and why crazy socks (or make that fuzzy slippers!) are just about the best invention since, well, Cherry Cold-EEZE (or was that Strawberries & Cream?)

Cheers to a December free of the bad kind of cold! Let it snow…

Almost anything you need to know about our November Cold-Proof Cook, Bev Weidman, can be summed up in the “About Me” section of her blog, Bev Cooks:

“Seven years ago, as I was reaching for the toy in the bottom of a cereal box I’d opened for dinner, I had an epiphany, ‘Yeah, I need to learn how to cook.’”

For starters, Bev is funny. She’s also self-taught in the kitchen. Which is probably why her attitude toward cooking is one that’s appropriately light. On Bev Cooks, she shares her friendly tone along with her newfound love of cooking and recipes. These recipes aren’t fussy or overly elaborate. What they ARE is approachable, unintimidating, and simply delicious. Read on to learn more about the unique Bev, her, errr, love of Journey, and one of her favorite new culinary discoveries!

How did you get into cooking and blogging?

As far as cooking goes, I realized a drastic change needed to be made in my life when the pizza delivery guy found a place on our Christmas card list. Oopsie.

As far as blogging goes, it was when I discovered this “outlet” called a blog and I realized all these people were openly and creatively telling stories and sharing recipes and I was all, “UM, I NEED TO DO THIS TOO, YOU GUYS.”

What’s your favorite tip for staying healthy?

SLEEP. I’m absurdly in love with a good night’s sleep. That and I love to run. And drink a ton of water. And eat blueberries. And kale. And almonds. And red wine. WHAT? It’s heart healthy, dude.

What’s one important way you try to care take of yourself and those around you?

I quit my full-time job back in March in an attempt to manage stress better. I’m naturally high-strung (Uh, I can sense you nodding) so it’s definitely no easy task. But each day I’m learning more how to LET THINGS GO and not be such an insano freak!

And of course, this naturally filters to those around me.

Can you share your favorite healthy/easy/deliciously comforting recipe?

This might not fall under the “comforting” category, but there’s a serious health party happening here, and I’m pretty sure they hired a band called OMEGA 3. And don’t be nervous about sardines. Really, after one bite you’re going to fall in love, grow a cape and probably rescue a kitten out of a tree or something .

* 1(3.75 oz) tin sardines, drained of oil
* 6 mini toasts
* 2 cups arugula
* 2 Tbs. mustard (of your choice)
* 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a small skillet and wilt the arugula, 1 minute. Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt. Spoon a little bit of the mustard on each mini toast. Top with arugula and a piece of sardine.
That’s it!

How did you discover this recipe?

I’d been abnormally curious about sardines for sooo long, and had only eaten them one other time. After researching what people typically do with them, I created a simple crostini type thingy with arugula and local mustard that absolutely rocked my face off.

I made it for lunch one day, but you could really serve it anytime. An afternoon snack, an appetizer before a dinner party, etc. Just make it, because I’m not kidding when I say your life will be steered in a new, exciting direction.

Cold-EEZE is great to use with other common cold remedies – besides Cold-EEZE, do you have a favorite home remedy?

You know, I DO put a little bit of royal jelly and honey in my green tea. The royal jelly tastes like death and regret alone, but in green tea it’s masked by the honey and is MEGA healthy.

See what we mean? Bev is funny, down-to-earth and approachable. And because she is simply a food enthusiast like you and me, rather than a Cordon Bleu trained professional chef, we hope you’ll feel inspired to try something out of your comfort zone. Like those omega-3 rich sardines. Let us know if you give it a whirl! And tell us: have you ever discovered that you LOVED a recipe or food that you never thought you’d even try?

Thanksgiving may just be our favorite holiday. For starters, we love this time of year (see our Social Media Round-Up for the list of November coziness we cherish!). And could Turkey Day be any more fun? All that food and family togetherness—without the pressure of selecting the perfect gift! But it’s the giving-thanks part of “Thanksgiving” that we really love; it’s so nice to have a holiday that’s centered on appreciating the good things in your life.

In that spirit, we wanted to share some recent news that we’re very thankful for: Cold-EEZE was named a winner of the Parent-Tested, Parent Approved Winner’s Seal of Approval. PTPA is a volunteer parent testing community, dedicated to helping other parents find quality products that they can trust. And this is a group of 40,000 strong volunteers—the largest group of volunteer parent testers in North America!—so we appreciate the extra-big vote of confidence! It seems especially appropriate that these are parent volunteers; Cold-EEZE has always aimed to help busy parents shorten their cold-times. As any mom or dad knows, it can feel almost inevitable that you’ll catch your sniffling kid’s cold… and we’d like to help change that! Here’s a sampling of what some parent-testers shared with the PTPA community:

“Among what seems to be a vast selection of cold remedies for treating individual cold symptoms or any combination of these, Cold-EEZE provides a natural, simple and easy to use alternative. It is a SINGLE product, available in 2 different dosage forms – spray or lozenges, for ALL your cold symptoms.”

Another volunteer added,

“Cold-EEZE is a great and easy remedy for a cough and cold. Within 2 days of using it after feeling a cold and cough coming on I felt noticeably better.”

We couldn’t have been more thrilled to receive this award, especially because the evaluators were volunteers, so their love of Cold-EEZE reflects their true feelings towards the product. Thanks to all who voted. When such a large, well-respected community recognizes our product—well, that is the icing on the cake, and we couldn’t be more grateful!

Speaking of gratitude, we have one more major thing to give thanks for. That would be you—yes, you! To all of our fans—those who tweet at us, comment on our Facebook wall, read our blog and interact with us online; those Cold-EEZE believers who reach for their favorite flavor when they feel a cold coming on; those who recommend us to their family and friends; from the bottom of our heart, thank you.

When we go around the table, gobbling turkey and raising our glasses to those things we’re thankful for, your unwavering support will top our list!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! What are you thankful for this year?

It’s difficult to think of a fan that encapsulates more of Cold-EEZE’s values than our November Fan of the Month, Allison Scott. Where to begin? Well, for starters, Allison is a Cold-EEZE believer and involved community member. (We knew there was something we liked about her! ) She’s also deeply dedicated to healthy living. See what we mean about her values being in line with Cold-EEZE’s? And the overlap between Allison and Cold-EEZE doesn’t stop there: her son, Jeremy Abbott, is the defending champion of last year’s Cold-EEZE Improv Ice skating show! A Denver native and PR guru, Allison is pretty dynamic, and after getting to know her, we think you’ll have to agree.

Read more »

Can you believe it’s November already? The crisp autumn air is turning chilly, a reminder (as if we needed one!) that winter’s on the way. There are so many things we love about this month: snuggling up with a mug of hot apple cider, enjoying the last burst of color from the leaves, gathering with family on the third Thursday of this month…we could go on. Unfortunately, as the temperature plummets, cold season goes into full swing. But—as our Cold-EEZE fans know—we’ve armed you with a great lozenge to keep the germs at bay. And we wanted to share the fun things you were saying about it over the past month!

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It’s that time of year: when the winter cold starts creeping in and that extra layer of, shall we say, insulation, feels unavoidable. Call it the winter trifecta. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, then the holiday season—it seems our calendars have it out for us! So this October, we decided we weren’t going to let the trick (or treating) be on us—check out our five solutions to a healthier Halloween, Cold-EEZE style.

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Please meet our October Fan of the Month, Jennifer W.

We think Jennifer is the perfect FOTM for a lot of reasons. She’s a dedicated mother to her children, and adores chick flicks, cooking shows, and above all, couponing. She’s a Twitter fanatic, posting about her favorite topics. If you check out her tweets at @jenesparza, you’ll see just how many great bargains she has managed to scout out on the Internet. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to score a few yourself!

Read more »

Our October Cold-Proof Cooker, Lisa Thiele, is a true Jack (err, Jill) of all trades.

Lisa pens With Style and Grace, a food-oriented blog that covers everything from entertaining, to fashion, to the perfect non-traditional gift for a host or hostess. Because Lisa and gluten, in her words, “do not get along”, most of what comes out of her kitchen is either gluten free or can easily be adapted to become so. What we love about this superwoman is that she’s also a fun everywoman: a popcorn addicted, coffee-loving California girl.

How did you get into cooking and blogging? I was working in advertising when I had a health scare that landed me in the hospital. As I worked to rebuild my strength I decided it was time to create the life I wanted. I jumped into the kitchen and began baking and cooking, the two things that I loved to do! My mom offered me her camera, that way I could share my delicious masterpieces with the world and the next thing I knew, I was being offered jobs as a food photographer, recipe creator/tester and was referred to as the “gluten-free entertaining” expert. With Style and Grace is a lifestyle and food blog, inspiring beauty in everyday lives.

What’s your favorite tip for staying healthy? At the end of each day, take 10 minutes and release all the frustrations, fears, emotions, etc.. My husband and I take turns “dumping” anything we’re holding on to and it’s amazing how that affects everything else, such as our health.

What’s one important way you try to take care of yourself and those around you? I exercise or do something active every day. It gives me great energy, motivates me to eat healthy and it’s also something my husband and I do together.

Can you share your favorite healthy/easy/deliciously comforting recipe? I love to make a breakfast quinoa with cinnamon, walnuts and berries. It’s perfectly light, healthy and comforting!

Breakfast Quinoa with Cinnamon and Fresh Berries
[Adapted by 101 Cookbooks]
Ingredients

• 1 cup [vanilla] almond milk  – or any type of milk you prefer
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup original quinoa
• 1/4 cup red quinoa – or total of 1 cup original
• 2 cups fresh blackberries – or blueberries, raspberries, etc.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 3 teaspoons agave nectar – if avoiding sugar, you can substitute with stevia
• 2-3 tablespoons shredded coconut

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, water, salt and [original and red] quinoa – bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit [covered] for about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon and carefully mix in the blackberries. Top with walnuts and drizzle with agave nectar.

Enjoy!
Serves 4

How did you discover this recipe?
I ran out of oatmeal one morning and decided to replace it with quinoa, a gluten-free grain I can’t seem to get enough of! I now make large batches at once and keep it in the fridge, that way if I’m in a hurry I just fill up a small mason jar and take it to go. I’ve recently turned my husband onto it, but he’s not ready to part with my granola for breakfast just yet.

Do you have a zany cold remedy or unique stay-healthy routine? Sleep/rest + hydrate + lots of soup and green smoothies.

For more on Lisa’s stay-healthy tips, check out her blog… and especially for her sumptuous food photography. We find it inspiring that blogging helped awaken her passion for baking, gluten-free living… not to mention her love of photography, which is now more than a hobby—it’s a job!

Tell us, did you ever discover new interests in totally unexpected ways? And how delicious does that breakfast quinoa look?

Happy October! We’re just starting to feel the fall click into place—how about where you are? With the change of the seasons upon us, the time feels right to announce a new tradition: a monthly social media round-up where we highlight one of the things that (in our opinion) makes our company so awesome… you, our fans! Cold-EEZE fans took to the Twittersphere and Facebook pages this month to talk up our product. We wanted to share some of our favorite comments:

Alfredo C. wrote:

Apparently we’re popular amongst students, because Maggie M. shared:

@PCFclub tweeted:

We hope that a pesky cold didn’t get in the way of your wedding plans!

We talked David M. through the process of trying his first Cold-EEZE. He wrote, “Trying it for the first time today! Feel a cold coming on! Hope it works as you say!” Less than a day later, he shared that he had become a Cold-EEZE believer—and we were so glad to see a Cold-EEZE conversion unfold in real time!

Then we had a few cheekier comments that we wanted to share because they made us laugh, and well, laughter is the best medicine (along with a healthy dose of Cold-EEZE, of course )

@Malkatz tweeted:

On Facebook Lee B. wrote:

Thank you so much for sharing all of the Cold-EEZE love this past month. Having such a fun, supportive fan base is just another perk of the job—and we definitely love you back. Remember, we’ll be doing these round-ups on the regular, so don’t forget to keep tweeting, facebook-ing, and commenting, and you could end up in here, too!