A vitamin is one of a group of organic substances, present in minute amounts in natural foodstuffs; they are essential to normal metabolism. If we do not take enough of these compounds, certain medical conditions can result. Out of list of Various Vitamins lets gain knowledge of most crucial vitamin required for our body : the vitamin we are referring here as VITAMIN … is VITAMIN ‘C’
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a role in maintaining the health of the body’s connective tissue as well as acting as an antioxidant. Our body needs to ingest vitamin C, vitamin C foods, on a daily basis in order to maintain necessary supplies.
Our body does not make vitamin C on its own, and it does not store it either, so it is important that we include plenty of fruits and veggies that contain vitamin C in our daily diet. The benefits of vitamin ‘C’ may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.
Over 100 studies about vitamin C have been conducted over the last 10 years, all revealing an ever-growing list of vitamin C benefits. Because Vitamin C is not a vitamin that our body produces, it is very common to have a Vitamin C Deficiency.
Vitamin ‘C’ Deficiency Symptoms
A deficiency in vitamin C shows itself in several common ways in the body. While the signs and symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency are not too bothersome, the results of long-term low levels of vitamin C are very detrimental and worth making a priority. A severe vitamin C deficiency will result in scurvy, a disease resulting from the breakdown of collagen.
Scurvy will make you feel fatigued and lethargic. It affects bone and muscle strength and it stifles the immune system. Scurvy is rarely seen today, as only a very small amount of vitamin C is needed to prevent it.
It is important to understand, however, that less noticeable signs of Vitamin C are still very serious such as:
- Easy bruising
- Swollen gums
- Bleeding gums
- Slow wound healing
- Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)
- Dry and splitting hair
- Dry red spots on the skin
- Rough, dry, scaly skin
- Nosebleeds
- Weakened immune system
- Digestive disorders likeleaky gut and autoimmune disease
- Possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism
- Swollen and painful joints
- Reduced body immunity
Health problems related to a vitamin C deficiency can get much worse over time, and may lead to some serious health issues. Long Term Problems from Low Levels of Vitamin C include:
- High blood pressure
- Gallbladder disease
- Stroke
- Certain cancers
- Atherosclerosis
To get the most nutrition and Vitamin C from your fruits and veggies, there are a few easy tips to follow: eat real foods that are uncooked and raw, make an effort to eat your fruits and vegetables soon after cutting them up, and steam fruits and veggies, instead of boiling them. As I always say, eating organic, raw fresh foods is your best possible source of nutrition.
Food in its natural state will provide your body with the most abundant source of nutrition, so even though many people choose to turn to supplements when looking to get more vitamins into their bodies, I want to emphasize that the best source of any vitamin, mineral, or nutrient is fresh, raw food sources.
Top Food Sources of Vitamin ‘C’
Try to consume 1-2 of these vitamin C foods sources daily; this will help you maintain optimal levels of vitamin C. Many of these foods are included in my recommended healing diet due to their high antioxidant content and numerous health benefits.
1) Guava
1 fruit
2) Red pepper
1 cup raw /steamed slightly
3) Kiwi
1 piece
4) Green peppers
1 cup chopped, raw /steamed slightly
5) Orange
1 large
6) Strawberries
1 cup
7) Papaya
1 cup, in pieces
8) Broccoli
1 cup steamed slightly
9) Pineapple
1 cup, fresh
10) Grapefruit
1 cup
11 ) Amla (Gooseberry)
1 piece :steamed with meal
Health Benefits of Vitamin C
- Promotes Healthy Skin and Collagen Formation: A major study that involved over 4,000 women aged 40-74 found that higher vitamin C intakes can lower the likelihood of a wrinkled appearance, dryness of the skin, and can help to naturally slow aging. Vitamin C is used to form an important protein used to make skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. It helps to heal your wound and it form scar tissue. There is even some evidence that using vitamin C skin cream can decrease the amount and duration of skin redness following cosmetic skin procedures like wrinkle or scar removal. Maintaining healthy skin through a diet high in antioxidants is one important way to prevent skin cancer.
- Improves Mineral Absorption: For our body to receive the nutrients it needs to function properly, our digestive system must first take these nutrients from the food that we eat, or the supplements that we take, and then absorb them into our bloodstream. Then our cells absorb these vitamins and nutrients and they help our body to in turn reduce inflammationand the development of disease.
- Lowers Risk of Gout: Vitamin C is associated with lowering the risk of gout, which is Gout is a painful, arthritis type condition mainly afflicting the big toe. The big toe becomes stiff, inflamed and painful as a result of excess uric acid leading to crystals formed in joints. In a long-term study of males over the age of 40, who took between 1,000 and 1,499 mg of vitamin C per day, their risk of gout was reduced by 31%. Participants who took over 1,500 mg of vitamin C per day have almost half the risk of getting gout. This is compared to those who did not take supplements.
- Fights Free Radical Damage: Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants that can protect against damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals, as well as toxic chemicals and pollutants like cigarette smoke. Free radicals can build up in the body and contribute to the development of health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. Free radicals are made when our body breaks down food or when we are exposed to smoke, tobacco, or radiation.
- Fights off Colds and Flu: It has long been understood that vitamin C benefits your immune system and plays a large role in your body’s ability to fight off colds and viruses. You can take 1000 mg of Vitamin C to fight off an oncoming cold and 4000 mg per day to get rid of a cold that is already in your system. There is also good evidence that taking vitamin C for colds and flu can reduce the risk of developing further complications, like pneumonia and lung infections.
- Improves Stressed Immune System: A recent analysis showed that vitamin C is beneficial to individuals whose immune system has been weakened due to stress. Considering that stress has become a common condition in our society, a sufficient intake of vitamin C can serve as an ideal tool for one’s overall health.
- Lowers Risk of Stroke: One study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people with the highest concentrations of vitamin C in their blood had a 42% lower stroke risk than those with the lowest concentrations. Because people who eat fruits and veggies have higher blood levels of vitamin C, strive to increase the amount of fruits and veggies that you consume in one day.
- Improves Physical Performance: Eating more vitamin C as part of our diet might improve our physical performance and muscle strength; this is especially true in older people. Taking vitamin C can improve our oxygen intake during exercises and some studies have shown that it can reduce our blood pressure.
Using vitamin C before heavy physical exercise, such as a marathon, might prevent upper respiratory infections that sometimes follow exercise of this kind. Vitamin C can also improve the function of your lungs and airways.
It has been found that vitamin ‘C’ intake may reduce the production of histamines, which contributes to inflammation in asthmatic people, and can therefore help to improve asthma symptoms.
Overdose of Vitamin ‘C’
For most people, a large orange or a cup of strawberries, chopped red pepper or broccoli provide enough vitamin C for the day. Any extra vitamin ‘C’ will simply be flushed out of your body in your urine.
For adults, the recommended dietary reference intake for vitamin C is 65 to 90 milligrams (mg) a day, and the upper limit is 2,000 mg a day. Although too much dietary vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful, megadoses of vitamin C or its supplements may cause:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Heartburn
- Abdominal bloating and cramps
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Kidney stones
Remember, for most people, a healthy diet provides an adequate amount of vitamin C.
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