Vitamin C is generally regarded as the Vitamin that prevents colds and flus and whilst that is true Vitamin C’s role in disease prevention goes far beyond that of the seasonal sniffles.
*“David Brownstein, M.D., one of the nation’s top holistic doctors and long-time advocate of vitamin C therapy says, “Doctors lost interest in vitamin C because they wanted to prescribe antibiotics.” But “before antibiotics became popular, vitamin C was used to cure diseases like polio and pertussis (whooping cough), so there is no reason why it wouldn’t treat those diseases today, as well as the newer diseases.”
Let’s try to understand the power of Vitamin C.
How does Vitamin C work?
Vitamin C acts as a powerful scavenger in the body, it especially likes to scavenge free radicals, which are unstable atoms that can impair cells and cause disease. Lack of Vitamin C in the body can result in:
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Auto Immune disease
- Collagen and bone loss
- Low thyroid hormone production
- Increased cholesterol stores
- More inflammation
- Cancer
- Depression
- A weak nervous system
- Poor immunity and the list goes on
Exposure to Free Radicals- how is that?
Free radicals are all around us, some free radicals are produced in the body, but the majority are gained through exposure to:
- Environmental toxins such as chemicals, pesticides, air pollution
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Processed foods
- Poor quality cooking Fats
- Conventional meat- which is often exposed to hormones, antibiotics and comes from grain fed caged animals where the quality of the feed may be questionable.
The frequently asked question- How do we know if we are deficient in Vitamin C?
Some common signs of Vitamin C deficiency include:
- Weak Immune system
- Slow wound healing
- Bleeding/swollen gums
- Dry skin
- Swollen joints
- Scurvy (a condition caused by severe deficiency of Vitamin C showcased by anemia, fatigue, gum problems and pain and swelling in the limbs).
In my opinion Vitamin C isn’t only for those who have a deficiency. It is very hard to shield ourselves from these environmental toxins and so Vitamin C- the free radical scavenger should be taken by everyone every single day to protect us from premature ageing and from disease. This is a vitamin that is water soluble and flushes out of the body within 3 hrs of consumption, so overdosing is not really a concern.
Sources of Vitamin C
It is very important to include foods high in Vitamin C in our daily diet.
Here are the top 5 food sources of Vitamin C:
- Guava
- Papaya
- Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
To reap the full benefits only consume Organic varieties of these foods. Citrus foods and all berries, blackcurrants and kiwi are also good sources of Vitamin C.
Given the vast number of functions it performs in the human body Vitamin C supplementation should be considered daily.
@How to take Vitamin C?
A minimum of 3000mg per day is my recommendation for adults. I suggest dividing it into 3 doses of 1000mg each taken with meals.
Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids (pigment from fruit and vegetables that give it the colour) is a very good combination as the free radical scavenger teams up with the antioxidant property of Bioflavonoids to destroy damaging cells and allow Vitamin C to work better.
Two supplements that I quite like are:
- Vitamin C + Bioflavonoids by AOR
- Daily C-Protect Nutrient Booster Powder by MegaFoods (great for mixing into smoothies)
*” In his practice Dr. Brownstein uses vitamin C to treat arthritis, asthma, allergies, constipation, infections, thyroid disease, sub-clinical scurvy, constipation, and other ailments.”
It really is the #1 Vitamin for disease prevention!
*Adapted from: Vitamin C Makes a Comeback
@Health Disclaimer: Always consult your primary healthcare practitioner before using any new supplements.