The Health Benefits of Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient which is found in plant based foods like herbs, fruits
and vegetables.
This is a water soluble nutrient which the body cannot store very well, so we must get
this on a daily basis from our diet.
Many people have a subclinical deficiency in Vitamin C which leads to health problems,
weakness in the body and a poor immune system.
In today's video we will highlight all of the health benefits of Vitamin C, explain
how it works in the body, and how you can get more of this into your diet.
1.
Immunity Vitamin C is one of the key nutrients that
helps to strengthen the immune system.
It enhances white blood cell activity to protect the body from viruses, bacteria, fungi, mould
and other pathogens.
Studies show that consuming more foods rich in Vitamin C can help your body to make interferon,
a hormone which kills infected cells in the body.
2.
Heart Health Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which
reduces inflammation in the arteries and blood vessels, allowing for normal blood flow.
It also helps endothelial cells in the arteries to function properly.
This can help to maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system by helping to widen
blood vessels.
Vitamin C effectively lowers the risk of hypertension, high blood pressure and heart disease.
3.
Healing Studies show that wounds, cuts and grazes
heal faster in those who consume more foods rich in Vitamin C.
This nutrient helps the body to repair tissues and reduce inflammation so that the skin can
quickly make new cells.
Also, if you have been infected with a virus or bacterial agent, Vitamin C helps the body
to heal faster.
4.
Skin Health Vitamin C is an important nutrient needed
by the body to build proteins like collagen.
This can help to keep the skin healthy, looking youthful and refreshed.
Having better collagen production also reduces premature aging of the skin.
Vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant which fights free radical damage, fights acne and
helps to regenerate skin cells.
5.
Joint Health By stimulating the production of collagen,
Vitamin C helps the body to repair and grow healthy connective tissues in the joints.
Collagen is needed for healthy ligaments, tendons, bones, and cartilage, especially
in growing children or after an injury.
If you suffer with arthritis then Vitamin C is essential.
6.
Lung Health Vitamin C has been shown to help strengthen
the lung and throat tissues, boost the immune system and lower inflammation in the lungs.
Consuming at least 200mg of this daily was shown to help people breathe better after
exercise and help in oxygenating the blood.
Vitamin C has also been shown to kill drug resistant tuberculosis bacteria in lab studies.
7.
Anti-Aging We mentioned earlier that Vitamin C can help
to maintain youthful skin, however it goes much deeper than this.
It is involved with protecting the entire body, including the internal organs from free
radical damage.
This can prevent rapid and premature aging, keeping the body healthy and fit with age.
8.
Muscle Health Many athletes understand that vitamin C is
essential for healthy muscle growth and repair.
When building muscle vitamin C helps to prevent oxidative stress by raising glutathione levels,
the master antioxidant in the human body.
It also helps to flush lactic acid out of the muscles, making them less stiff and more
agile after exercise.
9.
Eye Health As Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant it
reduces the effects of aging to the eyes.
Studies show that it can reduce the risk of cataracts, eye disorders, glaucoma and macular
degeneration by fighting the effects of free radicals.
10.
Anaemia If you suffer with anaemia then you may be
deficient in Iron.
Consuming foods rich in Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron.
This helps you to produce healthy red blood cells and transport oxygen through the entire
body.
11.
Fatigue If you feel tired quite often then you may
be deficient in Vitamin C and other nutrients.
Consuming nutrient dense foods like cruciferous vegetables can help the body to balance hormones
and raise energy levels.
Vitamin C helps the body to make norepinephrine which keeps you awake.
It also helps the mitochondria energy factories within the cells to burn fat for fuel.
12.
Heavy Metals Vitamin C helps the liver and kidneys to detoxify
heavy metals such as lead which could be causing some major problems in the body.
Doctors are using Vitamin C as a prescription to reduce lead toxicity and also reduce detox
symptoms.
13.
Diabetes Those who suffer with diabetes are at much
higher risk of having kidney problems, eye problems and nerve problems as their bodies
cannot control blood sugar properly.
Vitamin C reduces the deterioration of these organs as long as you are consuming lots of
raw plant based foods.
Remember that heat can destroy vitamin C.
14.
Allergies Research shows that consuming 2000mg of Vitamin
C per day can help those who suffer with allergies.
Vitamin C protects the cells from damage and reduces histamine levels in the blood, which
may help those with hay fever and skin allergies.
15.
Cancer Therapy As Vitamin C is an antioxidant, it helps to
protect the cells from oxidative stress and has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants
in the body.
High doses of Vitamin C have been found to slow the spreading of some types of cancerous
tissues however more research is currently required.
16.
Brain Health The brain needs lots of vitamin c to support
normal neuron function.
It helps the brain to make faster connections which may improve concentration.
This nutrient also protects the brain cells from free radical damage, supports a healthy
nervous system and is involved with making neurotransmitters like serotonin.
17.
Uric Acid If you suffer with high uric acid, uric acid
kidney stones or gout then taking a daily supplement of food based Vitamin C can help.
Scientific studies show that Vitamin C helps to reduce uric acid levels in the blood and
protect against gout attacks and the formation of uric acid crystals in the body.
18.
Types Ascorbic acid is only a small part of the
Vitamin C complex found in nature, so synthetic supplements do not have the same benefits
for the body.
If you do wish to take a supplement, make sure that it is not synthetic and is made
of a food based concentrate.
We recommend acerola cherry extract or camu camu powder.
As you can see there are many benefits of getting enough Vitamin C in your diet.
Remember that this nutrient is water soluble, so the body cannot hold it for very long.
It is important to keep eating healthy plant based foods like leafy greens, fruits and
herbs to meet your requirements.
Adults should consume at least 90mg of Vitamin C per day from healthy foods, however those
who smoke, are pregnant or are elderly may need much more.
High blood sugar can also block your absorption of Vitamin C, so if you are diabetic then
you may also require higher amounts of this nutrient.
To learn more about important nutrients, please see our "Vitamins and Minerals" playlist at
the end.
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I wish you great health, wealth and happiness.