Vitamin C has long been known to be beneficial to our body.
Vitamin C is
A powerful antioxidant.
It prevents free-radical damage that contributes to aging and degenerative and age-related disease, including cancer and cardiovascular disorders.
Vitamin C keeps other antioxidants (such as Vitamin E and A) potent by preventing them from being oxidized.
With regards to our Immune System:
Vitamin C helps us fight off various diseases, such as an infection and even cancer.
Extra Vitamin C will help our body make lymphocytes. These are small white blood cells that are important to our immune system.
Vitamin C is needed by our Thymus Gland, to produce T-cells, from birth to puberty. T-cells help protect our body from various threats, including viruses and infections.
We have cells called Phagocytes. They eat bacteria, viral cells, cancer cells and other harmful foreign invaders. Vitamin C is needed to help Phagocytes move around and do their job.
Extra Vitamin C can shorten the life and intensity of chest colds and other upper respiratory infections.
If we think of Emotional and Physical Stress:
Our Adrenal Glands have very high levels of Vitamin C when all is well with us. When we have stress in our lives, the Vitamin C gets used up very quickly. It is extremely important to eat a healthy diet when you are under stress so that your Adrenal Glands can function at their best. A German study showed that people who took 1000mg of Vitamin C/day dealt better with psychological stress than those subjects who took 500mg/day.
When exercising, increase your Vitamin C intake to keep up your stamina for a longer period of time.
When preventing Cardiovascular Disease:
Vitamin C increases HDL (protects the body from heart disease) and lowers LDL (bad cholesterol).
Vitamin C repairs damaged arterial walls.
Vitamin C prevents cholesterol deposits from forming.
Vitamin C is involved with moving cholesterol from the arteries to the liver. In the liver the cholesterol is converted into bile acids and then eliminated from the body along with fiber.
In general, Vitamin C is:
Needed to repair fractured bones.
Needed for formation of collagen and bone and cartilage.
Important for growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body.
Helps other nutrients do their job.
Increases ability to absorb iron.
A natural antihistamine in high dose.
Important to note:
Vitamin C is even more essential if you
Smoke
Take medication or drugs
Eat a diet that is meat-centered
Eat processed foods
Have extreme physical stress
Vitamin C and Glucose compete with each other to enter our cells. If there is more Glucose, then the Glucose wins. This means that your body will absorb less Vitamin C and you may become deficient. Eat a low-glycemic diet (Whole-Foods Plant-Based) that is full of fresh vegetables. Recipe Ideas
Bioflavinoids increase Vitamin C absorption. (found in citrus fruits, berries, parsley, legumes, green tea)
Our body gets rid of Vitamin C quickly so if you are supplementing, it is important to divide the doses throughout the day. This will ensure that your blood and tissues will absorb a more consistent amount.
How to Know How Much Vitamin C Your Body Needs
To calculate the needs of your body, you could do what is called, a Vitamin C Flush.
This process will also help your body to do a bit of a clean-up.
Do the following on a day that you will be close to home:
Begin in the morning, on an empty stomach. Dissolve 1000mg of a buffered Vitamin C powder (affiliate link-this brand is non-GMO; I asked the company) (or this link if you live in the US) in water. Drink.
Take this amount every 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Do not eat during this time. Only drink water.
Keep track of how much is taken until you experience diarrhea.
Take this amount and subtract 1000mg.
Take this new amount, beginning the next day, every 4 hours for 2 days. If you get diarrhea, decrease the amount.
I did the Vitamin C Flush myself, just the other day. It was simple to do and gave me and indication of how much Vitamin C I need to be taking in a day. I prefer to look closer at my diet rather than using supplements. I do believe that there is a time and a place for supplements but whenever possible, I count on my diet to take care of my body. I will share more detail in my next blog post on alternatives to using a Vitamin C supplement. So watch this space.
Thanks for reading!
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