Vitamin C

As I've said, I don't take vitamins often. But because I'm starting to notice what's going on my body, you know I feel like there's something wrong but afraid to visit a doctor, I thought of taking vitamins AGAIN. I started off by taking Vitamin E and now Vitamin C.

I hate myself for being careless when it comes to health.

Now, I have to do what I suppose to do.

So what are the benefits I could get from taking vitamin C?

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient that is vital to all creatures. Foods that are especially rich in vitamin C are parsley, broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens and Brussels sprouts. Here are seven reasons to include vitamin C in your daily meals:

Immunity 
Not only is vitamin C a well-known component of your immune system, it is also necessary for collagen, the main structural protein found in connective tissue. A healthy dose of vitamin C will protect your body from infection and maintain healthy bones and teeth, as well as quicken the body’s ability to repair wounds.

Common Cold 
Along with its immune functions that fight against bacteria, viruses, and infection, vitamin C also serves as an affective antihistamine that will lessen the unpleasant effects of the common cold, including inflammation, stuffy nose and aches.

Antioxidant
Vitamin C is a powerful and effective antioxidant that protects our bodies from free radicals that cause oxidative stress. Excessive oxidative stress, or "cellular rust," can lead to a host of severe medical conditions, such as atherosclerosis that can cause both heart disease and stroke, and is associated with many different types of cancer, including lung, mouth, throat, colon, stomach and esophagus. Vitamin C also helps to regenerate your supplies of vitamin E (another useful antioxidant).

Hypertension 
Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure, and therefore lessen the probability of hypertension, as well as the serious health problems that follow, such as cardiovascular disease.

Blood Vessels 
Along with lowering your blood pressure, vitamin C ensures proper dilation of blood vessels, which can prevents such diseases as atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, congestive heart failure, and angina pectoris (a inadequate supply of blood to the heart that causes severe chest pains).

Lead Toxicity 
Vitamin C dramatically lowers your blood lead level. This is especially important for children living in urban areas, as studies have shown that lead toxicity can lead to behavioral and developmental problems, such as learning disabilities and lowered IQ. Adults, moreover, may suffer from kidney damage and high blood pressure.

Cataracts
The lens of the human eye requires vitamin C to function properly, and a deficiency can lead to cataracts (a condition in which the lens becomes increasingly opaque, causing blurry vision). A higher intake of vitamin C has been shown to fight cataracts by increasing the amount of blood flow to the eye. source

Whew! I'm speechless. hehehe! I know it is very important, its just me being lazy. Well, its not too late to be more health conscious now, right?

FTF: Puso ng Saging