Vitamin C is not just for immune boosting!
With coronavirus still an ongoing worry across the globe, and with the peak flu season creeping upon Australians, the hot topic for this year is immune health. And the go-to remedy that’s sworn by health experts and nutritionists worldwide is good old Vitamin C. In fact, it’s a superhero supplement you need all year round.
But, according to Tara Kaff, Amazonia’s in-house nutritionist and ex-professional athletic dietician – Vitamin C is far more than an antioxidant for immune health.
As an essential vitamin (meaning your body can’t produce it), it is imperative to ensure that you are keeping your body stocked up on the vitamin! And here are the five reasons why:
1. For Brain Function
Vitamin C is vital for the healthy function of the brain’s blood vessels, nerves, neurotransmitters and connective tissues – which is fundamental in supporting communication between the brain and body. In fact, the brain can actually remove Vitamin C from the blood if a deficiency occurs. And that directly affects the organs and tissues that receive it.
2. For Skin and Beauty
As an antioxidant powerhouse, Vitamin C helps protect your skin by fighting off free radicals that cause inflammation and damage to the skin’s defence system. Vitamin C is also essential for collagen production and synthesis, helping you achieve tighter, healthier and glowing skin.
3. For Mood Boosting
Vitamin C is a powerful mood booster, which helps the body absorb iron, especially iron which is not readily-absorbed (often from plant-based sources), reducing the likeliness of deficiency. Low iron is known to negatively affect your mental state and cause fatigue and mood swings.
4. For Muscle Recovery
Exercise can create oxidative stress within the body, which is why athletes are commonly recommended to eat a diet high in antioxidants to help fight free radicals and repair cell damage. Vitamin C increases blood antioxidant levels, helping the body to fight inflammation and help you recover from training. Whatever your choice of activity, you can benefit from the extra antioxidant boost of Vitamin C to help you recover faster.
5. For Immune Health
We all know that Vitamin C is great for the immune system, but why is that so? Well, Vitamin C protects cells from toxic free radicals that – when accumulated – create oxidative stress linked to various chronic diseases.
Vitamin C encourages the production of white blood cells which is important for protecting the body against infections. On top of that, it also plays a role in various metabolic reactions and is important for healthy connective tissue, small blood vessels and your bones and teeth.
Consistent use of Vitamin C will be most effective in supporting your immune system over time.
Looking for some more tips to get you ready to soldier on through the winter? Check out these eight ways to boost your immune system. And if you’re looking for some meditation to calm your mind, we’ve found 11 inspirational Instagram accounts to follow for at-home yoga!
Feature image: Photographed by K8. Image via Unsplash.
