Vitamin C

~Health benifits of 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 health benefits of
vitamin C.


Immunity
Not only is vitamin C a
well-known component of
your immune system, it is
also necessary for
collagen, the mainstructural 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 effective
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.