Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Vitamin C?

During the winter months, millions of Americans reach for handfuls of pills and fizzy powders bursting with everyone's favorite immune booster: vitamin C. After all, if eating an orange is healthy, then getting the vitamin C equivalent of 16 oranges is even healthier, right? Certainly that's what the Nobel Prize–winning chemist Linus Pauling, PhD, thought. In the 1960s, Pauling developed a theory that taking large amounts of vitamin C (he reportedly took up to 18,000 milligrams a day—about 280 oranges' worth) warded off colds, the flu, and even cancer.

Research in the decades since has failed to substantiate Pauling's claims, but new science actually suggests that America's vitamin C habit may be harming our health. A recent study conducted at the University of Jena, in Germany, found that supplements of vitamins C and E can subvert some of the benefits of exercise. Physical activity produces chemical by-products called reactive oxygen species (ROS). While ROS can cause some tissue damage, they also spur the body to metabolize calories (helping you lose weight) and improve insulin response (helping you process sugar). This last perk explains why many doctors recommend that patients at risk for diabetes get more exercise.

Yet vitamins C and E are antioxidants, meaning they work to eradicate ROS. Consuming the levels of antioxidants found in regular servings of fruits and vegetables destroys just some ROS; megadosing with the amounts found in supplements can extinguish nearly all of them before they have a chance to spark the body's metabolic and insulin responses. Excess vitamin C is also linked to an increased risk of osteoarthritis as well as gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea and indigestion. Looks like it's time to kick that Emergen-C habit.



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Natural Health 101: Anti aging vitamins for mature skin care

As we age, getting your body the things it needs becomes more important every day. This is especially true to keep the skin looking its best, as it most notably shows the effects of aging and improper care - you may do more damage to your heart, or liver, or some other part of your body, but only a doctor will know that unless you tell someone. (Read Full Story)

Three Cheers for Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for a wide range of metabolic reactions, and it's manufactured internally by plants and animals, which synthesize it from glucose. We humans are a notable exception, which means we need to get vitamin C from food and/or supplements. read more....

P.S. since your taking vitamin C to boost your immunity and maintin good health, why don't you also earn from it. read more......

Health tip of the day: Therapeutic Benefits of Roses

Roses are a good source of Vitamin C. Aside from that, it also has other vitamins essential for good health. Vitamins w/c has many supplements for the body. read more.

to know more about Vitamin C benefits, click here!
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By: superoyee

Immunosenescence - the decline of our immune system as we grow old

Nature has not meant for us to grow old. Nature simply wants us to reproduce ourselves; afterwards, she causes us to rapidly deteriorate. As we age, we are no longer able to run as fast as when we were young, we get tired more easily, it takes longer for our wounds to heal, etc. (many of those who are reading this are probably all too familiar with the aches and pains associated with growing old). If we were still living in the jungle, with predators all around us, those of us who are old would soon be “recycled.” Nature’s goal is the perpetuation of the species, so that resources, if limited, are saved for those who can contribute more toward the fulfillment of that goal. Nature has caused us (and other organisms) to be born with the conviction that those who compete for limited resources are best eliminated; alliances with those who enhance access to those resources are best formed. We apply the notion of competition and alliance not only to other species, but also to members of our own species. By Nature’s reckoning, the old, who are no longer able to contribute significantly to the welfare of the species and who now pose competition for resources, are best eliminated. Nature is so unfeeling.

But we defy Nature and we have developed means that allow us to grow old. We no longer fear the predators that used to chase us, hoping to feast on our flesh (we have killed most of them off). We have developed drugs that fight many of the parasites that plague us (but there are still very many that we have to get rid of, or at least control). We have developed mechanical means to allow the incapacitated to walk and even to run. We have developed electrical means to allow even the severely hearing impaired to hear. Indeed, more and more, we can grow very old despite Nature. (And we have learned to cherish the old — many of us, anyway.)

Ah, but Nature still has a few tricks up her sleeve.

Nature has provided us with the means to ward off disease, to fight organisms that cause disease. Our skin is a barrier that prevents entry of parasites and pathogens. The acid in our stomach usually can kill organisms that get in by way of our mouth. The tears in our eyes, the saliva in our mouth, and other secretions protect our other orifices. If viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens manage to get past those barriers, they will still have to contend with our immune system.

Our immune system is our ultimate protection against disease. We have cells and molecules that are specially designed to recognize substances that do not belong in our body. Immune cells and molecules patrol our organs and tissues, seeking out foreign substances. Germs and other pathogens are killed and the harmful molecules that they produce are neutralized and expelled from our body. Our immune system also gets rid of our own cells that have become abnormal, or are no longer functioning properly.

Very importantly, our immune system produces “memory cells” that remember previous encounters with a pathogen, so that the immune reaction to any new invasion is much faster. Immune memory is the rationale for vaccination — and for its success. Memory cells have been found to persist for more than 50 years in individuals who had been vaccinated against smallpox and for more than 90 years in survivors of the 1918 flu pandemic. Clearly, immune memory persists for many years and sometimes for a lifetime.

So, what does Nature do? To prevent us from getting (too) old, Nature weakens our immune system as we age — a condition called “immunosenescence” (immune aging). With the decline of our immune system, we more easily succumb to infection, we are more prone to cancer, we are more susceptible to seasonal diseases like the flu, etc., and vaccination, which we have invented to protect us from many diseases, becomes less and less effective.

For example, there were reports several years ago (in 2005 and 2006) of studies that showed that vaccination against flu of people 65 years old and older was not significantly protective. That finding was bolstered by a more recent finding (last year) that vaccination against flu of people over 70 years old did not reduce mortality. From these findings, it would seem that vaccination of the elderly is a waste. That is frightening, since 90 percent of flu deaths are of elderly individuals (who are more susceptible to pneumonia and other complications of flu).

Can we defy Nature one more time?

(To be concluded)

STAR SCIENCE By Eduardo A. Padlan, PhD
Eduardo A. Padlan is a corresponding member of the NAST and is an adjunct professor in the Marine Science Institute, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman. He can be reached at fileap-mail@yahoo.com.

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Vitamins present at Top Five Foods for Beating Depression

Top Five Foods For Beating Depression


By: Erin Bates



Drug advertisements and conventional doctors tell the public that depression is caused by an imbalance of a neurotransmitter in the brain called serotonin. This idea makes it seem that drugs that flood the brain with serotonin are the answer to depression, but there is no scientific evidence that drug therapy really works. In studies in which scientists lowered serotonin levels to induce depression, the experiment failed. Other studies found that dramatically increasing serotonin levels in the brain failed to relieve depression. So why do doctors persist in prescribing medications with side effects ranging from mood swings to suicidal or homicidal behaviors when those drugs may not even work?

There are treatment options that can relieve depression without swallowing pills. Many of the symptoms of depression can be directly linked to vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the standard American diet, which is largely comprised of empty carbs, caffeine and sugar. Depression, mood swings and fatigue often have a common cause: poor nutrition. Avoiding depression or recovering from a depressive episode is often as easy as changing your diet and boosting your consumption of key foods that deliver brain-boosting nutrients and help regulate brain chemistry.

Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids. Research has shown that depressed people often lack a fatty acid known as EPA. Participants in a 2002 study featured in the Archives of General Psychiatry took just a gram of fish oil each day and noticed a 50-percent decrease in symptoms such as anxiety, sleep disorders, unexplained feelings of sadness, suicidal thoughts and decreased sex drive. Omega-3 fatty acids can also lower cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health. Get omega-3s through walnuts, flaxseed and oily fish like salmon or tuna.

Brown Rice contains vitamins B1 and B3, and folic acid. Brown rice is also a low-glycemic food, which means it releases glucose into the bloodstream gradually, preventing sugar lows and mood swings. Brown rice also provides many of the trace minerals we need to function properly as well as being a high-fiber food that can keep the digestive system healthy and lower cholesterol. Instant varieties of rice do not offer these benefits. Any time you see "instant" on a food label, avoid it.

Brewer's Yeast contains vitamins B1, B2 and B3. Brewer's yeast should be avoided if you do not tolerate yeast well, but if you do, mix a thimbleful into any smoothie for your daily dose. This superfood packs a wide assortment of vitamins and minerals in a small package, including 16 amino acids and 14 minerals. Amino acids are vital for the nervous system, which makes brewer's yeast a no-brainer for treating depression.

Whole-grain oats contain folic acid, pantothenic acid and vitamins B6 and B1. Oats help lower cholesterol, are soothing to the digestive tract and help avoid the blood sugar crash-and-burn that can lead to crabbiness and mood swings. Other whole grains such as kamut, spelt, quinoa and buckwheat are also excellent choices for delivering brain-boosting nutrients and avoiding the pitfalls of refined grains such as white flour.

Cabbage contains vitamin C and folic acid. Cabbage protects against stress, infection and heart disease, as well as many types of cancers, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. There are numerous ways to get cabbage into your diet: toss it in a salad instead of lettuce, use cabbage in place of lettuce wraps, stir fry it in your favorite Asian dish, make some classic cabbage soup or juice it. To avoid gas after eating cabbage, add a few fennel, caraway or cumin seeds before cooking. Cabbage is also a good source of blood-sugar-stabilizing fiber and the raw juice of cabbage is a known cure for stomach ulcers.

Also worth mentioning, foods like raw cacao, dark molasses and Brazil nuts (high in selenium) are also excellent for boosting brain function and eliminating depression.

Things to avoid: If you feel you are depressed or at risk for depression, you also need to avoid certain non-foods and substances. Some commonly prescribed drugs - such as antibiotics, barbiturates, amphetamines, painkillers, ulcer drugs, anticonvulsants, beta-blockers, anti-Parkinson's drugs, birth control pills, high blood pressure drugs, heart medications and psychotropic drugs - contribute to depression. If you are taking any of these, don't quit them without talking to your doctor, but be aware that they may be contributing to your condition by depleting your body of depression-fighting vitamins and minerals.

You should also avoid caffeine, smoking and foods high in trans-fats and sugar. Keeping your blood sugar stable and getting B vitamins is important for stabilizing your mood. Cacao can be good for mood because it releases endorphins in the brain, but watch out for milk chocolate and candy varieties high in sugar.

Other non-food things to do: Get plenty of sunshine. Natural sunlight is a proven cure for depression. Engage in regular exercise at least three times per week.
Exercise lifts mood and alters brain chemistry in a positive way. Finally, experience laughter. It's good medicine.

This article was submitted as a public service by Cathy Thompson-Lidster, GCFP, Health Educator/ Coach. 267-3022

VITAMIN C- THE MOTHER OF ALL VITAMINS

Did you know that all other vitamins need Vitamin C to work? Interesting, right? But what’s more interesting is the fact that Vitamin C can actually do its job without the other ones.

Vitamin C is required for about 300 metabolic functions in our body and can work without any other vitamins. Almost all animals and plants manufacture their own Vitamin C except humans and a few animal species.

Since our bodies cannot generate Vitamin C, we must get it through proper diet that should include grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and beans — types of food that are often ignored and even shunned by some people.

Among its other functions Vitamin C, which is also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble and valuable antioxidant that protects our cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. It is needed for collagen formation, which supports all the tissues in our body such as skin, bones, teeth, etc. It also enhances energy and mood, sleep, and pain control, as well as fight stress and fatigue.

The alkaline type or non-acidic Vitamin C is notably more effective and can enter the body four times faster and stays in the body tissue longer than standard forms.

As taught by our health teachers in grade school, deficiency in Vitamin C results to scurvy in humans. Other known weaknesses or illnesses brought about by its absence are: susceptibility to colds and bronchial infections, joint pains, lack of energy, poor digestion, difficult wound healing, and tooth loss.

Mother of all Vitamins

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Benefits of Vitamin C

Heath and nutriton: what are the benefits of vitamin c
Vitamin C is an important nutrient which must be obtained through diet. It is useful in the prevention and treatment of many illnesses and diseases.
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Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid is an important nutrient that is not produced by the body and must be obtained through the diet. Some ascorbic acid is stored in the body, where it often concentrates in the organs of higher metabolic activity such as the adrenal glands, pituitary, brain, eyes, ovaries, and testes. This vitamin is easily absorbed through the intestines. The body uses Vitamin C within about 4 hours. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin meaning it helps prevent oxidation of molecules that in turn could create free radicals, something that could cause disease and illness.

Vitamin C has many important functions in the body. One important function is that Vitamin C helps maintain collagen, which is a connective tissue. Ascorbic acid aids thyroid hormone production and in cholesterol metabolism, increasing its elimination and thereby assisting in lowering blood cholesterol. Vitamin C stimulates adrenal function and the release of stress hormones. This important vitamin helps metabolize other chemicals and vitamins such as iron in the body.

Ascorbic acid has become well known as an immune booster and antioxidant. This vitamin may activate the most prevalent white blood cells that work on defending the body from illness. It also seems to increase production of lymphocytes, the white cells involved antibody production and in coordinating the cellular immune functions. In this way also, C may be helpful against bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases.

The uses for Vitamin C are many. Perhaps because of its immune boosting ability it is often used to fight cold and flu symptoms as well as to fight viruses and bacteria. This immune boosting and antioxidant ability may help protect us against both emotional stresses and environmental stresses such as pollution, lead, carbon monoxide, mercury and cadmium. Ascorbic acid helps the body fight all kinds of illnesses and infections. For this reason, vitamin C has been successfully used in many viral conditions, including colds, flus, hepatitis, Herpes simplex infections, mononucleosis, measles, and shingles. Vitamin C is also used to treat problems due to general inflammation such as cystitis, bronchitis, bursitis, arthritis (both osteo- and rheumatoid), and some chronic skin problems (dermatitis). Because of its ability to maintain healthy collagen, C supports the body cells and tissues and brings more rapid healing to injured or aging tissues. Therefore, it is used by many physicians for problems of rapid aging, burns, fracture healing, bedsores and other skin ulcers and to speed wound healing after injury or surgery. Along with zinc and Vitamin A, ascorbic acid used pre and post surgery, can reduce healing and hospitalization time. Vitamin C is also used to aid those withdrawing from common addictions and drug addictions such as narcotics and alcohol, as well as nicotine, caffeine, and even sugar. High-level ascorbic acid may decrease withdrawal symptoms from these substances and increase the appetite and feeling of well-being. Because the main side effect of too much vitamin C intake is diarrhea, it can be used as a natural laxative. If furthered studied, the functions (antioxidant, immune support, interferon, tissue health and healing) that vitamin C perform in the body, along with the still mysterious influences of higher-dose ascorbic acid intake, we may see how vitamin C may have a positive influence in fighting and preventing cancer. This use of C is controversial and still not widely used.

The RDA for adults is considered to be 60 mg. We need only about 10–20 mg. to prevent scurvy, and there is more than that in one portion of most fruits or vegetables. Infants need 35 mg.; about 50 mg. between ages one and fourteen and 60 mg. afterward are the suggested minimums. During pregnancy, 80 mg. are required; 100 mg. are needed during lactation. Realistically, between 100–150 mg. daily is a minimum dosage for most people. Stress causes the body to need more vitamin C. The total amount taken over the day should be divided into multiple doses (four to six). Mega doses are sometimes prescribed for certain conditions. Vitamin C can be found in fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citric fruits and red and green peppers.


comment:
Vitamin c has many functions w/c are beneficial to the body and can even prevent and fight cancer.

Vitamin C Benefits