The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. The most common of all diseases, colds are characterized by congestion, coughing, headache, runny nose, and sneezing. (Although some people exhibit a light fever, a high temperature is usually indicative of influenza rather than a cold). Most of these symptoms are the attempts of your immune system to fight the virus. They usually clear up in five to ten days, after which there is a several-week period of residual coughing and slight congestion.
Colds are extremely contagious, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Avoid close contact with infected people. Whenever possible, wash your hands, which can remove viruses before they enter your body. Do not touch your face until you have washed your hands. If you believe you have been exposed to a cold or if your symptoms have already begun, ingest the following supplements. They will help shorten the duration of your cold and lessen its severity.
Supplements to treat the common cold
• Echinacea – Do not use long term.
• Essential Defense – Metagenics product.
• N-acetylcysteine
• Taurine
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
Showing posts with label Vitamin C. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vitamin C. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is perhaps the most widely known and most popular of all nutrients. Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C is involved in hundreds of body processes, including collagen production, immune system regulation, blood vessel maintenance, cell repair and hormone production.
Most animals synthesize vitamin C from glucose and other sugars, but humans do not have this ability. All human vitamin C requirements must be met through diet or supplementation. Since vitamin C is water soluble, the body stores only small amounts and excretes excess quantities in the urine. Because of this, everyone should ensure an adequate daily intake of foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is a highly unstable compound that rapidly deteriorates in storage and food preparation, so fresh fruits and vegetables are the best sources.
Vitamin C is well known today, but its discovery was surprisingly recent. The Hungarian biochemist Albert Szent-Gyorgi first isolated vitamin C in 1928 and won the Nobel Prize in 1938 for his discovery. But while vitamin C itself was unknown before 1938, a lack of vitamin C – manifest as the disease scurvy – has plagued humankind for millennia. The first known record of scurvy dates from the sixteenth century BCE and describes classic symptoms such as gum inflammation, tooth decay, lack of energy and bleeding problems. It wasn’t until the seventeenth century CE – over 3,000 years later – that the British surgeon James Lind discovered that lemons and limes could prevent and cure the deadly disease. Scurvy was common among sailors, and after Lind’s discovery, British ships began to carry limes for the sailors to eat, earning British sailors the nickname “limeys”. While scurvy is rare in Western industrialized society today, it is still a problem in developing areas of the world.
Functions of Vitamin C
Antioxidant
Because of its powerful antioxidant properties, vitamin C plays an important role in neutralizing free radicals throughout the body. In addition, vitamin C protects the fat-soluble antioxidants vitamins A and E from excessive oxidation. Scientists theorize that reducing free radical activity in the body can help prevent cell death, protect against cancer and other diseases and slow the aging process.
Building Connective Tissue
The body requires vitamin C to manufacture collagen, a protein that binds the body’s cells together. Collagen is the most abundant tissue in the body and is needed to build and maintain skin, tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. Collagen is also essential in healing wounds, fractures and other injuries.
Building Strong Teeth and Bones
Vitamin C is needed for calcification, the process of forming bones, and for the manufacture of dentin, a major component in teeth.
Immune System Function
Vitamin C supports healthy immune system function in several ways. It enhances the function of phagocytes, cells that destroy foreign invaders; it assists in the production of lymphocytes, white blood cells that help fight infection; it helps produce antibodies, substances that protect against bacteria and viruses; and it supports the thymus, and important part of the immune system.
Metabolism
The body needs vitamin C to properly metabolize fats and some proteins, including tyrosine, which is used to produce adrenaline, dopamine and tryptophan. Vitamin C is also critical for metabolizing folic acid.
Sources of Vitamin C
The best food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits (such as lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, pomelos, clementines and mandarin oranges), citrus juices, cantaloupe and other melons, strawberries, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapples, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes and tomato juice, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. Since vitamin C is such a fragile vitamin, concentrations are highest in fresh, uncooked servings of these foods.
Vitamin C is also available in multivitamins and other dietary supplements. As a single nutrient, vitamin C is available in tablet, capsule, powder, liquid, effervescent and even chewing gum forms. Many people choose to take a daily vitamin C supplement to ensure that their basic dietary needs are met and to help protect against disease.
USANA's Poly C® stands above the rest. Formulated with a unique blend of highly bioavailable mineral ascorbates, all of which have potent vitamin C activity, USANA Poly C® maintains higher blood levels of vitamin C than absorbic acid alone. With USANA Poly C®, you'll receive superior vitamin C protection.
Most animals synthesize vitamin C from glucose and other sugars, but humans do not have this ability. All human vitamin C requirements must be met through diet or supplementation. Since vitamin C is water soluble, the body stores only small amounts and excretes excess quantities in the urine. Because of this, everyone should ensure an adequate daily intake of foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is a highly unstable compound that rapidly deteriorates in storage and food preparation, so fresh fruits and vegetables are the best sources.
Vitamin C is well known today, but its discovery was surprisingly recent. The Hungarian biochemist Albert Szent-Gyorgi first isolated vitamin C in 1928 and won the Nobel Prize in 1938 for his discovery. But while vitamin C itself was unknown before 1938, a lack of vitamin C – manifest as the disease scurvy – has plagued humankind for millennia. The first known record of scurvy dates from the sixteenth century BCE and describes classic symptoms such as gum inflammation, tooth decay, lack of energy and bleeding problems. It wasn’t until the seventeenth century CE – over 3,000 years later – that the British surgeon James Lind discovered that lemons and limes could prevent and cure the deadly disease. Scurvy was common among sailors, and after Lind’s discovery, British ships began to carry limes for the sailors to eat, earning British sailors the nickname “limeys”. While scurvy is rare in Western industrialized society today, it is still a problem in developing areas of the world.
Functions of Vitamin C
Antioxidant
Because of its powerful antioxidant properties, vitamin C plays an important role in neutralizing free radicals throughout the body. In addition, vitamin C protects the fat-soluble antioxidants vitamins A and E from excessive oxidation. Scientists theorize that reducing free radical activity in the body can help prevent cell death, protect against cancer and other diseases and slow the aging process.
Building Connective Tissue
The body requires vitamin C to manufacture collagen, a protein that binds the body’s cells together. Collagen is the most abundant tissue in the body and is needed to build and maintain skin, tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. Collagen is also essential in healing wounds, fractures and other injuries.
Building Strong Teeth and Bones
Vitamin C is needed for calcification, the process of forming bones, and for the manufacture of dentin, a major component in teeth.
Immune System Function
Vitamin C supports healthy immune system function in several ways. It enhances the function of phagocytes, cells that destroy foreign invaders; it assists in the production of lymphocytes, white blood cells that help fight infection; it helps produce antibodies, substances that protect against bacteria and viruses; and it supports the thymus, and important part of the immune system.
Metabolism
The body needs vitamin C to properly metabolize fats and some proteins, including tyrosine, which is used to produce adrenaline, dopamine and tryptophan. Vitamin C is also critical for metabolizing folic acid.
Sources of Vitamin C
The best food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits (such as lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, pomelos, clementines and mandarin oranges), citrus juices, cantaloupe and other melons, strawberries, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapples, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes and tomato juice, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. Since vitamin C is such a fragile vitamin, concentrations are highest in fresh, uncooked servings of these foods.
Vitamin C is also available in multivitamins and other dietary supplements. As a single nutrient, vitamin C is available in tablet, capsule, powder, liquid, effervescent and even chewing gum forms. Many people choose to take a daily vitamin C supplement to ensure that their basic dietary needs are met and to help protect against disease.
USANA's Poly C® stands above the rest. Formulated with a unique blend of highly bioavailable mineral ascorbates, all of which have potent vitamin C activity, USANA Poly C® maintains higher blood levels of vitamin C than absorbic acid alone. With USANA Poly C®, you'll receive superior vitamin C protection.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Vitamin C
General Information
The primary function of vitamin C is the manufacture of collagen, the main protein substance in the human body. Since collagen is such an important protein for the structures that hold our body together (connective tissue, cartilage, tendons, etc.), vitamin C is vital for wound repair, healthy gums, and the prevention of easy bruising.
In addition to its role in collagen metabolism, vitamin C is also critical to immune function, the manufacture of certain nerve-impulse-transmitting substances and hormones, carnitine synthesis, and the absorption and utilization of other nutritional factors.
Antioxidant effects
Vitamin C is one of the body’s most important antioxidants. It works in aqueous (watery) environments in the body, both outside and inside human cells. It is the first line of antioxidant protection in the body. As an antioxidant, vitamin C is showing promise in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative damage, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Asthma and other allergies
Low vitamin C levels in the diet and the blood are an independent risk factor for asthma. Since 1973 there have been eleven clinical studies of vitamin C showed significant improvements in respiratory measures and asthma symptoms as a result of supplementing the diet with 1 to 2 g of vitamin C daily. This dosage recommendation appears extremely wise based on the increasing exposure to inhaled oxidants along with the growing appreciation of the antioxidant function of vitamin C in the respiratory system.
High-dose vitamin C therapy may also help asthma and other allergies by lowering histamine levels. Vitamin C prevents the secretion of histamine by white blood cells and increases the breakdown of histamine.
Cancer prevention
Vitamin C exerts many functions that may offer protection against cancer, including acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin C also helps the body deal with environmental pollution and toxic chemicals, enhances immune function, and inhibits the formation of cancer-causing compounds in the body. The population-based (epidemiological evidence) of a protective effect of vitamin C against cancer is undeniable. A high dietary intake of vitamin C reduces the risk for virtually all forms of cancer, including cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, and pancreas. While most of this evidence is based upon a high vitamin C intake from foods also rich in carotenes and other nutrients protective against cancer, a few of the studies looked at supplementation as well.
Cataracts
Individuals with higher dietary intakes of vitamin C have a much lower risk for developing cataracts and macular degeneration. In addition to offering protective effects, several clinical studies have demonstrated that vitamin C supplementation can halt cataract progression and, in some cases, significantly improve vision.
The primary function of vitamin C is the manufacture of collagen, the main protein substance in the human body. Since collagen is such an important protein for the structures that hold our body together (connective tissue, cartilage, tendons, etc.), vitamin C is vital for wound repair, healthy gums, and the prevention of easy bruising.
In addition to its role in collagen metabolism, vitamin C is also critical to immune function, the manufacture of certain nerve-impulse-transmitting substances and hormones, carnitine synthesis, and the absorption and utilization of other nutritional factors.
Antioxidant effects
Vitamin C is one of the body’s most important antioxidants. It works in aqueous (watery) environments in the body, both outside and inside human cells. It is the first line of antioxidant protection in the body. As an antioxidant, vitamin C is showing promise in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative damage, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Asthma and other allergies
Low vitamin C levels in the diet and the blood are an independent risk factor for asthma. Since 1973 there have been eleven clinical studies of vitamin C showed significant improvements in respiratory measures and asthma symptoms as a result of supplementing the diet with 1 to 2 g of vitamin C daily. This dosage recommendation appears extremely wise based on the increasing exposure to inhaled oxidants along with the growing appreciation of the antioxidant function of vitamin C in the respiratory system.
High-dose vitamin C therapy may also help asthma and other allergies by lowering histamine levels. Vitamin C prevents the secretion of histamine by white blood cells and increases the breakdown of histamine.
Cancer prevention
Vitamin C exerts many functions that may offer protection against cancer, including acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin C also helps the body deal with environmental pollution and toxic chemicals, enhances immune function, and inhibits the formation of cancer-causing compounds in the body. The population-based (epidemiological evidence) of a protective effect of vitamin C against cancer is undeniable. A high dietary intake of vitamin C reduces the risk for virtually all forms of cancer, including cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, and pancreas. While most of this evidence is based upon a high vitamin C intake from foods also rich in carotenes and other nutrients protective against cancer, a few of the studies looked at supplementation as well.
Cataracts
Individuals with higher dietary intakes of vitamin C have a much lower risk for developing cataracts and macular degeneration. In addition to offering protective effects, several clinical studies have demonstrated that vitamin C supplementation can halt cataract progression and, in some cases, significantly improve vision.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Minerals Important to Good Health
At least 16 minerals have been identified as essential to human growth and reproduction. Macro-minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium are required in comparatively large quantities, whereas micro-minerals such as iron and zinc, selenium, manganese, and iodine are necessary in much smaller amounts, though all remain important to our health.
Our mineral levels derived from foods are dependent on the levels of minerals present in the soils where the crops were grown. We simply are not getting adequate supplies of minerals from our food crops unless the crops are organically grown in soil that have been revitalized with mineral content.
It is also important to note that various nutrients affect the body’s ability to absorb minerals. Vitamin D, for example, is necessary for the uptake of calcium. Vitamin C is necessary for the absorption of iron, particularly iron found in plant foods. Copper is necessary for vitamin C activity. Mineral deficiencies also cause vitamin deficiencies, and worldwide we are seeing mineral deficiencies becoming a well-documented result of systematic soil depletion.
The body can maintain its own mineral balance throughout short periods. If the intake of minerals is low, it draws from stores in the muscles, the liver, and bones. If a mineral intake is too high, excesses are usually excreted so that there is little danger of the body being harmed, except by the use of synthetic supplements. Minerals aid in development of our bone structure, metabolic reactions, cell membrane transport of nutrients, muscle movement, and as part of the elements of blood and enzymes.
Minerals used in the body are classified as:
1.Macro-minerals, or the main minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, chloride, and sodium.
2.Trace minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper, iodine, fluoride, chromium, selenium, manganese, and molybdenum.
Other trace minerals include bromide, cadmium, vanadium, tin, nickel, aluminum, silicon, and many others. Although minerals are of vital importance, they make up only about 4 percent of your body’s weight. All of the trace minerals account for only about .01 percent of total body weight.
Minerals are vitally important nutrients that must be ingested on a regular basis in food or supplement form to maintain proper body function.
As with the controversy over synthetic versus natural vitamins, there is a controversy about the use of inorganic versus organic minerals. This controversy may be less pronounced than the natural and synthetic vitamin controversy, but it is still important to consider natural, organic mineral use for optimal health and longevity.
Our mineral levels derived from foods are dependent on the levels of minerals present in the soils where the crops were grown. We simply are not getting adequate supplies of minerals from our food crops unless the crops are organically grown in soil that have been revitalized with mineral content.
It is also important to note that various nutrients affect the body’s ability to absorb minerals. Vitamin D, for example, is necessary for the uptake of calcium. Vitamin C is necessary for the absorption of iron, particularly iron found in plant foods. Copper is necessary for vitamin C activity. Mineral deficiencies also cause vitamin deficiencies, and worldwide we are seeing mineral deficiencies becoming a well-documented result of systematic soil depletion.
The body can maintain its own mineral balance throughout short periods. If the intake of minerals is low, it draws from stores in the muscles, the liver, and bones. If a mineral intake is too high, excesses are usually excreted so that there is little danger of the body being harmed, except by the use of synthetic supplements. Minerals aid in development of our bone structure, metabolic reactions, cell membrane transport of nutrients, muscle movement, and as part of the elements of blood and enzymes.
Minerals used in the body are classified as:
1.Macro-minerals, or the main minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, chloride, and sodium.
2.Trace minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper, iodine, fluoride, chromium, selenium, manganese, and molybdenum.
Other trace minerals include bromide, cadmium, vanadium, tin, nickel, aluminum, silicon, and many others. Although minerals are of vital importance, they make up only about 4 percent of your body’s weight. All of the trace minerals account for only about .01 percent of total body weight.
Minerals are vitally important nutrients that must be ingested on a regular basis in food or supplement form to maintain proper body function.
As with the controversy over synthetic versus natural vitamins, there is a controversy about the use of inorganic versus organic minerals. This controversy may be less pronounced than the natural and synthetic vitamin controversy, but it is still important to consider natural, organic mineral use for optimal health and longevity.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Your Teeth and Vitamin C
Although a great deal of consumer information cautions against chewing large amounts of ascorbic acid because of its erosive effects on tooth enamel, other scientific studies have addressed this issue differently. One study found that dissolving a 500 mg chewable vitamin C tablet in one’s mouth caused enamel erosion. But, chewable vitamin C tablets of 250 mg and 60 mg did not produce enough acidity to cause enamel erosion.
Although some chewable tablets are buffered with sodium, the researchers felt that the sodium might be of insufficient quantity to prevent dental erosion. Because the application of vitamin C directly to the teeth and gums has no known therapeutic value, they recommended swallowing vitamin C tablets instead of chewing them. Some health advisors recommend rinsing the mouth with water once the ascorbic acid tablet is taken orally so that tooth enamel is not dissolved by the synthetic vitamin C (ascorbic acid). It is important to point out that all of these tests were down with lab-derived vitamin C, and the higher the amount the greater the problem identified.
Please remember that vitamin C is found in citrus fruits and their juices, strawberries, cantaloupes, tomatoes, broccoli, sweet potatoes, sprouts, and turnip greens and other greens. Most other fruits and vegetables contain some vitamin C. Other sources include black currants, clover, radish, and chickpea sprouts, guava, kiwi fruit, and red peppers.
Although some chewable tablets are buffered with sodium, the researchers felt that the sodium might be of insufficient quantity to prevent dental erosion. Because the application of vitamin C directly to the teeth and gums has no known therapeutic value, they recommended swallowing vitamin C tablets instead of chewing them. Some health advisors recommend rinsing the mouth with water once the ascorbic acid tablet is taken orally so that tooth enamel is not dissolved by the synthetic vitamin C (ascorbic acid). It is important to point out that all of these tests were down with lab-derived vitamin C, and the higher the amount the greater the problem identified.
Please remember that vitamin C is found in citrus fruits and their juices, strawberries, cantaloupes, tomatoes, broccoli, sweet potatoes, sprouts, and turnip greens and other greens. Most other fruits and vegetables contain some vitamin C. Other sources include black currants, clover, radish, and chickpea sprouts, guava, kiwi fruit, and red peppers.
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