We can’t manufacture vitamin C Like guinea pigs and chimpanzees, humans can’t produce vitamin C. This vital, water-soluble nutrient has many functions. Humans can’t make vitamin C for ourselves. It has to come via the diet.

Immune booster Boosts white blood cells and antibodies Increases interferon (in animal studies) Protects cell membranes helping reduce histamine release Boosts white blood cells and antibodies – a major source of immunity Increases interferon (in animal studies) which has virus fighting capabilities Protects cell membranes helping reduce histamine release

Antioxidant action Protects against free radicals that can cause oxidative stress (cellular rust). Free radical build-up is linked with conditions such as heart disease, stroke and cancers.

Eat a rainbow! Aim for around two servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables daily. This provides vitamin C plus a wide range of healthful plant pigments, vitamins and minerals. A variety of colours provide a wide variety of nutrient – eat a rainbow!

Don’t destroy it! Delicate vitamin C is destroyed by exposure to air heat, and light. Choose raw or lightly cooked fruit and veggies to help retain more of the delicate vitamins. Because it is easy to destroy delicate vitamin C (exposure to air destroys it and boiling/cooking can mean that it leaches out into the cooking water and/or is destroyed by heat). That’s why choosing raw or lightly cooked fruit and veggies is a good way to help retain more of the delicate vitamins. Remember, though, that cooking actually makes other nutrients more available to the body, such as beta carotene from red and orange coloured produce.

Skin benefits Builds and maintains collagen and connective tissue supporting muscle, skin and blood vessels. Essential for collagen so getting enough helps to ensure that your skin is elastic. Vitamin C is essential for building and maintaining collagen and connective tissue. Collagen is the main structural protein in connective tissue. Connective tissue structurally supports and strengthens muscles, teeth, bones, skin and blood vessels. Collagen supports tissues and organs including the skin. Your body needs vitamin C to make collagen. So, getting enough helps to ensure that your skin is elastic. Stress can take its toll on your whole body including your skin. When you feel stressed, the stress hormone cortisol triggers inflammation and this breaks down collagen. And since collagen helps to keep your skin plump and firm, signs of stress may be visible in your completion.

Stress and skin The stress hormone cortisol triggers inflammation which breaks down collagen. Collagen helps to keep skin plump and firm. Signs of stress may be visible in your completion. Stress can take its toll on your whole body including your skin. When you feel stressed, the stress hormone cortisol triggers inflammation and this breaks down collagen. And since collagen helps to keep your skin plump and firm, signs of stress may be visible in your completion.

For smokers One puff introduces three trillion free radicals onto the lungs. Smoking uses tiny C stores Causes skin constriction so that less oxygen and nutrients feed and protect your skin. Inhaling just one puff of cigarette smoke introduces three trillion free radicals directly onto the lungs. You can’t feel the damage this is doing because the lungs don’t have nerve cells. But, when free radicals come into contact with the lungs, it triggers damage including inflammation. Smoking uses up your body’s very tiny stores of vitamin C as well as other nutrients. It also causes the skin to constrict so that less oxygen and nutrients are able to feed and protect your skin. This is one reason that skin looks older, faster if you smoke. Getting enough vitamin C helps to support skin suppleness and elasticity because it helps to boost collagen production. It also maintains the health of your capillaries, so that oxygen and nutrients can reach the cells of the body including skin cells. If you smoke, though, the best thing you can do for your health is to stub out the habit.  

Helps iron absorption Iron is a major component of the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin. When taken with a meal, vitamin C helps your body to naturally absorb iron. The mineral iron is a major component of the oxygen-carrying protein in the blood called haemoglobin. When taken with a meal, vitamin C helps your body to naturally absorb iron. This is whether the iron comes from animal sources (meat and fish) or from vegetarian sources (like peas, beans and legumes and wholegrains).

Stress attacker Raised stress hormones deplete vitamin C in your body. Vitamin C is the first nutrient to be depleted in alcoholics, smokers and people who are obese. Fast-paced 21st century living takes its toll on your stress levels and raised stress hormones deplete vitamin C in your body. In fact vitamin C is the first nutrient to be depleted in alcoholics, smokers and people who are obese.

Free radical fighter Vitamin C is a potent free radical scavenger. High levels of free radicals can be triggered by pollution, poor diet (too many fast, fatty, sugary foods and drinks), alcohol and cigarette smoke. Vitamin C is a potent free radical scavenger and these reactive compounds are produced as a by-product of metabolism. High levels of free radicals can be triggered by pollution, poor diet (too many fast, fatty, sugary foods and drinks), alcohol and cigarette smoke.

Vitamin E preserver Vitamin C can regenerate other disease-fighting antioxidants in the body, including vitamins. This boosts your body’s self defence systems.

Deficiency disease Getting less than 10 mg of vitamin C for around three months can trigger the vitamin C deficiency disease, scurvy. Signs and symptoms include fatigue and gum inflammation, joint pain, and poor wound healing, anaemia and tooth loss. Not getting enough vitamin C (less 10 mg or so per day) for around three months or so can trigger the vitamin C deficiency disease, scurvy. Signs and symptoms include fatigue and gum inflammation, joint pain, and poor wound healing, anaemia and tooth loss. Before the eighteenth century, scurvy was common in sailors when fresh fruits and vegetables weren’t available on long sea voyages. Once it became known that limes and other citrus fruits could be stored for long periods and would prevent the condition, British sailors regularly used limes to prevent scurvy. Hence the term ‘limeys.’

21st Century scurvy? Dietitians in South Wales, UK have seen a resurgence of scurvy blamed on too many takeaways and not enough fresh fruit and vegetables. Today, its about choice. Once consigned to the history books, scurvy has made a comeback during and after World War II because of severe food rationing. Surprisingly, though, cases of scurvy are being reported today in the present day UK. Dietitians in South Wales, UK, blame the resurgence of scurvy to eating too many takeaways and microwave meals and not eating nearly enough fresh fruit and vegetables. Dietitian Sioned Quirke who works in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales said: ‘The difference between now and then is that this is out of choice. People say that fruit and vegetables are not affordable when in fact they are.’ Sioned blames fast food for the rise of scurvy. Scurvy returns among children with diets 'worse than in the war’ Published 3 July 2013. Accessed 12 July 2013. Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10158690/Scurvy-returns-among-children-with-diets-worse-than-in-the-war.html

Top sources of vitamin C Fresh fruits and vegetable including green vegetables, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, guava, potatoes, kiwi fruits and fresh herbs such as parsley

Space it out With regular vitamin C supplements, its best to space them throughout the day. Because it is water-soluble, excess vitamin C is excreted from the body via urine

Need a supplement? Smokers Faddy eaters Two and five a day avoiders Medical conditions that make absorbing nutrients difficult

Poly C is different Contains a range of vitamin C forms and citrus bioflavonoids to help body cells absorb and use vitamin C.

Why Poly C™? Higher blood levels compared with regular supplements. Breaks down effectively in the body. Contains bioflavonoids to boost absorption

Using Poly C™ Take two to four tablets daily or as your personal needs require. Do not exceed four tablets per day. Suitable for vegetarians. Vitamin supplements should not replace a balanced diet. USE ONLY AS DIRECTED. ALWAYS READ THE LABEL.IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST SEE YOUR HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER.NOT TO BE USED IN CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE WITHOUT MEDICAL ADVICE.

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