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Boost Your Immune System with Vitamin C


Vitamin C is at the top of the list among natural immune boosters for your body. The research on the immune boosting properties of the vitamin has been extensive. Your body’s immune system offers protection against a host of viruses as well as health ailments. It is of paramount importance that your body's immunity be enhanced in order to increase its ability to ward off diseases. When your body has a weak immune system is becomes vulnerable to viruses resulting in you getting sick. The best way to give a boost to your immune system is by improving the nutritional value of your diet.

Vitamin C has been proven to be the most potent vitamin to increase your body’s immunity. The vitamin can be obtained from various fruits and vegetables including cauliflower, oranges, berries, kiwi, garlic, parsley, cabbage, red pepper, papaya, guava, broccoli, potatoes, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and tomato. It works by increasing the white blood cells as well as antibodies in your body. It also increases the number of interferon, an important antibody that coats the cell surfaces and prevents the entry of viruses. It offers protection to your immune system by encouraging the activity of immune system cells including neutrophils and phagocytes.

Vitamin C helps your immune system in two major ways. It rids your body of the foreign invaders and helps it to detect any sign of tumor in your body. It is an important component of collagen, which enables it to help your immune defenses in a major way. You skin that comprises of collagen is the first line of defense against any kind of foreign invader. The collagen prevents illness causing bacteria and viruses from getting inside your body in the very first place.

Vitamin C is essential for your to have good health. Being water soluble your body is not able to store the vitamin in adequate quantities. It is therefore important that you take in the required dosage of vitamin everyday. In today's polluted environment it is important that your body has a strong defense against toxic substances to ward off diseases. Also, to have an active life it is important to have strong immune system.

Vitamin C is equipped to reduce free radicals in your body that are responsible for a host of medical conditions from mild colds to even cancer. Giving high doses of vitamin C at the start of a cold has been proven to bring down the severity of the symptoms by a significant margin.

It is also not required that you take in huge amounts of vitamin C. About 200 milligrams of vitamin C is enough to give a boost to your immune system. Eating around 6 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day can get you the required amount. You can also take vitamin supplements spaced through the day instead of one big dose.



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Comments

ofonorow
ofonorow
July 13, 2009
This article was accurate and informative, up to the last paragraph. Unfortunately, dosage is key to the effectiveness of vitamin C in building immunity. The error is advising such a low dosage, e.g.,
"It is also not required that you take in huge amounts of vitamin C. About 200 milligrams of vitamin C is enough to give a boost to your immune system. " On the contrary, our Foundation (The Vitamin C Foundation vitaminCfoundation.org) recommends up to 8000 mg of ascorbic acid every 20 minutes for the first 2-3 hours after the onset of either a cold or the flu. Dr. Steve Hickey and Dr. Andrew Saul have written a new book, VITAMIN C: THE REAL STORY, which contains the rational for the higher dosages, and explains the flaw in the NIH studies, and their invalid finding that 200 mg "saturates" tissues. This amount saturates white blood cells, which are high-uptake cells, but not other tissues. Thanks for the article and we recommend Pauling's books and Hickey's book for a balanced review of the science and necessary dosage. Owen Fonorow

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