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Just How Much Vitamin C Do You Need For Optimum Health?Many benefits of vitamin C have been identified since the consumption of citrus fruit was first recognised as the immediately effective cure and preventative for the scurvy which so dreadfully afflicted the long distance sailors of a few centuries ago. Numerous studies have recognised the vitamin as a possible protector against coronary heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, hypertension and cancer, to name but a few, and it is possible that all of these effects stem ultimately from vitamin C's acknowledged role as a powerful anti-oxidant, active in preventing the free radical damage which is a known cause of premature ageing and many chronic degenerative diseases. So the absence of acute deficiency diseases such as scurvy in modern affluent societies should not be taken as implying that the typical Western diet contains an adequate intake of vitamin C for optimum long-term health. The United States Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 90 mg per day for a healthy, non-smoking man and 75 mg for a woman. But these suggested requirements are increased to 125mg and 110 mg respectively in the case of smokers, a tacit acknowledgement of the increased requirement for this vitamin which increased toxic stress places on the body. But these RDAs nevertheless appear to be set at a level sufficient only to avoid outright deficiency disease. To be sure of obtaining all the optimum benefits of vitamin C, the authoritative Linus Pauling Institute has recommended a daily minimum intake of at least 400 mg. This amount has been shown to achieve saturation levels of the vitamin within the body's tissues in healthy young adults who are non-smokers. To get this in perspective, even the consumption of the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables may provide just 200 mg of vitamin C, whilst even commercial multi-vitamin supplements typically provide only around 60 mg. But the real story's actually even worse than this, not only because all too few people actually manage to consume the recommended quantities of fruit and vegetables, but because the nutritional quality of those that we do consume is poor, and getting worse. As long ago as 1936, Senate Document 264 noted that the poor quality of American farm soils was leading to widespread nutritional deficiencies, and the 1992 Earth Summit reported that mineral concentrations in US farm soils were 85% lower than those of a hundred years ago. Nor does the problem lie just in the soil. The modern Western diet's preference for highly refined grains, and the treatment of fruits and vegetables with preservatives, dyes, pesticides and even radiation is a proven disaster for vitamin and mineral retention, as well as a significant toxic assault on the body. Indeed, the problem for us in the twenty-first century is that our environment seems as though it might have been expressly designed for ill-health. Daily we're exposed to a kind of toxic soup of pollutants such as industrial emissions, car exhausts, pesticides, herbicides, dyes and all kinds of everyday household chemicals. But as the liver works ever harder in an increasingly desperate struggle to detoxify the body, an unwelcome side effect is that it produces enormous quantities of the free radicals which are amongst the chief contributors to premature ageing and degenerative disease. In these adverse circumstances it can only make sense to ensure that the body is as lavishly provided as possible with the top quality anti-oxidants of which vitamin C is certainly one of the most important. Fortunately, high dosages of vitamin C are readily available as supplements and fortunately, too, it seems that the manufactured kind of l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is chemically identical to that obtained naturally. This is not in any way to deny the importance of healthy eating, or to suggest that it doesn't make sense to try and eat the recommended five daily servings of fruit and vegetables, because these contain a myriad of trace nutrients which operate synergistically within the body, and which all need to be present for optimum health. It does suggest, however, that to rely on diet alone, however apparently healthy, may well be to risk missing out on the vital anti-oxidant properties of vitamin C which may in time be reflected in chronic, degenerative, if not acute, disease. It should be noted as well, that as a water-soluble compound, any excess vitamin C is harmlessly excreted by the body. So with all the health benefits of vitamin C at stake, it surely makes sense to err on the side of taking in too much rather than too little. Other articles by this author »
About Steve Smith
Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Information.htm Related
And here is another random article you might be interested in... The True Cost Per Minute of Long DistanceMathematics is unerring. As a child we are taught that 2 + 2 = 4. This will never change and will always yield the same results; except when it comes to calculating you phone bill. Most long distance carriers advertise their low rate per minute costs. However, before you can really make an informed decision as to which carrier offers the best value you need to consider all of the "other" costs that may be buried in the fine print. Read all of the restrictions and costs in detail then analyze these "added" costs against your specific calling habits. Only then will 2 + 2 truly equal 4. For instance, many carriers will charge a monthly fee in order for you to qualify for their low rate per minute charge; while other carriers will impose a minimum monthly usage charges. If you fail to reach this minimum usage then you are charged added costs. The key to getting the overall best value on your long distance is to review your monthly statements and analyze your calling habits. The key things to look for are the total number of minutes, call duration, for all of your long distance calls. Does this number change every month or is it more or less constant? Is there a particular state or states that you call more often than others? Once you have this information at hand you then make detailed calculations to determine the true cost per minute of various calling plans. You need to be able to take the additional charges (monthly fee, minimums and so forth) and divide it by your usage (total number of minutes) then add that to your rate per minute. Only then will you have a true cost per minute of your long distance carrier or analyze the various plans from other carriers. Let's take a look at some examples and you'll get a better feel for what I am saying. Here are three plans ("A", "B" and "C") for comparison with three different individuals: Plan "A" - $0.04/minute, plus monthly fee of $5.95; Plan "B" - $50.00 for 1200 minutes, plus $.07/minute over the 1200 minutes; and Plan "C" - $0.10/minute with no other fees. Now let's look at three different users and determine which plan provides the best value. Tania: Tania's total annual long distance usage was 14,400 minutes, averaging 1200 minutes per month. However, her usage was not consistent with some months as low as 600 minutes and other months as much as 1,800 minutes. In her case we can calculate the three plans this way: Plan "A" Plan B Plan C Clearly in Tania's case plan "A" would be the best value for her money. Chuck Chuck also uses the same 14,400 minutes of long distance but his monthly average of 1,200 minutes is very consistent month after month. In his case we can calculate the three plans as follows: Plan "A" Plan "B" Plan "C" Clearly in Chuck's case plan "b" would be the best value for his money. John John, on the other hand, used very little long distance every month. His total usage was only 1,200 minutes for the year and a consistent average of 100 minutes per month. In this case we can calculate the three plans in the following manner: Plan "A" Plan "B" Plan "C" Clearly in John's case the best value is plan "C". So, here we looked at three different people and their calling habits looking at the same three calling plans with each one selecting a different plan for the best value. In order for you to get the best value out of any calling plan is to know your own specific telephone calling habits. Take the time to analyze your calling habits and you will be able to save money and get the best value for your money. Thanks for reading... I hope it has given you something to ponder. Ray Klesc Providing the best value in telecommunications products and services from leaders in the industry *FREE eBook* â€" "Phone Bill Saving Tips for Home and
Office" 40-page report packed with dozens of tips and ideas that
will start saving you money immediately. Other articles by this author »
About Raymond A. Klesc
Ray Klesc President and CEO of Global Value Connect providing the best
value in telecommunications products and services from leaders in
the industry since 1995. For more saving tips and ideas may we
suggest our *FREE eBook* "Phone Bill Saving Tips for Home and
Office". This 40-page report ispacked with doazens of tips and
ideas that will start saving you money immediately. Related
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