Vitamin C is a powerful nutrient you need both inside and out for health and beauty. Eating a diet rich in vitamin C is helpful in overturning the effects of environmental stressors on the body and promoting tissue and cell growth. And using a topical vitamin C as part of your skin care regime has been shown to improve wrinkles, roughness, and discoloration.
This amazing nutrient is a:
- Protein Producer. Collagen is an important protein that promotes elasticity in your skin. Over time, collagen production lessens, which lowers skin elasticity and leads to wrinkles. Vitamin C is a collagen protein producer, helping to improve elasticity and reduce the natural propensity for wrinkles.
- Stress Reducer: Vitamin C helps to suppress cortisol, the hormone produced when you are under stress. Cortisol causes inflammation, which can break down collagen—the protein that provides the supportive framework for your skin.
- Free-Radical Fighter. The effects of UV rays from time spent out in the sun, smoking cigarettes, pollution, and poor eating habits can leave you vulnerable to free radicals—abnormal cells that can cause damage to healthy cells. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that fights against these free radicals, offsetting their damage.
To Maximize Your Vitamin C Benefits...
- Eat Plenty of Vitamin C Rich Foods: Your body does not naturally produce vitamin C. It stores it, however, when you eat foods and take nutritional supplements containing vitamin C. So make sure you're eating plenty of foods that are rich in vitamin C, including: citrus, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower, for example), tomatoes, kale, and potatoes.
- Make Sure You're Getting Enough: Your capacity to store vitamin C wanes with age and based on certain environmental factors, including smoking and stress. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women (which changes slightly for women who are pregnant or lactating).
- Consider a Supplement: Because vitamin C is present in such a wide variety of foods, it is easy to include in your eating habits. But if you cannot incorporate enough vitamin C in your diet, consider a supplement.
- Add Topical Vitamin C to Your Skincare Regimen: While oral vitamin C is a vital component to healthy skin, it may not be enough to fully achieve maximum beauty benefits. That’s why you should consider incorporating a topical vitamin C into your skin care regimen. Topical vitamin C, which is 20 times more beneficial than simply ingesting it, offers a number of unique benefits for your skin. It reduces inflammation, lessens the appearance of brown spots and skin discoloration, and offers healing properties for dry skin and wounds.
