National Vitamin C Day

Today is National Vitamin C Day!

Hail, Vitamin C. You are a powerhouse of a nutrient!  We need you desperately. You help us form and maintain our connective tissues- think skin, bones, teeth. You are a powerful antioxidant and help protect our cells from free radical damage. 

Based on the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) set by the Food and Drug Administration… we should get about 75 milligrams as a woman and men should get approximately 90 miliigrams. Let’s just use this recommendation as a guide.

How much Vitamin C someone needs actually depends on the individual. We do know that smokers and the immune compromised may require more. Deficiencies of Vitamin C include bleeding gums, poor wound healing, increased risk of infection, anemia, and bruising.

Anyone remember hearing about sailors and a weird disease called scurvy? Scurvy (a severe Vitamin C deficiency) killed more than two million sailors between the time Columbus crossed the ocean and the introduction of steam engines during the Industrial Revolution. Did you know that scurvy accounted for more deaths than storms, battles, shipwrecks, and all other diseases combined during that era? We rarely hear of causes of scurvy anymore as the diets of sailors have greatly improved as they now have more access to fresh fruits and vegetables. I often think of the lack of refrigeration they had back then.

One of the most effective ways to get Vitamin C is through a well-rounded diet full of fruits and vegetables. Did you ever have someone tell you to drink Orange Juice when you felt a cold coming?  I believe that increased doses of Vitamin C can boost the immune system but you can always find the studies out there to refute that.  Observation...I have had clients complain of diarrhea after doing increased Vitamin C during times of illness, but it really takes a significant amount to cause diarrhea. Common sense would tell me stop all Vitamin C supplementation while having diarrhea.

Back to the OJ. While oranges are an excellent source of Vitamin C-remember this rule of thumb… the closer to the original whole food the better. I suggest just eating an orange instead.  With an orange being very high in Vitamin C, it may not be as high as some of the others. Some of the highest sources of Vitamin C are found in Acerola Cherries, Grapefruit, Guava, and Broccoli. Others include strawberries, peppers (red and yellow), cantelope, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and many more. Side note… as an herbalist, I often recommend Acerola Cherry Extract for adrenal fatigue because your adrenals LOVE Vitamin C (I’ll do another blog post about that one day).

Now let’s move from foods for a minute to other Vitamin C that can be absorbed into your skin. Without making this blog post about all of the wonderful Vitamin C products I love to use on my skin, I have to remind you that the ingredients in your personal care products/skincare will be absorbed into your bloodstream. Did you know that a good Vitamin C Serum can help to reduce wrinkles, protect & enhance collagen production, reduces hyperpigmentation, evens skin tone, brightens complexion, and even act as a barrier against pollution and other free radicals?  Yes, it is a powerhouse, even in your personal care products. 

I am always teaching you to do your research. One of the most important factors here is, once again, the safety and purity of Vitamin C. The quality of the Vitamin C that you are absorbing- whether it be initially through your digestive system by way of fruits and vegetables or your bloodstream directly by way of your skin care products- is VERY important. I always suggest you pick fruits and vegetables that are not genetically modified or sprayed with pesticides- especially pay attention to the ones on the Dirty Dozen List. As far as personal care products with Vitamin C touted in the description, please use Vitamin C products from companies that do rigorous testing.

Lots of you know that I am a Director with Beautycounter and I chose to partner with them for lots of reasons. The main reason was the rigorous ingredient testing they do! You can read more about our quality control and standards here. So as far as my favorite Vitamin C Serum and antioxidant rich products high in Vitamin C, they are from Beautycounter. I couldn’t live without daily application of my All Bright Triple Acid AHA Toner and the All Bright Brightening Facial Oil. Full transparency, I am allergic to oranges and I can’t tolerate our Vitamin C Serum. Every other Vitamin C product I am obsessed with! So while I don’t use it, I know it is amazing because my clients tell me they can't live without it. 

While skincare products can complement overall health & have wonderful benefits, when it comes to Vitamin C daily allowances, dietary intake should ALWAYS remain the focus. As always, read your labels, and do your own research! Know go enjoy your favorite Vitamin C filled food or apply your favorite Vitamin C product today in honor of National Vitamin C Day!