How Vitamin C Works And Why You Should Use It

Beauty Thought Leader –  Lakshmi Devi Ethirajan

Vitamin C is a vital nutrient to our body—and it’s a real gift for our skin!

This powerful, natural antioxidant helps protect our body against the damage that can be caused by free radicals and supports our body’s overall immune system. And one of the ways we get to see these benefits is through our skin: it helps us glow with good health.

“Helps reduce the appearance of age spots, even out skin tone, and gives your skin a bright, lively appearance.”

Vitamin C Is Essential For Skin Care:

Our bodies use Vitamin C, a naturally-occurring nutrient, in many ways:

• Makes a protein known as collagen—which is key for helping our skin be more pliable, and the cells look more plumped up. When your skin has that healthy, hydrated look, you’ll discover it minimizes the appearance of lines.
• Helps protect the skin from damage that free radicals (a natural outgrowth from pollution), UV light and cigarette smoke, can cause.
• Repairs and reinforces bones, cartilage, and teeth.
• Helps reduce the appearance of age spots, even out skin tone, and gives your skin a bright, lively appearance.

How To Incorporate Vitamin C Into Daily Regimens:

Boost The Vitamin C You Eat – The first and most essential way to put vitamin C to use is through what you eat. That’s right, glowing skin starts with great nutrition! Fortunately, vitamin C is among the easiest to incorporate, since many of its core sources are probably among your favorite fruits and vegetables.

“That’s right, glowing skin starts with great nutrition!”

Wondering if you’re getting the recommended levels of vitamin C? Just track your meals and snacks for a few days or a week. First, you need to know what your target is: women generally should shoot for 75mg/day (90 if you’re pregnant); 90 milligrams for most men.

Are You A Smoker? Add 35mg To Your Goal!

What foods are best for boosting your Vitamin C levels? To get the most accurate results, enter your foods into a meal-tracking app (many show you vitamin and mineral counts, as well as calories). But to help you gauge where you’re starting, take a look at these averages:

• 1 orange (70mg) or 1 cup of orange juice (124 mg);
• 1 red pepper (152 mg);
• Add 1 green pepper (96 mg);
• 1 cup brussels sprouts (75 mg);
• 1 cup broccoli (100 mg);
• Also, 1 cup halved strawberries (89 mg);
• 1 tomato or potato (17 mg)

“So, applying vitamin C topically can bring the benefits right to the surface cells.”

Essential Nutrient Working:

Boost The Vitamin C You Take In Through Your Skin Care Products – As important as it is to have this essential nutrient working for you from the inside, through your diet, it’s also very helpful to have it working for you from the skin’s outer surface. Why?

Nutrients are carried to parts of our bodies through our spidering network of blood vessels—and your skin’s epidermis, or the very outer layer, doesn’t have them. So, applying vitamin C topically can bring the benefits right to the surface cells.

Melanin Production:

When you apply quality products containing vitamin C to your skin, they can help to reduce redness and puffiness. In addition, Vitamin C has been shown to slow the actions of an enzyme that prompts melanin production—so, over time, you’ll see fewer dark spots and less redness in the area where an acne spot used to be.

“It’s always best to start slowly and see how you feel.”

Serums are the most concentrated forms of vitamin C, typically requiring just a thin layer gently massaged over freshly cleansed skin. You’ll also find some moisturizers with vitamin C added, so if your goal is maintenance, and lines or dark spots aren’t bothering you, one of these may be sufficient.

Adjusting The Intake To Serve You:

In conclusion, as important as vitamin C is, too much can lead to stomach problems and skin irritation. It’s always best to start slowly and see how you feel—and consult a nutritionist or your physician for the best recommendations. Choosing natural skin care products made with fresh ingredients designed to work in harmony, and with no chemical preservatives, will give your skin the best chance at the healthy glow you dream of!

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