Vitamin C is More Important Than You Think

What’s the first thing you think of when someone says they need to boost their immune system? For most people, the answer is Vitamin C. Consuming Vitamin C is always beneficial, but especially during flu season to help your immune system fight it off. Eating foods high in Vitamin C can reduce signs of aging, dilate blood vessels, lower the risk of developing cataracts and many more benefits. Having a healthy dose of Vitamin C in your diet is ideal for independent living and here are some things to consider.

How Vitamin C Benefits Your Health

In addition to the most common benefit of Vitamin C boosting your immune system, these are other benefits you can enjoy:

• Blood sugar stabilization for diabetics
• Promote collagen production to help skin injuries recover more quickly
• Boost the creation of white blood cells for fighting off infections
• Dilation of blood vessels for improved heart health
• Decreased risk of developing cataracts
• Slow down wrinkles and other aging signs in the skin

While research is still ongoing to prove the effectiveness, Vitamin C is also believed to help people manage or even lower their blood pressure.

Knowing Whether You Are Deficient In Vitamin C

How you approach independent living and prioritize healthy habits will go a long way in promoting good short-term and long-term health. Always pay attention to your body and don’t overlook anything out of the ordinary. Things like getting a nosebleed or your metabolism slowing down may seem like random problems that will go away. However, they could also be the result of an underlying Vitamin C deficiency. Other signs of a potential Vitamin C deficiency include bruising of the skin easily, a weak immune system, rapid weight gain, wounds not healing quickly and anemia. Your medical professional can confirm whether a deficiency in Vitamin C is the problem, but if you show any of these signs, boosting your Vitamin C consumption may help the symptoms subside.

Foods Rich In Vitamin C To Incorporate Into Your Diet

There are plenty of tasty foods high in Vitamin C that you can enjoy while sitting in your lift chair or recliner. Fruits and vegetables containing high amounts of Vitamin C include:

• Broccoli and cauliflower
• Raspberries, cranberries, blueberries and strawberries
• Peppers (green, red and yellow)
• Tomatoes
• Pineapple, kiwi and mango
• Romaine lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens

Many seniors enjoy blending a combination of these fruits and vegetables into a smoothie to enjoy a mix of flavors. It’s a great way to promote healthy habits and offers a tasty cool treat on a warm summer day.

Next Day Access helps seniors stay safe by offering an extensive line of mobility aids and assistive devices. Whether you need a convenient lift chair to enjoy relaxing in on hot summer days or a mobility scooter to help you travel the country, we have you covered. Developing well-rounded healthy habits is critical for seniors, so contact us today to see the role we can play in helping you.