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.
