When it comes to powering up a reboot on our immune system, there’s often a lot of chatter about expensive supplement powders and exotic berries. However, there’s a familiar supplement found in fruits and vegetables. Essential because it helps form and maintains connective tissue, blood vessels, skin, and bones; medical professionals agree that vitamin C is one of the most accessible and safest nutrients.
While it may not completely cure a common cold, studies have shown it does reduce the risk of contracting one and can help reduce the symptoms. Other perhaps lesser-known benefits include protecting eyesight, protecting against skin wrinkling, prenatal health issues, and even cardiovascular disease.
The Importance of Vitamins
Engaging in the consumption of excess alcohol, smoking, and controlled substances can deplete vitamin C levels leaving us vulnerable to infection. Our body’s demands during addictive behaviors and detox all require that our body compensates, stressing our body even further, and depleting our resources.
Maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging, particularly when used to satisfy addiction urges or deal with co-occurring mental health issues. We may be used to siphoning off our financial resources to meet our addiction needs over quality, nutrient-dense food.
Following your detox program is the optimal time to consider the number of vitamins and minerals you absorb each day. Think of your body as a bank account. When maintaining health and wellness was not a priority, you withdrew more than you put back in each. Like a physical high street bank, when we keep making withdrawals, we end up in the red or in debt without replacing the full amount.
The same can happen with our health. When you were using substances, you continually withdrew from your health checking account. You could only return a small portion of what you took out. As you remain committed to recovery, replacing vital nutrients is essential not only for physical wellbeing but also for mental health.
Reducing Inflammation
Vitamin C helps reduce the inflammation produced by our body when we were engaged in substance use. Stress, for example, causes inflammation, which causes our cells to age rapidly and slow down. Slow or senescent cells just hang around, making the other cells age faster. These collateral cells become inflamed from the sluggish cells hanging around. Eventually, our joints, skin, and even vital organs become inflamed, aging faster.
Restoring Collagen
Sugar, the enemy of collagen, a fundamental substance in building bones and cartilage, is heavily present in the mixers you may have poured into your glass of spirits. This includes soda, which, by and large, boasts almost ten spoonfuls of sugar per can. That is 39 grams of sugar!
The restorative qualities of Vitamin C, over time, can aid in the restoring of vital tissue and collagen in our body. As someone in recovery, this is important because the healthier you feel overall, the greater the likelihood you will want more of the positive changes you see and experience within your body.
Health Risks from Deficiency
Following your detox program, speak to your health care professional if you begin experiencing tiredness, weakness, and blurred vision. While you may have experienced numerous physical symptoms during your detox, being low on essential nutrients can also present unpleasant side effects.
Mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, present in vitamin C, make it critical to our brains’ proper functioning, and by association, our moods. Lack of vitamin C may manifest symptoms similar to depression, including sadness, anger, anxiety, and overall irritability.
How to Get Your Vitamin C
An accessible list of Vitamin C-rich foods includes:
- Citrus fruits
- Grapefruit
- Papaya
- Oranges
- Watermelon
- Banana
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Pineapple
- Broccoli
Many fruits and vegetables contain Vitamin C. Fresh fruit, juices, and juices from cooked fruits are more easily digested than processed foods. It also takes longer for the fruits to digest so that they will be more nutritious. If you buy a cup of commercially prepared juices, make sure the label has the recommended daily dose of Vitamins C and A. Watermelon, orange, kiwi, and mango is excellent sources of Vitamin C, so take the time to look at the ingredients.
Ultimately, as you adopt new habits, you will become more conscious of how the food you eat and the nutrition you place into your body can positively and negatively affect your wellness plans.
Of course, Vitamin C is not the only beneficial supplement; Vitamin D3 is recognized as beneficial to immunity and wellbeing. However, Vitamin C is abundantly available in many of the foods we eat, making it highly accessible and easily incorporated into your health goals.
Obtaining your Vitamin C through your diet is the best way. However, if you need them, supplements are an inexpensive way to get a head start. If you choose the supplement route, just be sure to discuss all the supplements you are taking with your medical team.
As you continue to build healthy habits, aim for between five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables each day. This will give you the bounty of phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals necessary to thrive.
Engaging in the consumption of excess alcohol, smoking, and controlled substances can deplete Vitamin C levels leaving us vulnerable to infection. Following your detox program is the optimal time to consider the number of vitamins and minerals you absorb each day. Lack of Vitamin C may manifest with symptoms similar to depression, including sadness, anger, anxiety, and overall irritability. Hired Power’s discretion and confidentiality assure anonymity through all stages of returning to wellness. Whether moving to your detox program safely and with discretion, to recovery and sober living partners that can help you through the holidays and beyond, Hired Power is there for you or your loved one, standing as that bridge between you and traditional recovery plans. You don’t have to struggle alone; our personal recovery assistants are here to help you walk through this process, believing in you, empowering you to change, step by step. Call Hired Power today at (800) 910-9299. We look forward to hearing from you.
