Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, killing over 600,000 people every year. Of all deaths occurring, heart disease is the cause of 1 in 4.
There are many ways we can protect ourselves against heart disease. Exercise and healthy eating are two of the most effective. But this vitamin has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease – Vitamin C.
Something as simple as regularly eating Vitamin C-rich foods, or taking a supplement containing it, can lower the risk of heart disease exponentially.
That’s right. Vitamin C does more than fend off colds. It can fend off heart disease and early death.
Eat your fruit and veggies.
You know this, right? Of course, you do! Everyone knows. But do you do it? If not, it’s high time you did. Your mom was right and I’ll bet she didn’t even know that eating fruit and vegetables was an easy way to lower your risk of heart disease.
People who eat enough of these natural wonders lower their risk of developing heart disease by 15%. That’s a pretty good return on investment for eating foods that are not only good for you, but taste great.
And why are these gems of nature so effective for defending your heart? Many of them boost the levels of Vitamin C in your bloodstream.
Why Vitamin C is so effective.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and foods which contain it in high quantities are considered superfoods, for this reason. Antioxidants protect us against the damage caused by free radicals, known to accelerate aging and the degeneration of our bodies by attacking us at the cellular level.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and conducted in Denmark followed 100,000 people, examining their eating habits. As noted above, it was found that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (and Vitamin C) reduced their risk of heart disease by 15%.
Earlier studies also suggest that consuming a supplement of 500 milligrams of Vitamin C every day can reduce your risk of heart disease. It’s estimated that if this daily habit were to be followed globally, that over 200,000 lives could be saved, every year.
That sounds like a good reason to start taking a supplement in conjunction with eating more foods containing Vitamin C.
Vitamin C-rich foods.
Ready to up your Vitamin C intake? Then you’ll want to get more of foods like Vitamin C poster fruit, the time-honored orange. But you can also find high levels of Vitamin C in chili peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cantaloupe. Tomatoes and kale are also excellent sources of Vitamin C.
Because this vitamin has been found to lower the risk of heart disease, finding ways to get more of it into your diet or to supplement your diet with Vitamin C, is a priority you can’t afford to ignore.
Need more information? Contact us at Back & Body. We’re a multi-disciplinarian clinic with your health in mind.
