Available at all Imagine Laserworks centres, direct shipping from Imagine Laserworks or at Innotech Nutrition

Benefits:

• Powerful antioxidant for the maintenance of good health – boosts immunity
• Helps in the development and maintenance of bones, cartilage, promotes healthy teeth
• Helps the body to metabolize fats and proteins
• Aids connective tissue formation
• Helps in wound healing
• Contains naturally occurring electrolytes
• 1 small spoon (included) contains 2000 mg’s vitamin C
• Helps prevent vitamin C deficiency

Basics:

Vitamin C is a water soluble element with a low toxicity level. First known for keeping sailors scurvy free, it has recently been shown to help boost the immune system and is crucial for over 300 metabolic functions within the body. Vitamin C is most widely known to come from citrus fruits and is available through a variety of sources:

• red bell peppers
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• Brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• kale

Which Vitamin C Supplements to Take:

It is always best to get your vitamins and minerals from natural, organic food sources, but when you are recovering from being a smoker you will need more than the daily recommended allowance. You can still eat your normal intake of fruits and vegetables, but you will also want to supplement your diet with another 500-1000mg

Look for a supplement that offers a bioflavonoid complex as this will enhance the absorption of vitamin C.

It is also recommended that you take small doses of vitamin C throughout the day as opposed to taking one large supplement as your body will only utilize the vitamin in one small portion at a time. The rest is passed as waste.

You will also want to consider taking vitamin C with vitamin E and vitamin A as they are more effective when taken together than when taken separately.

Candies and gum are a good choice, but be careful as it is easy to take too much when taking vitamins in this form.

Benefits When Quitting Smoking:

Vitamin C is a well known antioxidant. This means it acts as a garbage collector in the body. After being a smoker your body is filled with toxic substances which you have trained your body to crave nicotine. As part of the cleansing process, it will help to remove these toxic substances and train your body to crave nicotine less.

It has also been shown to help the body recover from stress. Indeed the first few weeks of quitting smoking will be some of the most stressful times, and vitamin C will help. Vitamin C plays an important role in proper nerve function and has been shown to help with depression, anxiety, irritability and nervousness. It may not take the cravings away completely, but it certainly will take the edge off.

If you are concerned about gaining weight once you quit smoking, here is some more good news. Smoking depletes the blood concentration of vitamin C in the body. Establishing normal levels can actually promote weight-loss. Vitamin C is an important component of carnitine, which is responsible for fat oxidation. Without enough vitamin C, the body’s ability to burn fat is greatly reduced, even during exercise.

Recommended Dose and Precautions

The recommended dose – 1000mg two or three times per day.

The most common complaints is that it can cause gastrointestinal distress, including cramps, diarrhea and nausea. These symptoms, which are caused by the acidic nature of the mineral. To alleviate this it is recommended that you take a buffered form.

Vitamin C can decrease the intake of copper, and is known to cause conditioned scurvy. Conditioned scurvy is developed when you train your body to expect a certain level of vitamin C through supplementation. When you cease providing the supplement to your body it shocks itself into a state of scurvy.

In any case, you will be safe taking any over the counter vitamin C supplement so long as you follow the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Whenever you are considering any dietary or medicinal change, please consult your doctor or nutritionist to discuss what the best course of action is for you and your health goals. As well, make sure to check several sources before making a decision on what supplements you want to take for any particular reason.