Vitamin C Benefits
Did you know Vitamin C is essential to include in what we consume because our bodies are not able to produce it independently? That’s why it is so important to prioritize Vitamin C intake— at minimum from our food …and also supplementation!
The produce in the image above are some of the top sources of Vitamin C that you can find at most all grocery stores! (*to note: always prioritize organic & non gmo!)
Between Cory’s chemo treatments, we partnered with an incredible Naturopathic Doctor who prescribed Cory different IVs- one of which being the ‘Myers Cocktail’. It is a vitamin infusion that is high in Vitamin C. It helped immensely in Cory’s recovery from each chemo treatment and kept his organs protected, functioning and healthy.
Why is Vitamin C so important during a cancer battle?
💪🏼 POWERFUL ANTIOXIDANT
Vit C is a powerful antioxidant- antioxidants help fight inflammation by acting to neutralize free radicals that cause damage to cells and tissues (inflammation = a major cause of disease and cancers). Consuming more Vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels up to 30% & boost your immune system. Also to note, deficiency in this vitamin has been shown to increase the rate of infections. So, increasing you Vit C intake in-between chemo treatments could potentially aide in reducing side effects and infection while neutropenic.
💥 IRON ABSORPTION
Vit C can help improve your body’s ability to absorb iron. Iron is vital for both the production of red blood cells as well as the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. This is very helpful during a cancer battle as some treatments can cause anemia which could lead to needed blood transfusions (Cory was warned about this but never needed one). Having Vit C as a support for iron absorption could be a huge game changer.
🧠 MENTAL PROTECTION
Low levels of Vit C have shown to be linked to an impaired ability of thought and memory. However, a high intake of Vit C has shown to have a protective effect of both abilities to think and remember due to Vit C having a role in cognitive function & neurotransmission. So, a higher Vit C intake could have protective benefits against ‘chemo brain’ (Cory had this) and it’s long-term effects. (Chemo brain— when cancer treatment causes memory loss and inability to think clearly.)
⭐️ We highly suggest increasing bio-available sources of Vit C and/or seeing a Naturopath to gain access to Vit C IVs and high-dose supplements to aide in your body’s healing and immune strength. (This goes for caregivers too- you need to stay healthy and strong too!!)
