7. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is water-soluble and plays a role in maintaining the health of the body’s connective tissue as well as acting as an antioxidant. Your body needs vitamin C on a daily basis to maintain the correct levels and for women, it has a lot of benefits including protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye diseases and wrinkly skin.
Your body doesn’t make vitamin C on its own and it doesn’t store it. This means you need to include fruit and vegetables in your diet on a daily basis. Vitamin C is also referred to as ascorbic acid. It helps heal wounds and boosts levels of the brain chemical called noradrenaline, which makes you feel more alert and amps up your concentration.
A severe deficiency can result in scurvy, a disease that results from the breakdown of collagen. It leaves you feeling lethargic and fatigued, affects muscle and bone strength and suppresses the immune system. Because only a very small amount of vitamin C is needed to prevent it, scurvy is rarely seen. Other symptoms that indicate you’re suffering from a vitamin C deficiency include easy bruising, swollen and bleeding gums, slow healing wounds, bad breath, dry hair, rough and dry skin, nosebleeds, a weakened immune system, swollen and painful joints.
If left untreated the symptoms can become far worse and lead to more serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, and gallbladder disease. To get the most vitamin C from your vegetables and fruit you need to eat foods that are raw, preferably uncooked, eat them as soon as possible after cutting them up and steam vegetables rather than boiling them. The best Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables include grapefruits, kiwi, oranges, peppers, potatoes, sprouts, tomatoes, broccoli, and strawberries.