We all know how great vitamin C is for the immune system – and even for general health. But did you know it may help lower your risk for diabetes?
That’s the finding of University of Cambridge researchers writing in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study revealed an association between higher levels of vitamin C in the bloodstream and a lower risk of developing Type II diabetes.
The researchers looked at over 21,000 men and women who did not have diabetes when the study started. Their vitamin C levels were tested, and they were given dietary questionnaires to fill out. The researchers then followed these people for 12 years. During that time, 423 of the men and 312 of the women developed diabetes. But the men and women who were in the top 20 percent of vitamin C levels had a whopping 62 percent lower risk of developing the disease compared with those in the bottom 20 percent.
Moral of the story: 90 percent of our vitamin C comes from eating fruits and vegetables, so make sure you include plenty of them in your diet. But to be on the safe side, take a vitamin C supplement as well. I recommend 1,000 mg a day.
[Ed. Note: Natural methods - including eating more fruits and veggies and supplementing with vitamin C - can have a powerful effect on your health. For more natural ways to feel better and live longer, check out nutrition expert Jonny Bowden's book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth.
Increasing your vitamin C intake can help protect you from diabetes. But you should be eating right and exercising to get the best results. For ideas about which foods you should be eating and which foods to avoid - and recipes for delicious, healthy meals - sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]
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