MANILA, Philippines - This is what we often hear from doctors when we consult about common illnesses — and for good reason, too. Drinking plenty of water keeps us from being dehydrated when we’re sick, and Vitamin C facilitates faster healing and recovery as it strengthens our immune system.
This advice becomes particularly relevant during the Holidays. It is more important that working professionals, multi-taskers and the highly-active set get their daily dose of Vitamin C. Avoiding — or surviving — the so-called Christmas rush can be a stressful experience.
According to Dr. Eliseo Banaynal, Pascual Consumer Healthcare Corporation medical director, stress can often lead to sickness.
“Stress causes more free radicals to be produced by our body, therefore, the intake of a variety of anti-oxidants, including Vitamin C, helps in DNA damage control that could, otherwise, get out of control and lead to more serious health conditions,” Dr. Banaynal pointed out. “And, a nutritious diet, regular exercise and enough sleep will provide you with a more positive frame of mind and will help you deal with daily stressors.”
If that is not always possible, then the next best thing is vitamin supplementation. Dr. Banaynal said this is particularly important if we do not get the required amount of nutrients we need from the food that we eat.
With supplementation, Dr. Banaynal said we can regain the “lost” vitamins and minerals that we should have gotten from our food if they were propagated or bred properly.
“Supplementation also provides us with a ‘buffer’ or a ‘reserve’, in case our body needs more vitamins and minerals to address stress or ward off diseases. Vitamin C, such as Poten-cee Forte, is an excellent anti-oxidant that bolsters one’s immune system. An immune system that is in tip-top shape is needed to help fight viral infections like colds.”
While the usual daily intake of Vitamin C ranges from 150 to 500 mg a day, the dosage increases depending on age, physical condition and lifestyle. A sufficiently higher dose of Vitamin C, 1000-mg to be exact, is present in Poten-cee Forte.
With its eight-hour time-release formula, Dr. Banaynal explained that, “Poten-cee Forte dissolves slowly in the stomach and intestines, allowing our digestive and circulatory system to absorb Vitamin C slowly – thus preventing excessive levels in the blood that would just be eliminated through urination without being utilized.”