Empowered Pathways Newsletter

Empowered Pathways Newsletter

June 24, 2003

Gen Abrams, Publisher
Gen@empoweredpathways.com

..your link to better living
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Welcome!
.. to your "Empowered Pathways" newsletter!

It is my hope that through this newsletter, you will receive
information that will improve the quality of your life.
Included in each issue is information about health,
nutrition, herbals and supplements, simplifying life, living
more frugally, fun, faith, and joy!

It's all about empowerment, stuff that helps you be
in control of your life, your own pathway to better living!

Hi!
Last week I gave you a little quiz question-
"What vegetable packs more Vitamin C punch than
orange juice?"
The answer is in this week's newsletter...it should
be easy to spot!
The photo with this week's Bible verse is a shot
of a Tanager nest in our front yard...you can see
the momma bird perched above the nest!
We have been blessed with a family of these
beautiful, bright colored birds this year - watching
them and hearing their lovely calls has been a
great joy!

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Health, Nutrition and Supplements
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Everything You Always Wanted
to Know About Vitamin C

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is found in green peppers, citrus
fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, turnip greens and
other greens, sweet and white potatoes, and cantaloupe.
Most other fruits and vegetables contain some vitamin C;
fish and milk contain small amounts. Vitamin C is sensitive
to air, heat and water, so it can easily be destroyed by
prolonged storage, overcooking and processing of foods.
Raw, fresh vegetables and fruits are your best sources of
vitamin C.

Different fruits and vegetables vary in their vitamin C
content, but 5 servings should average out to at least 200
mg of vitamin C. One vegetable serving should be considered
to be one cup of raw leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup of other
vegetables cooked or raw, or 3/4 cup of vegetable juice.
One fruit serving should be considered to be one medium
piece of fruit, 1/2 cup of canned or cooked fruit, or 3/4
cup of fruit juice.

Orange juice, 3/4 cup (6 ounces), 75 mgs
Grapefruit juice, 3/4 cup (6 ounces), 60 mgs
Orange, 1 medium, 70 mgs
Grapefruit, 1/2 medium, 44 mgs
Strawberries, 1 cup, whole, 82 mgs
Tomato, 1 medium, 23 mgs
Sweet red pepper, 1/2 cup, raw chopped, 141 mgs
Broccoli, 1/2 cup, cooked, 58 mgs
Potato, 1 medium, baked, 26 mgs

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is available in many forms, but
there is little scientific evidence that any one form is
better absorbed or more effective than another. Even in
the case of natural and synthetic L-ascorbic acid, no known
differences occur in their biological activities or bioavaila-
bility, they are chemically identical.

Some differences do occur in the supplement form of ascorbic
acid, in regard to dosage and other ingredients. For example,
mineral salts of ascorbic acid are buffered and therefore,
less acidic than ascorbic acid. Some people find them less
irritating to the gastrointestinal tract than ascorbic acid.
Sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate are the most common
forms, although a number of other mineral ascorbates are
available. Sodium ascorbate generally provides 131 mg of
sodium per 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid, and pure calcium ascor-
bate provides 114 mg of calcium per 1,000 mg of ascorbic
acid.

Vitamin C should be consumed every day, since it is not a
fat-soluble vitamin, and cannot be stored for later use. It
is water soluble, and is therefore excreted regularly through
the urine by the body. Vitamin C works rapidly, so the total
amount we take over the day should be divided into multiple
doses (four to six). When increasing or decreasing vitamin
C intake, it is best to do so slowly because our body systems
become accustomed to certain levels.

In the U.S., the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for
vitamin C was recently revised upward from 60 mg daily for
men and women. The RDA continues to be based primarily on
the prevention of deficiency, rather than the prevention of
chronic disease and the promotion of optimum health. We need
only about 10-20 mg. to prevent scurvy, and there is more
than that in one portion of most fruits or vegetables.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin C
Life Stage	Age	Males (mg/day)	Females (mg/day)
Infants	0-6 months	40 (AI)	40 (AI)
Infants	7-12 months	50 (AI)	50 (AI)
Children	1-3 years	15	15
Children	4-8 years	25	25
Children	9-13 years	45	45
Adolescents	14-18 years	75	65
Adults	19 years and older	90	75
Smokers	19 years and older	125	110
Pregnancy	18 years and younger	-	80
Pregnancy	19-years and older	-	85
Breastfeeding	18 years and younger	-	115
Breastfeeding	19 years and older	-	120

Vitamin C needs, however, are increased with all kinds of
stress, both internal (emotional) and external (environmental).
During times of specific illnesses, especially viral infections,
doctors who use megadose vitamin C treatment suggest at least
20-40 grams daily, some of it intravenously. The recommended
intake for smokers is 35 mg/day higher than for nonsmokers,
because smokers are under increased oxidative stress from the
toxins in cigarette smoke and generally have lower blood
levels of vitamin C. Birth control pills, estrogen for
menopause, cortisone use, and aspirin also increase ascorbic
acid requirements. Both nicotine and estrogen seem to increase
copper blood levels, and copper inactivates vitamin C.

Based on previous levels in our native diets, Linus Pauling*
feels that the optimum daily levels of vitamin C are between
2,500 and 10,000 mg. Clearly, requirements for vitamin C vary
and may be higher according to state of health, age (needs
increase with years), weight, activity and energy levels,
and general metabolism. Stress, illness, and injuries further
increase the requirements for ascorbic acid. Many authorities
suggest that we take at least 500 mg. of vitamin C daily to
meet basic body needs.

Toxicity does not normally occur, since vitamin C is water-
soluble and most excess amounts are eliminated rapidly
through the urine. Recent studies have shown, however,
that excessive doses of vitamin C (i.e., more than the RDA)
can lead to toxicity. The most common manifestations of
vitamin C toxicity are kidney stones, and in very rare circum-
stances, anemia (caused by interference with vitamin B12
absorption). In healthy individuals, it appears that megadoses
of vitamin C are well tolerated and not associated with any
consistent adverse effects.

Megadoses of vitamin C of 1000-2000 mg have commonly been
associated with gastrointestinal disturbances (nausea, abdominal
cramps and diarrhea). Diarrhea is the most common and usually
is the first sign that the body's tissue fluids have been
saturated with ascorbic acid. Most people will not experience
this with less than 5-10 grams per day, the amount that is
felt to correlate with the body's need and use. Other side
effects include nausea, dysuria (burning with urination),
and skin sensitivities (sometimes sensitivity to touch or
just a mild irritation). Hemolysis (breakage) of red blood
cells may also occur with very high amounts of vitamin C.
With any of these symptoms, it is wise to decrease intake,
although none of these adverse health effects have been
confirmed, and there is no reliable scientific evidence that
large amounts of vitamin C (up to 10 grams/day in adults)
are toxic or detrimental to health.

Aspirin, alcohol, analgesics, antidepressants, anticoagulants,
oral contraceptives, and steroids may reduce the levels of
vitamin C in your body. Diabetic (diabinase) and sulfa drugs
many not be as effective when taken with vitamin C. Large
amounts may cause a false negative reading when testing for
blood in the stool. Pregnant women should use amounts no
larger than 5,000 mgs daily, as infants may become dependent
on this supplement and develop scurvy.

Two terrific books for more research:
Dunne, Lavon J.; “Nutrition Almanac, Fifth Edition”
(McGraw-Hill, 2002)

Balch, James F. and Balch, Phyllis A; “Prescription for
Nutritional Healing” (Avery Publishing Group, 1990)

*These statements has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease.
This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

If you need further information, or want information about
my research, sources, or products I use, you can email me at:
Gen@empoweredpathways.com

Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends
or family who may benefit from this information!

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Opportunity Knocks
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wowmenowlogo

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Tips for Frugal Living
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     Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,
     The kingdom of heaven
     is like to a grain of mustard seed,
    which a man took,
    and sowed in his field:
    Which indeed is the least of all seeds:
    but when it is grown,
    it is the greatest among herbs,
    and becometh a tree,
    so that the birds of the air come
    and lodge in the branches thereof.

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Remarkable Quote
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To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent
people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation
of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave
the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden
patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life
has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Disclaimers:
*These statements have not been approved by the Food and
Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose,
treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required
by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
The purpose of this newsletter is informational only, and
the publisher cannot be held responsible for actions taken
as a result of the information provided herein.
Although we believe our advertisers to be honest in their
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