Courtesy of Clark’s Nutrition

Keys, wallet, phone, mints, lip balm . . . vitamin C? If you live a busy lifestyle and are always on the go (who isn’t these days?), vitamin C should be an everyday essential. We all know that modern-day life can get hectic. Vitamin C is one of the first nutrients to be depleted by stress, yet it’s one of the most critical vitamins for overall wellness.
In order to stay healthy and capable of handling everything that life throws your way, it’s critical to make vitamin C a part of your daily routine. Fortunately, vitamin C may just be the most convenient vitamin ever — since it’s available in a variety of forms, it’s easy to toss some vitamin C in your purse, laptop bag, and desk drawer.
It’s not likely that life will slow down, so here are the top reasons you need vitamin C handy wherever the day takes you.
1. You’re stressed out. Running around and juggling family, work, and life in general can make even the mellowest among us feel stressed sometimes. Stress creates an oxidative environment in the body, which can lead to DNA damage, setting the stage for disease, premature aging, and more.
Antioxidants work to mitigate this damage by stopping the disease-causing chain reaction that the free radicals started. Vitamin C, the ultimate antioxidant, stops the chain reaction before it starts. The body uses vitamin C to neutralize free radicals and restore health and balance.
2. You’re too busy to be sick. Stress has a major impact on the immune system — it not only suppresses immunity but, over time, the immune system doesn’t adapt to stress but continues to wear away. Stress weakens immunity and leaves us vulnerable to disease and infections.
A hectic lifestyle can also leave you feeling exhausted, and we’ve all had times when it’s difficult to turn our brain off at bedtime. Exhaustion and lack of sleep are also linked to depressed immunity, which can lead to colds, the flu, and other ailments.
Vitamin C is crucial for a well-functioning immune system. It is required for the production of white blood cells, T cells, and macrophages that form our defense against viruses and bacteria. When vitamin C levels become depleted, the immune system cannot mount an effective response to defend our health.
3. You need to stay on top of your game. Vitamin C is best known for its role in supporting healthy immunity, but it really supports overall wellness. Feeling your best is important whether you’re always on the go or enjoy a more laid-back lifestyle.
Vitamin C is essential in so many ways: it supports healthy skin, joints, and vision; it’s critical for maintaining heart health; it has potential to protect against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; and it can even help relieve allergies and asthma.
The body cannot manufacture vitamin C, so it must be obtained from the diet. If you’re on the go, chances are you’re not getting enough of the fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C, like spinach, citrus, peppers, and berries, making a daily supplement essential.
Vitamin C is available as capsules, tablets, chewables, liquids, and powders. All forms are equally effective, which makes supplementing with C extremely convenient. Try a variety of forms, and add vitamin C to your mental list of things you can’t leave home without. If you forget to take a capsule in the morning, be sure to have powdered vitamin C on hand to add to your water bottle during the day. If you keep vitamin C in your laptop or travel bag, you’ll be more likely to see it and then take it.
Having plenty of options available is an easy and convenient way to get your vitamin C — and there’s no excuse not to stay well when life gets hectic.