In this article, find out what is the best way to consume calcium. But before that, find out first the significance of calcium, and then some clarification about calcium confusion.
The Importance Of Calcium
Calcium is one of the most important nutrients your body needs to maintain health. It is essential to meet many of your body’s needs. Calcium plays an important role in many body functions and development.
Knowing how much calcium you need daily and where to get it can ensure that your body will reap the benefits of this great nutrient.
Calcium does many things for your body. Everyone knows calcium is beneficial to bones and teeth. It is also important to keep your muscles and nerves working properly.
It helps blood clot and keeps your heart beating properly. Lacking calcium in your diet can greatly affect your health now and in the future.
When your body does not get enough calcium it begins to take it from the bones. When this happens, if the calcium is not replaced through your diet the bones become deficient in calcium. This can lead to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease where the bones get thin and brittle. It is fast becoming a major disease among older adults.
Calcium is important at any age. For children calcium is essential to ensure proper bone growth.
In pregnant women calcium intake is also important. The baby needs calcium to grow and takes this calcium from the mother, so increased calcium intake is important during pregnancy.
Some guidelines for calcium are 1,200 mg. a day for children age 1-10, 1,500 mg. a day for age 11-24.
Pregnant and breast feeding mother should get 1,400 mg. a day and older adults should have 1,500 mg. a day.
It is very difficult to take too much calcium and intakes of up to 2,500 mg. have proven safe. Excess calcium is easily removed from the body through waste.
To get a good daily intake of calcium diet choices are important. At least three servings a day of dairy products is essential to maintaining good calcium levels. Broccoli is another great calcium source.
Today, many products like orange juice have calcium added. Making simple choices when buying foods with added calcium can help you to make sure you are getting enough calcium daily.
Calcium is often overlooked in its importance. Fortunately it is quite easy to add calcium rich foods into your diet. Preventing future problems is important.
Frail bones are most often contributed to a lack of calcium. To keep your body functioning properly today and in the future make sure your calcium intake is sufficient.
Did You Know Calcium Needs Magnesium To Be Absorbed?
For all the people suffering from bone loss, did you know that calcium requires magnesium in order to be utilized by the body? Magnesium by its self doesn’t need calcium to function in the body.
Calcium should never be taken without magnesium. If you are supplementing just calcium you are actually reducing the amount of magnesium in the body which can be a bad thing.
Few people realize the importance of the mineral magnesium. Magnesium influences many of the body’s processes such as digestion, energy production, muscle function, bone formation, creation of new cells, activation of B vitamins, relaxation of muscles and helps in the function of the kidneys, heart, adrenal glands, the brain and nervous system.
Every day, one looses magnesium due to mental stress, caffeine, sugar intake, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, high perspiration, low thyroid, diabetes, chronic pain (causes stress), diuretics, and diets high in carbohydrates, sodium, and calcium.
The most common symptoms of magnesium depletion that millions of people suffer from every day are low energy, fatigue, PMS and Hormonal imbalances, inability to sleep (insomnia), body tension, headaches, muscle tension, muscle spasms and craps, backaches, calcification of organs, weakening bones, heart related difficulties, anxiousness, nervousness and irritability. Everybody needs magnesium.
What country has the highest rate of pasteurized milk consumption and what country has the highest Calcium supplement consumption? The United States!
If this is true, wouldn’t you think this country would have the lowest rate of osteoporosis caused by calcium loss making bones fragile? False!
More calcium does not eliminate a calcium deficiency. Only by adding magnesium to your diet will your body be able to handle a calcium deficiency and provide adequate magnesium for the body to dissolve excess calcium from the body like bone spurs while helping the body absorb more calcium all at the same time.
Magnesium is needed for major biochemical process such as digestion, energy production, and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
According to Carolyn Dean, MD. ND., “calcium has been called the major mineral or the major nutrient mostly because there are a lot of books on osteoporosis (bone disease especially common in the elderly), and everybody thinks calcium is the major treatment for that. But if you don’t have magnesium, calcium doesn’t even work in the body.”
Milk contains 8 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium per glass. In order for the body to absorb the calcium in milk, the body has to make up for the missing magnesium.
Milk will rob the body of vital magnesium in order to process its calcium. Heavy milk drinking can cause a magnesium imbalance in the body and lead to the negative effects associated with a magnesium imbalance that was listed above.
In many countries, calcium is now added to cereals, crackers, juice, antacids and much more. None of these products add extra magnesium to bring balance back. If you’re eating dairy products and eating lots of organic yogurt, kefir, and green vegetables you’re getting a plenty of absorbable calcium.
Yogurt does not contain magnesium and if you cook your vegetables the magnesium found in the veggies will be destroyed. So, what you need is just a basic magnesium supplement to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Clearing The Calcium Confusion by Miriam Nelson, Ph.D.
Recent news reports about taking calcium may have confused women, but it is important to go beyond the headlines for your health care.
Two recent studies confirmed that women who consistently took Calcium and Vitamin D reduced their risk for fractures, reinforcing the importance of optimal daily calcium intake.
It is recommended that adults over the age of 19 should consume between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day.
While peak bone mineral density (BMD) in women is reached around age 30, it is extremely important for women of all ages to make sure they are getting their recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calcium and vitamin D.
During pregnancy and through menopause, women’s calcium needs increase and lifelong supplementation is beneficial to overall health.
Additionally, bone-building exercises are a key component in building and maintaining bone health and preventing harmful bone-deteriorating diseases, such as osteoporosis.
Q: There has been a lot of talk about calcium-is it still good for me?
Yes! Calcium is an essential nutrient to the basic functions of the body. Not only is calcium a key component of bone development, but it is needed for the heart, muscles and nerves to work properly and for blood to clot.
Everyone needs calcium but as many as 75 percent of women don’t get the RDA in their diet, although they could through a combination of food and supplements.
Q: Should I do any specific exercises to help my bones?
Weight-bearing workouts and resistance training are two different types of exercises shown to improve bone health and they are explained in my updated book, “Strong Women, Strong Bones.”
Jogging, stair climbing and sports such as tennis are weight-bearing activities and weight lifting or strength training are resistance exercises.
Most recently, a study from the University of Arizona found that women who did a specific routine of six weight-bearing exercises and took Citracal® calcium citrate supplements gained 1 to 2 percent of their BMD, even though women typically lose 1 to 2 percent per year at that age.
A healthy diet and lifestyle that includes weight-bearing exercises are the first defense against osteoporosis.
The statements in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease please consult your health care physician before discontinuing medication or introducing herbs into your diet if you are currently on medication of any kind.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
The Importance Of Calcium
- Calcium is one of the most important nutrients your body needs to maintain health.
- When your body does not get enough calcium it begins to take it from the bones.
- To get a good daily intake of calcium diet choices are important.
- Calcium is often overlooked in its importance.
Did You Know Calcium Needs Magnesium To Be Absorbed?
- Calcium should never be taken without magnesium.
- Magnesium is needed for major biochemical process such as digestion, energy production, and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
- More calcium does not eliminate a calcium deficiency.
- Milk contains 8 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium per glass.
- Heavy milk drinking can cause a magnesium imbalance in the body.
Clearing The Calcium Confusion
- Two recent studies confirmed that women who consistently took Calcium and Vitamin D reduced their risk for fractures, reinforcing the importance of optimal daily calcium intake.
- Calcium is an essential nutrient to the basic functions of the body.
Calcium is needed for the heart, muscles and nerves to work properly and for blood to clot.
- Do you realize the importance of Calcium to your body?
- Are you aware of the benefits Calcium gives to your overall health?
- How much Calcium you are consuming daily?
- Are you taking Magnesium along with Calcium?
- How do you take care of your bones?