Many studies show that Americans are deficient in Calcium,
a bone building nutrient. Calcium deficiency can result in
a host of health problems. Are you getting enough calcium
in your diet?
You've probably heard that calcium is important for your
bone and in treating/preventing osteoporosis. Sadly, many
women don't do take enough calcium to improve bone health.
Infact, studies show that American girls don't get enough
calcium after the age of 11.
Calcium deficiency leads to chronic muscle spasms. At the
same time, an excess of calcium may lead to the formation
of stones (calculi) in the kidney or gall bladder.
Older men and women need about 1,500 milligrams of calcium
a day. To give you an idea of how much calcium that is, a
glass of milk contains only about 300 milligrams of
calcium. That means that you would need to drink about 5
classes of milk a day to meet your increase your daily
calcium intake.
Milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are the best
sources of calcium. A pint of milk a day, eaten with
cereals or taken as a drink, should easily provide the
required amount of calcium for healthy bones. Other great
sources of calcium include skim milk, nonfat yogurt,
collard greens, kale, spinach, broccoli, dried fruits,
sesame seeds, almonds, dried beans and peas.
Calcium-fortified foods and drinks such as soy beverages or
orange juice contain calcium, but it does not provide other
nutrients found in milk and milk products.
Vitamin C improves calcium absorption, but eating too much
protein or fat interferes with it. Health professionals
need to inform patients that there are numerous healthy
dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D.
Calcium carbonate is absorbed best when taken with food.
Calcium citrate can be taken anytime. To help prevent
constipation, don't take more calcium than necessary,
increase intake of fruit juices and water, try getting
calcium from food sources instead of tablets, take calcium
with magnesium, or try calcium citrate or calcium chews.
For some people, some calcium supplements may cause side
effects such as gas or constipation. Take the recommended
dosage; excessive amounts of calcium in the blood may cause
nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, increased urination,
kidney toxicity, confusion, and irregular heart rhythm.
Several forms of calcium supplements are commercially
available today and health professionals need to understand
the similarities and differences between them. If you take
a calcium supplement, remember to then with or after a meal
since it needs stomach acid for absorption.
----------------------------------------------------
Want to lose weight, feel great, and be healthy? You can
do it with a modern diet at http://moderndiet.net
No comments:
Post a Comment