Calcium Is a Team Player
It just so happens that many of the foods LI individuals shy away from are prime sources of calcium, so keeping calcium in the diet is a primary concern for people with LI. Calcium is the primary mineral for the growth, maintenance, and repair of bones and teeth.
Calcium needs to be teamed with vitamin D and phosphorus for maximum benefits. Phosphorus is important to bone structure, and vitamin D allows the absorption of calcium into the body. It's possible to have a calcium deficiency due to a lack of vitamin D; even if you are taking in enough calcium, your body can't do anything with it unless it has vitamin D.
Meeting Your Calcium Quota
The Institute of Medicine released a chart listing the requirements for daily calcium intake. The calcium required to maintain good health varies by age group. The recommendations made are shown in the following table.
Age Group |
Amount of Calcium to Consume Daily |
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NDDK). NDDK is part of the National Institute of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. |
|
0–6 months |
400 mg |
6–12 months | 600 mg |
1–5 years |
800 mg |
6–10 years |
1,200 mg |
11–24 years |
1,200-1,500 mg |
25–50 years |
1,000 mg |
51–70+ years |
1,500 mg |
It was also noted that pregnant and nursing women need between 1,200 and 1,500 mg of calcium daily.
“Bone Up” Foods
There's a wide array of calcium-rich foods for you to choose from, and this book contains lots of recipes that are full of calci-yum! Here's a short list of foods that will help you make sure you're meeting your daily calcium quota:
Dark leafy greens
Dandelion and mustard greens
Turnip and collard greens
Kale
Broccoli
Orange juice fortified with calcium
Whole almonds
Sesame seeds
Dried figs
Blackstrap molasses
Canned sardines and salmon with bones
Ocean perch
Shrimp
Soybeans
Beans
Calcium-fortified soy milk
Extra firm tofu
Yogurt
Yogurt cheese
Low-lactose cheeses
Boney Good Calcium
Calcium's importance in preventing osteoporosis is nothing new, but recent studies show calcium can be helpful in preventing heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, hypertension, and possibly colon cancer.
If your regular diet isn't quite enough to meet your body's calcium requirements, ask your doctor or dietician about calcium supplements. As always, getting your calcium naturally through your food is best; it's never a good idea to try to make up for a poor diet with supplements. Developing a healthy lifestyle is a win/win situation!
Don't Inhale Your Calcium
Another little tip on calcium: try not to inhale it all at one sitting. Calcium likes to be absorbed slowly throughout the day, so spread it out to get the most from your calcium intake!
If you're an orange juice lover, you're ahead of the game. Take just a minute and read the front of the carton and the Nutrition Label. Many great orange juices today are fortified with both calcium and vitamin D. You'll get your calcium and the vitamin D necessary for your body to absorb it — score!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is present in some foods, but you can also soak some up simply by taking a walk outside! If you spend just a few minutes each day out in the sun for brief periods you will absorb much needed vitamin D.
There are other sources of vitamin D besides the sun and — you guessed it — the key lies in reading labels! As with calcium, taking supplements to fill these gaps for vitamin D is not always the best answer. Consult with your doctor or dietician to make sure you're on the right path.
