April 9, 2017
Cheese, yogurt, broccoli, almonds, dried apricots, and sunflower seeds.
What do they all have in common? They are all excellent sources of Calcium! Yup, you don’t have to drink gallons of milk to get the minerals you need.
There are a lot of us that just can’t do any dairy anymore due to tummy issues, or sugar issues, or choosing a vegan lifestyle. But Calcium is such an important mineral making sure we eat the variety of foods needed is essential.
We all know calcium is especially needed for development and maintenance of our bones and teeth. But it doesn’t stop there. Calcium is required for muscle contraction, (not just any muscle…the heart!) and works with Magnesium for relaxation. Sodium and Potassium come in to play as well as they help generate the electrical impulses needed in the contraction/relaxation cycle.
There is a delicate balance between minerals in the body as they help and sometimes hinder each other. With a magnesium deficiency, high calcium or vitamin D levels can lead to calcification of soft tissues or kidney stones! Vitamin D comes into the picture to help with the absorbtion of calcium, so low vitamin D can also mean low calcium.
For anyone eating a high protein diet, high phosphorus diet, or high fat diet, you need even more calcium. But don’t just increase calcium, make sure you increase magnesium to half as much as your calcium, and phosphorus to about 200mg. less than your calcium intake.
Wow, the body really does amazing things, and a variety of real food is right there waiting for us to make sure we get what we need!
There are definitely some cases when we can’t or don’t get enough calcium through our diet and then we need to supplement.
Calcium is best taken on an empty stomach, or between meals, as it is absorbed much better in a more acidic environment.
Calcium taken with magnesium can be a good evening tranquilizer when taken before bed.
Look for forms of Calcium salts, such as calcium aspartate or calcium citrate to be the most available to the body. Next in line would be Calcium gluconate, calcium carbonate, or calcium lactate.
Remember even if dairy is off your list, there are many other sources of Calcium to enjoy. Eat real rood and be healthy and happy!
