Any woman whos post-menopausal has probably worried about her bone density. Osteoporosis is linked to the natural decrease in estrogen after menopause and the message, loud and clear, has been to increase our calcium intake. Womens magazines, television ads and doctors all tell us to take our calcium supplements.
But suddenly its no longer as simple as drinking your milk or adding a basic calcium supplement. In November, the Institute of Medicine released a report with facts complicating the question of how much calcium and vitamin D we should be consuming. Take too little and breaks and fractures are a possibility, take too much and risk heart disease, kidney failure and broken bones.
For most adults many of our vitamin needs can be naturally balanced through a healthy sound diet with a variety of the right foods. Calcium is more complicated. Some foods which contain calcium, like broccoli, also contain a substance that blocks absorption of calcium. If we add vitamin D, calcium is more readily absorbed by the body.
The recommendations in this study indicate that women over the age of 50 should get a minimum of 1200 milligrams of calcium every day. Anything over 2000 milligrams might be dangerous. For vitamin D, which helps our bodies absorb calcium, consumption should be around 800 units for women over 50, with 4000 units considered unsafe.
So, how do we go about getting the right amounts? Label reading is crucial for understanding how much calcium or Vitamin D is in the products youre eating. And, youre going to need to do a rough estimate. Yogurt, milk, and cheese are primary suppliers of calcium as is broccoli, kale beans and salmon. And foods like cereal and orange juicecan be enriched with calcium and its partner, vitamin D. The studies, while cautioning against excessive consumption, do recommend supplements since most diets simply cant provide enough of these essential vitamins. We have the option of taking calcium carbonate which is taken with meals (600 milligrams daily) or calcium citrate which is easier on the stomach and can be taken any time of day (500 milligrams daily). Vitamin D can be gotten through vitamin supplements and by exposure to sunlight. The problem with the sunlight approach, while natural, is that sunlight exposes us to dangerous rays that can lead to melanoma. Applying sunscreen protects against skin cancers, and blocks the absorption of vitamin D. So, the two recommendations cancel each other out. And, the studies suggest that only the most ardent of sunbathers will get the required amount of vitamin D through sun exposure. Calculating and Increasing Calcium Consumption
Do a quick inventory of foods in your refrigerator and pantry to see how much calcium you are actually getting before you start worrying. Check each package and see if the food contains calcium and jot down how much a serving contains. Then informally calculate how much you think you consume every day. Consider what products you could modify to help. For example, is there a bread with higher calcium content? Consider changing your orange juice to a vitamin D and calcium enriched brand.Ask your doctor to perform a bone density test to get a baseline. Depending on the results youll know if you should be adding significantly more to your diet. If you have a family history of osteoporosis you will want to talk about that with your doctor and most likely add vitamins.Think about foods you could add to your daily or weekly diet to boost your intake of calcium. Salmon, broccoli, and beans could be incorporated easily into your diet. Add raw broccoli at salad bars. Add beans to soups and casseroles. Fatty fish like salmon has a number of health benefits, including Omega 3 which is good for your heart. Add a fish dinner to your menu, or buy the foil packs of salmon and add it to a lunch salad.Increase your activity level, adding weight-bearing exercises. These exercises are effective in strengthening bones and will help fight potential fractures. Walking is the most basic and simplest of exercises and requires no equipment. Cut back on smoking, alcohol consumption and caffeine drinking to also counteract bone loss. It is confusing to hear varying reports on what is considered healthy or not. As consumers we can get overwhelmed with all this input and not know who to turn to. It is a safe bet that the average adult over the age of 50 isnt getting enough calcium or vitamin D. But before taking massive amounts of supplements you should check with your doctor.About the author: Walker J. Thornton, is a Virginia based freelance writer and blogger. Her professional blog is A Page of My Own.
