About 99% of the calcium in your body is in the bones. The only 1% has very important functions in the cells, for muscle contraction, and heartbeat. If you don't eat enough calcium or if the body doesn't absorb it, your body may withdraw calcium from the bones for the other body functions.
Vitamin D works with calcium to help absorb and deposit it in bones and teeth to make them stronger. The most important bone-building years are in the adolescent and teenage years. After about age 30, the bones start to lose the minerals that give them strength. After that, you can only slow the bone loss that comes with aging.
To continue to keep strong bones throughout life, use these tips:
- Consume adequate calcium and vitamin D at every age. Current recommendations from the milk group is 3 cups a day for most people. Calcium gets deposited and withdrawn daily from your bones, like money from a bank. Make regular calcium and vitamin D deposits for your bone bank.
- Participate regularly in weight-bearing activities such as walking and strength training.
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake, these interfere with bone health.
- Be careful with diet plans to limit dairy. If calories or fat are a concern, choose low-fat or fat free dairy products to continue to get enough calcium.
- If you take a calcium supplement, use it to fill a calcium gap, not to replace calcium-rich foods.
- Read the food label to see how calcium you are getting in the foods you eat. The %Daily Value should add up to 100% for all the foods you eat that day.
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