As Seen In Expressly My Health
Plenty of Americans don't intake the recommended amount of calcium every day.
The National Institutes of Health believes the recommended consumption of calcium per day, which is set by the National Research Council, is too low.
The National Institutes of Health says the amount of calcium that children should reach is 1,200 milligrams a day. Young adults and postmenopausal women should consume 1,500 milligrams daily and women who are 25-50 years of age should have 1,000 milligrams a day.
To reach the goal for young adults, you should consume an ounce of cheese, two glasses of milk, about a half of a cup of cooked broccoli and one serving of yogurt a day.
"I prefer to intake my calcium through feta and goat cheese, and from different types of vegetables, such as spinach and collard greens," said Carroll Moore, a theater major from Orlando.
It is crucial to meet the recommended daily amount of calcium to prevent osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is bone density loss, which brittles the bone and can be prevented throughout your younger years by intaking enough calcium on a regular basis.
Numerous people, especially older women, take calcium supplements to prevent this mass decay of their bones.
This is good to do. However, not all calcium supplements are the same.
"All calcium supplements are not created equal. The stomach absorbs some better than others," said Michael F. Holick, M.D., a Boston University professor and head of the Bone Healthcare Clinic at Boston Medical Center, in Internal Medicine News magazine. He created a test that shows whether or not your calcium supplement is beneficial.
"Take white vinegar and mix in the calcium preparation. In 20 minutes, if it doesn't dissolve in white vinegar, guess what? It's not going to dissolve in your stomach," Holick said.
It is better to get your calcium through a variety of natural food sources.
Those who are lactose intolerant can still get an adequate amount of calcium without having dairy products, which contain the most calcium. Some non-dairy foods that are abundant in calcium are mustard greens, broccoli, almonds, baked beans, canned salmon and dried figs.
A significant lack of vitamin D can also lead to osteoporosis, a greater risk of fractures and many more problems. Your primary source of vitamin D comes from the sunlight and can come from supplements as well.
"We advocate the use of vitamin D supplementation and patient counseling regarding the importance of vitamin D in all women with osteoporosis," said Dr. de Pepp and her associates of Merck and Company Inc., in Internal Medicine News magazine.
There are about 700,000 vertebrate fractures that are caused by osteoporosis in the United States every year. Consuming the right amount of calcium is not too troubling. You just have to remember to do it.
So eat your broccoli and drink your milk to build stronger bones.
