1. Healthy Diets Prevent Bone Loss
Osteoporosis is a disease that depletes bones of calcium and causes them to weaken or even break. Once developed, this condition can't be cured. You can work now to prevent it later by making adequate calcium readily available to your bone tissue.
Calcium-rich foods and beverages should become regular mainstays in your diet as early in life as possible. Know how much you should be getting daily and set a goal. Men, women and children require between 1,000 and 1,500 mg per day, depending on their ages and, in women, pregnancy and menopause factors. The 'right' foods and daily values can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. These include dairy products, salmon, almonds, broccoli and cauliflower, all foods that can be low in fat and are easy to add to any diet.
2. Calcium Supplements Help You Reach Your Goals
If you have lactose intolerance or other impediment to calcium intake through diet, supplements are readily available and relatively inexpensive. Daily tablets or chews can contain 100 percent of the needed dosage. Multivitamins may also help you to make up the calcium difference in your diet. Your doctor may advocate rotating sources of supplemental calcium, such as citrate and gluconate. Simply take them as directed, noting that dosage methods may differ from your other medications. Do not take more than 2,000 mg of supplemental calcium in a day.
3. Vitamin D Aids Calcium Absorption
Vitamin D is a catalyst to calcium absorption and regular levels should also be maintained in the body. While you can absorb vitamin D through sunlight exposure, it is difficult for individuals to measure intake. Multivitamins that include the nutrient, fortified dairy products or vitamin D tablets can provide full daily values. Check the nutrition information on the package or get your doctor's recommendation for your age and lifestyle.
While you aid calcium absorption with plenty of vitamin D, don't counteract it with other blocking behaviors. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, caffeine and soda pop is considered detrimental. Promote bone growth and prevent osteoporosis with calcium-friendly habits.
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