The Importance of Calcium
The reasons why bones are important are countless. It is essential that we have healthy bones to develop day to day activities knowing we can rely on our internal supporting structure. Bones are made of calcium; therefore, enough calcium means strong bones, but other than forming bones, this mineral is vital for our entire body, it clots our blood, it helps our muscles contract among other functions.
Should I Take Calcium Supplements?
Calcium, in other words is essential for a good functioning of our body. We can naturally get calcium from a healthy diet or from supplements if it is necessary. However, we recommend this is double checked with your doctor since despite of its multiple benefits, calcium supplements might not be the key to a healthy body or bones. In fact, calcium supplements are in many cases not necessary and they could even be harmful. Some of the negative consequences that have been researched include the growth of intestines and the creation of kidney stones or even worse, the excess of calcium can clot our blood contributing to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Bearing this in mind, the best way to ingest calcium is including it in our daily nutrition. This way it is easier for our body to digest and use the calcium that we take in different portioned intakes throughout the day.
It is commonly known that milk is rich in calcium, in fact people can get most calcium in their diets from dairy foods. In the case of vegan diets, access to this mineral should not be a problem since there are plenty of plant sources where to get it from. As a matter of fact, many vegetables can provide even more Calcium than dairy. Some good plant-based sources of Calcium include kale, soy milk and other soy-based food, grains such as beans, lentils, and peas among many other. There are also some foods and drinks available at the supermarket that are fortified with this mineral.
In other words, it should be relatively easy to include calcium in our daily nutrition, the recommended daily intake is of 1000 mg and 1200 mg in older adults. It is highly advised that this intake is ingested from different foods throughout the day to facilitate the absorption in our body.
A diet that provides enough calcium is key to keep healthy bones and help our body work well. However, some other nutrients are just as necessary to take advantage of the available calcium. The most important nutrient in this process is Vitamin D. This vitamin can be found in food rich in healthy fats such as salmon, eggs, tuna, and many others. Just like with calcium, we only recommend taking Vitamin C supplements if this is adviced by your doctor. Overall, we can get all the nutrients we need from a balanced healthy diet.
Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201 Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119