C-A-L-C-I-U-M!!!

It's not surprising to find that people avoid milk since it has saturated fat, cholesterol, allergenic proteins, lactose, and often traces of toxins and contaminates. Also some people just don't feel well after consuming dairy products. Milk, the most idolized drink in America, is also linked to type 1 (juvenile-onset) diabetes and other serious health problems. Luckily for us, there are many alternative ways to get the calcium we need without the harmful contaminates.

As we grow older, we lose calcium; to keep our bones strong enough means we need to focus on preventing the loss of calcium, not boosting our intake. Even though some cultures consume less than 500 milligrams of calcium a day, they have lower rates of osteoporosis. Exercise and other factors are found to have more of an influence with osteoporosis than the amount of calcium you absorb. Usually, almost all of the calcium is contained in the bones; there is a tiny amount in the bloodstream. Through urine, sweat, and feces, calcium is lost from your bloodstream; regularly, it is renewed from calcium in your bones or diet. Until the age of 30, your body builds more bone than losing it; past the age of thirty we graduallylose more bone than we make.

To reduce calcium loss:

• High-protein diets cause more calcium to be lost. Animal protein is more likely to cause calcium loss than plant protein; therefore, vegetarians have stronger bones and lower rates of osteoporosis than meat-eaters.
• Diets with lots of sodium increase the loss of calcium through urine. Same with caffeine.
• Smoking isn't healthy in any way, but it also increases the loss of calcium from your bones.

To increase calcium:

• exercise
• bone-building hormones are made when you absorb vitamin D, so bask in the sun a little!
• As mom always says, "Eat your VEGGIES!" It helps keep calcium in your bones.
• Eating plant-based foods with calcium, especially green vegetables and beans, helps you get one of the building blocks of bone-building.

Even though your intake shouldn't be the focus, it's still important to eat calcium-rich foods daily.

:)