Calcium nutrition.. A macromineral that is important throughout your life and essential for healthy bones and teeth, for your heart and nerves to function properly and your blood to clot.
How Much Calcium?
Average adult men and women- including pregnant women need at least 1000mg of calcium daily, while post-menopausal women need up to 1,200mg a day.
Dietary Sources of Calcium:
• Dairy products- milk, low fat yogurt, frozen yogurt, ice cream, low fat cheese, cottage cheese.
• Soy- tofu, calcium fortified soy drinks.
• Dark green leafy vegetables- spinach, kale, cabbage, seaweeds, broccoli, alfalfa.
• Cooked dried beans and peas.
• Canned fish- sardines, clams, oysters, and salmon with bones.
Calcium Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits:
• Calcium is responsible for construction and maintenance of bone and teeth. Calcium salts make up about 70 percent of bone by weight and give your bone its strength. Your bones increase in size and mass until around 30 years of age. Bone loss, like bone growth, is a gradual process, the stronger your bones are at age 30, the more your bone loss will be delayed as you age.
• It assists in maintaining all cells and connective tissues in the body.
• It helps keep the weight off- to do with your body's response to calcium absorption and deficit.
• It protects your heart. If you're low on calcium, you're more likely to have high blood pressure. Your body releases the hormone calcitriol in response to a calcium shortage, and calcitriol acts on the smooth muscle walls of your arteries, constricting them and elevating your blood pressure.
• It protects against colon cancer. Adequate calcium intake may reduce your overall risk of colon cancer and suppress the growth of polyps that can lead to cancer.
• It maintains healthy teeth. It may help to prevent gum disease- periodontal disease.
• It is essential for muscle contraction.
• It decreases the risk for kidney stones.
• Calcium improves premenstrual moods. Getting enough calcium can ease the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome PMS- due to calcium-regulating hormones. Your body suppresses the hormones if your calcium supplies are adequate, but releases these hormones if you're not getting enough.
Calcium Deficiency:
Calcium is the mineral most likely to be deficient in the average diet. Calcium deficiency is a condition in which we fail to receive or to metabolize an adequate supply of calcium. It may lead to a higher risk of hypertension, deformity due to loss of calcium from the bones, muscle spasms and leg cramps, extreme nerve sensitivity and osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures in the hip, spine, wrist, pelvis and ribs. Currently 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and it is no longer an issue of older women, children as young as 12 years old are affected by the premature form of osteoporosis called osteopenia.
Calcium Toxicity:
• Very large doses -several grams of calcium may cause blood calcium levels to rise and lead to calcium deposits in soft tissue, such as the heart and kidney.
• Large intakes of calcium may reduce zinc and iron absorption and impair vitamin K metabolism.
• Very high blood levels of calcium can cause heart or lung failure. Calcium ascorbate or calcium citrate are safe, less toxic sources than those from oyster shell.
• Calcium-citrate-malate is a well-absorbed form of supplementary calcium.
• Calcium from oyster shell may have lead levels that exceed the amount considered safe for children.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Karlilar
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