Calcium Health » Bone Health

Calcium Sources – Learn about Some Healthful Calcium Sources

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:41:22 +0000

We are often told by health specialists to introduce calcium-rich foods to our diet if we want to develop strong bones and teeth. Calcium not only helps in developing a strong skeletal system, but it also helps in protecting it from various diseases including degenerative disease. Calcium sources are broadly categorized as animal and plant sources.

Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, mustard greens, and Brussels are rich plant sources of calcium. One of the widely-known animal calcium sources is milk. Doctors normally advise to intake more vegetables than dairy products because in addition to useful nutrients, they also contain some contaminants, cholesterol and fat.

These substances might be dangerous for obese people and those who do not like to exercise on a regular basis. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid animal sources of calcium as much as you can. Red meat, eggs and other dairy products are rich in protein and may cause calcium loss in your body.

Another source of obtaining calcium is to consume supplements rich in coral calcium. Coral calcium is essentially a salt mainly composed of calcium carbonate and has many health benefits associated with it.

If you have adequate amounts of calcium in your body you will be at a reduced risk of developing osteoporosis. Since calcium sources in food are hard to find and consume, doctors now suggest taking calcium-rich supplements. These are easy to consume and provide all the benefits of developing strong bones, and improving posture and strength. These products also contain other minerals and vitamins, for example vitamin D and K2 for the enhancement of your bone health. They are easily available online and most of the time these products don’t require a doctor’s prescription as they have already been approved by health specialists.

Some rich and easily digestible calcium sources are orange juice, spinach, oatmeal, beans, sweet potato, sesame seeds and raisins. In addition to increasing your intake of calcium you also need to reduce your consumption of protein-rich food, especially the ones that come from animal sources. Proteins tend to increase calcium loss through urine just like sodium. That’s why health experts tell us to reduce our intake of salt as much as we can.

Exercise is mandatory for proper absorption of calcium in bones. Don’t let proteins and other substances cause calcium loss in your body. If you are not used to doing physical exercise a lot, then take a walk or simply indulge yourself in household chores. Don’t sit idle for long periods of time. Vitamin D helps in controlling the amount of calcium in our body, therefore introduce vitamin D supplements to your diet after consulting a physician.

By: John Gibb

Calcium And Vitamin D For Bone Health – Is It Really Useful?

admin — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:46:03 +0000

Supplementation with calcium and Vitamin D is routinely recommended to prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures in postmenopausal women. Taking calcium increases calcium in the blood, making more available for uptake into the bone. With normal aging, there is a decrease in calcium absorption by the stomach. Vitamin D is known to increase calcium absorption in the gut, as well as acting synergistically with calcium to promote bone density. This has led to the common practice of prescribing calcium and Vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of hip fractures. It sounds so good and all makes logical sense, and it can’t hurt, so why not go ahead and do it?

However, just because you become deficient in something with aging, doesn’t mean that supplementation will correct the problem. Studies have shown that calcium and vitamin D supplementation in people over age 65 increased total bone density, but not necessarily in areas that matter, like the femoral neck, which causes hip fracture. The only studies which showed that calcium and Vitamin D prevented hip fractures were done in French women who had osteoporosis and were living in nursing homes. However these women may have calcium and/or Vitamin D deficiency due to diet or lack of sunlight from being in a nursing home.

Other studies in individuals outside nursing homes found no beneficial effects from Vitamin D and calcium supplementation in terms of hip fracture prevention. One study of patients who had a fracture and became immobile did not find any benefit of Vitamin D and calcium in the prevention of secondary fractures. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study included 36,282 premenopausal women age 50 to 79 who were randomly assigned to receive 1000 mg of calcium with 400 IU of Vitamin D-3 or placebo with a follow-up of 7 years for assessment of bone fracture. Supplementation did not reduce the risk of hip fracture. Although there was an increase in hip bone density, there was also an increase in kidney stones. Since increasing hipbone density has no practical benefit and is not related to reducing the risk of hip fracture, while increasing kidney stones is definitely negative, there is no reason to take these supplements.

Bottom line? Take a walk in the sun, and eat a balanced diet with lots of greens and vegetables to get your calcium fix.

By: Doug Bremner

Calcium Supplements and Bone Health – Learn about Calcium Supplements

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:56:16 +0000

We all know that calcium is needed for healthy bones and teeth. If calcium deficiency in the body is neglected for many years, it may cause bone disease in old age which is also known as osteoporosis in medical terms, and many other complications.

Calcium supplements or tablets are normally recommended by doctors all over the world to overcome calcium deficiency. These tablets provide up to 40% of elementary calcium obtained from food materials and help in its absorption by the bones. Therefore, calcium supplements and bone health are closely related to each other.

Calcium is mainly found in our bones, teeth, blood and cells. Almost 98% of calcium found in our body is accumulated in the bones where it is needed for proper growth and development of the skeletal system. Teenagers are advised to drink a lot of milk because this is the time when their bones are formed and after a time stop growing in length. Milk is composed of natural substances that help in maximum absorption of calcium in the bones.

Calcium supplements and bone health can be connected by the fact that they not only help in overcoming the deficiency of calcium in the body, but also prevent many degenerative diseases related to the skeletal system including osteoporosis.

Our immune system is mainly responsible for maintaining the health of bones. However, as we age our immune systems becomes weak and do not perform at its maximum due to other health conditions. At this age, the importance of nutritional supplements for bone health is emphasized by doctors and health specialists. Liquid calcium supplements and those available in tablet form are equally efficient and provide many benefits in terms of overall health and well-being.

In addition to the above-mentioned degenerative diseases, calcium is also important for the prevention of depression in women, PMS, obesity, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, muscle cramps, other skeletal problems and colon cancer.

There are minimal or no side effects of calcium supplements and are equally effective for adults and children. Try to find the ones made from calcium carbonate or more specifically coral calcium because it reduces acidity in the stomach and easily gets absorbed in the bloodstream if taken right after meals. Vitamin D helps in better absorption of calcium; therefore try to look for supplements that contain certain vitamins and minerals such as magnesium in addition to adequate quantities of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.

By: John Gibb

Liquid Coral Calcium – More Health Benefits

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:01:00 +0000

Yes it does. In the past, calcium supplements were available only in the tablet form. But recently liquid coral calcium has been introduced to the market which makes use of 100% pure coral calcium obtained from fossilized coral reefs above sea level in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Coral calcium has many benefits in terms of bone health and prevention of many diseases. It has been found that it helps in fighting against depression and pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) in women. It also has an important role to play in the context of weight loss. Liquid coral calcium is easier to digest and can be used by children as well as adults and elderly people who find it difficult to consume pills on a regular basis.

Try to look for coral calcium supplements (either in the tablet form or in liquid form) made from Okinawan coral calcium which is obtained from the island of Okinawa in Japan. It has been discovered that Japanese enjoy a healthy long life mainly due to drinking this water that flows over coral reefs and makes coral calcium an important part of it.

Liquid coral calcium is composed of calcium carbonate or limestone. Normally a dosage of 1000 mg daily is recommended by doctors. Coral calcium is best absorbed when it is taken after meals. It reduces acidity and helps in proper digestion of food. As a result it also acts as an active substance in weight loss programs.

Usually 2 tablespoons of liquid coral calcium are sufficient for a day’s needs. However, you may want to increase or decrease the dosage depending on your bone health and other conditions. If you are not sure about your dosage requirements or DRA, ask a health specialist before starting the course of calcium supplements.

Pregnant women are advised to intake maximum calcium but at the same time try to exercise on a regular basis for its proper absorption. If side effects like headaches, nausea, constipation, diarrhea or stomach cramps occur, consult a doctor or stop taking calcium supplements at once.

Coral calcium supplements available out there also contain magnesium, iron, zinc, vitamin C, D and K2 in small quantities. These minerals and vitamins are equally important for proper growth and development of muscles and bones and should be consumed on a regular basis to prevent their deficiency and associated negative effects.

By: John Gibb

Read About Some of the Health Benefits of Calcium Glycinate

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:10:24 +0000

Calcium glycinate like other compounds is used in making good-quality and effective calcium supplements. In addition to assisting in overcoming calcium deficiency in the body, there are some other health benefits of calcium glycinate as well. Let’s explore what these benefits are.

First of all, people who have used calcium glycinate supplements have reported back a significant improvement in their bone health. It is a compound which facilitates calcium absorption along with vitamin D and phosphorus, and therefore calcium deficient people are at a reduced risk of developing kidney stones and colon cancer.

One of the health benefits if calcium glycinate is that it is many times more soluble in water than other calcium salts. Hence its bioavailability rate is nearly as good as calcium carbonate or coral calcium. The tablets made with calcium glycinate are easily digested, and therefore can be used by people of all ages. Doctors normally recommend taking one tablet after each meal everyday for the treatment and prevention of calcium deficiency and the conditions associated with it.

Some other health benefits of calcium glycinate include better performance of adrenal glands, prevention of many types of cancers, prevention of bone disease and assistance in weight loss. People who have used these supplements have also reported back a slight decline in their blood pressure, and therefore calcium glycinate can also be used by people who have high blood pressure, hypertension and obesity.

With a wide range of calcium supplements now available online for purchase, it is recommended that you do a little research of your own before buying a particular brand. Although many of these supplements have found to be harmless and have absolutely no side effects of their own, it’s always better to be on the safe side.

Calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, coral calcium harvested from the island of Okinawa in Japan, calcium glycinate, calcium phosphate and calcium orotate are all reliable salts from which calcium supplements are being made. Before starting the course of a supplement product, carefully read the instructions on the bottle and also note down all the ingredients and find out about their effectiveness.

It’s always good to consult a doctor before consuming calcium or any other mineral tablets. Pregnant and lactating women are advised to obtain maximum of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin D, vitamin E and all other nutrients from diet and if they feel the need to try dietary supplements they should ask their doctor first.

By: John Gibb

Coral Calcium : Promoting Life’s Healing Properties

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:38:42 +0000

Coral calcium is the most highly dissolvable and easily assimilated forms of calcium (long know to be extremely important in bone health) naturally occurring in the realm of the planet. Long used by alternative and holistic healthcare professionals and practitioners such as chiropractors, naturopaths and acupuncturists, coral calcium is now regarded as an essential supplement to healthful and natural living.

In this day and age of fast-paced living, it is increasingly important to care for the only body we will ever have. We are a highly complicated system of checks and balances and the only way that we can perform at our highest level of efficiency is to make sure that all of our biomechanics are maintained and optimized. Coral calcium helps regulate the alkalinity of our bodies assuring that cell health is maintained by controlling the acidity that we introduce into ourselves by being exposed to environmental and consumed pollutants. By maintaining an alkaline environment in our bodies, we are ensuring continued health and longevity of our tissues, both muscular and skeletal.

Long used in Japanese culture to promote health and longevity, coral calcium is made from surface coral which means that no living coral is endangered in the making of this healthy supplement. We are all becoming increasingly concerned with not only the health of our own bodies, but with the general health of the planet, especially marine life. Not only does coral calcium help promote our own health, it in no way harms marine life as it is harvested from nonliving, above ground coral.

From the time we start walking, we assault our bodies with our physical activities, poor diets, atmospheric pollutants, daily stresses and general abuse. Coral calcium helps to reverse these damages by promoting removal of waste and harmful toxins from the body. By providing highly absorbable sources of calcium and other important minerals, coral calcium helps the body restore itself to optimal levels of health and happiness.

Bone strength and density is huge concern for most women and an ever increasing number of men. The foods we eat, the beverages that we eat and the lifestyles that we lead often sap our bodies of the minerals that we need to support our ever increasing frames. Osteoporosis is an alarming epidemic and is something that we all need to be aware of. Coral Calcium is composed of the a very similar structure and combination of minerals that our own bone structure is made up of. Thus it promotes healing and strength of the very frame of our bodies the we have spent our lives breaking down.

The best part of coral calcium is that it is 100% natural and doesn’t contain any of the scary synthetic additives that many supplements contain that got us into our weakened position in the first place. By following the advice of many holistic healers and supporting your diet with coral calcium, you are helping your body heal itself with the very minerals that it is made up of. An excellent source of calcium and magnesium, coral calcium is proving to be an additional supplement to a healthy diet.

By: Christopher Luck