HOW MUCH CALCIUM DO YOU NEED?

While the body at any age needs calcium, there are stages in a person’s life when calcium requirements increase.
Here are the daily requirements at various stages in your life:

* Pregnancy: 1,500-2,000 mg. a day
* Lactation: 1,200-1,500 mg. a day
* Infants (birth to one year): 400 to 600 mg.
* Children (1 to 10): 800 mg.
* Preteens and teens: 1,200-1,500 mg.
* Adults: 1,200 mg.
* Seniors: 1,500 mg. a day

How does calcium work?
As with other minerals, the body has an efficient system for keeping the concentration of calcium in the blood and tissues in balance.
This is needed because if calcium concentrations fall too low or get too high, certain organs will fail to function.

The first checkpoint is in the intestines. If you eat too much calcium, or already have enough calcium in your blood, the intestines simply absorb less of the calcium in the food you eat. If your body needs calcium, the intestines absorb more.

Bones are the second checkpoint. If you don’t get enough calcium in your diet, your body may borrow what it needs from your bones. This works for a time, yet continuing withdrawals of calcium from the bone bank can lead to  osteopenia and osteoporosis.
A hormone called parathyroid oversees all this calcium activity like a vigilant bank manager, keeping the calcium concentration just right. When your calcium levels fall, this hormone stimulates vitamin D to increase absorption of calcium from the intestines, and to release calcium from the bone bank until a proper balance is restored.
It is an efficient system, but even if you are eating a fair amount of calcium, there are some other factors in your diet and lifestyle which can interfere with the calcium you consume being utilized by your body. We will deal with these factors in a later section of this article.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis
There are a variety of reasons for osteopenia, some hormonal and some related to the fact that calcium absorption lessens in elderly intestines.
Also, certain medications decrease the body’s ability to absorb calcium, including antacids. Soda with phosphates in it and smoking are also notorious bone health stealers.
Senior citizens need to be particularly conscious about the level of calcium in their diet and about which medications interfere with calcium absorption.
Women of white descent are most prone to osteoporosis.  If you are at risk it’s best not to wait until you’re fifty-something to start preventing osteoporosis.
Building stronger bones with a calcium-rich diet and weight-bearing exercise such as light weights in your twenties and thirties is more likely to prevent osteoporosis than preventive measures in your fifties.

Calcium is one of the most important minerals in your body for a variety of reasons.

WHY DO YOU NEED CALCIUM?

We all know that calcium is necessary for strong bones and teeth.

What you may not know is that calcium is required for EVERY cell of the body to function in a healthy way.

Besides acting as a cellular ‘cement’ for bones, calcium is used by your nerves and muscles, and it also contributes to proper blood clotting.

Here’s an overview of the good things calcium does for your body:

Calcium promotes healthy bones and teeth for life.
Just as lime is necessary for strong concrete, calcium is needed for strong bones.
We think that bone is something solid and permanent, but it is a living, changing component or our bodies.  Bone is constantly breaking down and being built back up again.
Calcium is continually deposited into multiplying bone cells, like the cement that holds together the particles of stone and sand in a chunk of concrete.

Your bone health through your life
The stronger the bone development during childhood, the healthier those bones will be in adulthood. That is, the stronger the foundation, the sturdier the eventual building.
During adolescence bones grow rapidly, so teens need a lot of calcium in their diet. Once a person reaches full growth (usually at the age of 26/27 when your leg bone finally reaches its full size and solidity), your nutritional need for calcium will stabilize.
But there are periods when calcium needs increase, such as during pregnancy, lactation, and healing from injuries.
In old age, the bones begin to lose some of their sturdiness (this is called osteopenia, “bone poverty”, a thinning of the bones, and its most severe form is calle osteoporosis or “fragile bones”).

Everyone worries about getting proper nutrition, but in this hectic-paced world we live in, where fast food abounds, actually eating right can be a very challenging task.

 The lifestyle of an average American is crammed with chores, which makes us cram goodness knows what into our mouths. Between juggling work, family, and outside commitments, people have come to believe that they have no time for cooking or healthy eating.

 Creating a nutritious meal for the family when you are all on the run is challenging enough. Trying to balance your  daily nutrition requirements can be even harder. Add to that special diets, like vegetarian, vegan, or lactose intolerant, for example, and you can have a nightmare on your hands.

Fortunately, MyPyramid is here to help, at http://www.mypyramid.gov

 The FDA has put up resources to help you calculate your daily requirements, and the best sources for each, so you can make every meal, and even every mouthful, count. And customize it for all your family members as well if you are cooking or planning meals for more than one.

 One size does not fit all when it comes to food and nutrition, which is why the have designed these interactive tools.  MyPyramid Plan offers you a personal eating plan with the foods and amounts that are right for you. You can get started with the MyPyramid Plan quickly and easily at the site.

MyPyramid Tracker offers a detailed assessment of your food intake and physical activity level. You can also use the advice “Inside the Pyramid” section to help you

• Make smart choices from every food group.
• Find your balance between food and physical activity/exercise
• Get the most nutrition out of your calories.
• Stay within your daily calorie needs to maintain weight or even lose weight.

There are a few limitations to the site that you need to be aware of.  MyPyramid food patterns are designed for the general public ages 2 and over.

 They are not therapeutic diets for specific health conditions. Those with a chronic health condition should always  consult with a health care provider to find a dietary plan that is right for them, particularly for conditions like diabetes.

 But MyPyramid is a quick easy way to start thinking a bit more about sound nutrition and educating yourself about what you can eat each day for maximum nutrition.

A lot of people turn to vitamins and supplements, but ideally you should be able to get balanced nutrition from the food you eat. 

The useful sample menus should get you started with a nutritional eating lifestyle you can sustain both short and  long term without driving yourself crazy or taking too long cooking and shopping. So you can have more time to sit down, eat, and savor!

Healthy Eating at the Holidays?  It almost seems like a contradiction in terms, doesn’t it?

But if you eat well all year round, you are much less likely to feel like a locust devouring everything in sight. Sure, you can have a seasonal treat or two, but there is no need to go for seconds. Or thirds and fourths!

 The trouble with the holidays is that they seem to get longer every year, with a stretch of indulgence that extends from the candy at Halloween, through the turkey with all the fixin’s at Thanksgiving, to Christmas, and right on to New Year’s (and possibly even Valentine’s Day if we aren’t careful!!)

In our offices, there are snacks and treats galore, all within easy reach, adding hundred of extra calories to our diet before we even know we’ve swallowed. Of course we love spending time with our friends, but food and drink become even more of a center of attention than the usual lunches, brunches and dinners.

There are many ways you can control your calorie intake at the holidays. Get a hot air popper (the microwave pop corn is getting very bad press these days), pop your corn, and add a bit of butter spray to it if you are eating it then and there. You can also pop extra, don’t butter it, and bring it to work in a plastic container. If you feel like having hot pop corn, you can give it a few seconds in the microwave, and presto, you have a hot snack without a ton of oil, artifical flavor, or chemicals.

Other good choices would be carrot and celery sticks, apple, raisins, to stop you from reaching for the cookie tin or the bowl of nachos and guacamole just waiting to be devoured.

In particular, watch out for the empty calories in alcohol and desserts during the holiday season. They have NO nutritional value, and are NOT a couple of new essential food groups. They also make you binge eat, alcohol in particular giving you the munchies.

Vegetables are essential every day, but beware of the hidden calories in mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, and any veggies swimming in butter or cheese sauce. The same can be said of seafood and fish.

Also off the menu would be cream-based soups, and anything with a cream sauce on it. We are not only talking calories here, we are talking high in saturated fats. The same is true of nuts. If you are having poultry, avoid the dark meat.

Dairy is also essential, but try not to go for full fat if you have any control over the menu. Also, remember, the softer the cheese, the more fat!

If you are cooking for the holidays yourself, you will have a lot more control. If you are at your own home, this will be easy.   Plan a menu with lots of well-seasoned dishes. A little seasoning can go a long way toward curbing cravings. Try not to taste everything in sight, and do start with soup and salad so that you will already be pretty full before you ever get to the main event.

Beware of the dreaded leftovers as well, which can extend one day of indulgence into several. Send a little care package home with your guests, or freeze them into small tasty lunch sized homemade TV dinners.

If you are going out for the holiday, eat before you go. Again, soup and salad are excellent choices for making you feel full and satisfied. Be polite, but don’t load your plate. Or, offer to bring a dish you know you have made yourself that is not swimming in high-fat ingredients.

Also, if you are at a buffet, either take a small plate, or load it with salad or veggies first, then the more caloric foods. Make sure you load up on good lean protein if it is available, but again, no sauces or dark meat.

Avoid the dreaded dessert if possible, and beware of eggnog. If you do have to indulge, you and a friend might ‘buddy up’ and agree to share, just to keep an eye on one another.

One final check up, remember, it takes only 2000 additional calories to put on a pound, but 3000 to take one off. Do the math as you deal with your holiday meals, and that should keep you on the straight (and slim!) and narrow even with temptation coming at you from all sides.

Happy Holidays!

You can also use fresh herbs in your home-cooked dishes. Add parsley to meat dishes for a fresh new twist and use oregano and basil to spice up spaghetti sauce, roasted vegetables, bean and pasta soup, and more.

Herbs contain valuable antioxidants to build the body’s immunity, and they add delightful flavor that enhances your meal and cuts down on food cravings. The more seasoned variety you have, the less likely you will be to munch out of control.

Cravings are typically not about being hungry, but seeking a special flavor. Some would even argue that the craving is your body telling you that an essential nutrient is missing in your diet. I think I used to crave onions a lot because of the vitamin C.

For ice cream addicts, add nuts to your dish for an extra boost of heart-healthy nutrients. Or, you can make your own fruit based topping with fruit in the microwave, plus some cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, lemon and so on. You can even make your own sorbets and add spices to them to make them more flavorful. Dress up your plain vanilla, without a whole bunch of sugary additives. You can do the same with cakes and pies. A bit of spice added makes for a more satisfying dessert.

And best of all, the more you cook for yourself, the more you will have control over the calories you take in. Plus, you’ll be able to make food exactly the way you want it. In addition, you will likely save money as well. Whenever I go to a restaurant, for example, I always order something I have never had before, and then I try to duplicate it at home.

Of course, years of cooking with herbs and seasonings has made this easy for me, but if you pay attention read labels, menus and so on, plus do the old sniff test in the spice aisle, and snap off a twig or two to taste in the fresh herb aisle, you’ll be able to start experimenting, identifying, and eating well in no time.

Herbs and spices are not only tasty, they can be nutritious too. We also recommend them because people tend to think of watching what you eat as dieting or suffering and deprivation. Herbs and spices keep food tasty, and fresh, as well as wholesome.

Herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor without a whole bunch of artificial ingredients, and are particularly healthful if you are trying to cut down on salt for the sake of your heart health or high blood pressure. There is nothing worse for your heart health than a whole bunch of sodium, hidden in all sorts of prepared foods, even in things which are supposed to be sweet.

One of the easiest ways to get better nutrition is by adding breakfast to your day. Too many people fail to eat in the mornings despite the fact that a healthy breakfast provides fuel for the rest of the day. Thanks to the joys of a microwave egg poacher, you can have a fabulous poached egg in about 30-35 seconds, depending on how runny you want it. You don’t even have to add oil, so it weighs in at a tiny 90 calories, for about 15 grams of protein, about 1/3rd of what you need in a day.

People avoid eggs because of the cholesterol, but then eat far worse things, like processed foods, full of salt and sugar, and don’t even get the protein they need, just empty calories. So everything in moderation, but eggs are a great fast, filling breakfast, and inexpensive too compared with cereal!

You can also mix in some herbs for a quick scramble, like dill, parsley, chives, red pepper flakes, and best of all, you can pop it onto and English muffin or piece of bread to have on the go. It is far fewer calories to make it yourself than to by it in a fast food joint, and cheaper too.

You can also stir in a bit of low fat goat cheese or cream cheese for a real taste treat or lovely runny mini omelet. Add some salsa on top, and even put it in a low fat, low carb tortilla for a light homemade breakfast burrito with a bit of fresh coriander, parsley, and some cumin for spice.

With a glass of milk and a piece of fruit you have already covered protein, fruit and dairy in your day, with some greens as well, for a great nutritious start to your day.