Got Milk?
Milk. It does a body good.
Milk. Good for strong bones and healthy teeth.
The commercials are endless when it comes to this byproduct.
But it’s all for a good reason. It’s really not the drink itself that manufacturers are marketing it’s the calcium that’s in the milk that really does your body good. Scientists have proven that this nutrient keeps high blood pressure under control and reduces colon cancer as well as prevents kidney stones. Calcium is also needed to coagulate blood and transmit nerve impulses. For all these reasons and more - from breastfeeding to the food pyramid - we’ve been groomed from infancy to make sure we’re getting enough of the stuff. Here’s some information to make sure that we’re doing just that.

How much calcium do we really need?

The United States National Institute of Health advises:

Men ages 25 or older and females between the ages of 25-50 should have 1000 mg of calcium a day.

Females who have stopped menstruating should take in 1000-1050 mg of calcium daily.

Women more than 65 years of age should have 1500 mg a day

Males and females ages 11-24 should have a 1200-1500 mg daily calcium intake.

Where can we get calcium?

A cup of milk = 300 mg

A cup of orange juice = 300 mg

Three cups of yogurt = 1200 mg of calcium

A quarter pound of tofu = 260 mg

A cup of spinach = 245 mg

What about athletes?

You guys (and gals) are tough stuff and I don’t mean your physique. Experts say many athletes are at risk for unhealthy bones. That’s because a low-calorie, low-fat diet can actually deprive your bones from what they need. It’s important to know that calcium doesn’t work alone. You need to also take in the following to have strong and healthy bones:

Vitamin D
What it does: helps the body absorb calcium.
Where you can get it: eggs, catfish, salmon, soy milk and milk

Vitamin K
What it does: this bone protein plays a major role in bone formation
Where you can get it: green leafy vegetables, avocadoes, cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and milk

Magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and fluoride also help keep bones in top shape.

Don’t forget the stuff between your bones too – that’s the connective tissue and cartilage. You need collagen to keep these healthy. Here’s what can help your body produce it:

Iron
Where you can get it: beef, poultry, fish and dried beans

Vitamin C
Where you can get it: a cup of orange juice or a slice of orange or grapefruit

Protein
How much you should have: 0.45-0.7 grams a day per pound of body weight.

What about supplements?
Good idea. But supplements are just what the word applies. They should only be taken along with a healthy calcium-balanced diet. Experts say that eating calcium as part of a food actually helps increase calcium absorption as opposed to popping pills.

Want to know more about calcium? Check out these links.

Information about scientific research and calcium:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0324.htm

Information from medical experts:
http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/tc/tc1504/goodbones.htm

Information about calcium for women athletes:
http://www.estronaut.com/a/nutiriton_eat_female_athlete.htm

Calculate your daily calcium intake:
http://www.calciuminfo.com