Mother’s day is knocking our doors and you must be planning to make your mother feel special. But wait, how are you planning to do it? Gifting her some cards and chocolate? Well, along with them, gift her something that will keep her strong forever. For as your mother age, her bone health declines, so take some measures and take a step to keep her healthy.

Calcium is an essential micronutrient to human especially for women when it comes to bone health. Every cell of the body is dependent on calcium to function. 99% of your body`s calcium is stored in your bones and teeth. The other one percent of your body`s calcium is found in blood. 

 It is a mineral found in many foods. Almost all of this calcium is found in the skeleton and the rest is found in the teeth, the blood plasma, the body’s soft tissues and the extracellular fluid. It is also important for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles, and nerves. This vital mineral is perhaps the best known to slash your risk of developing a number of diseases. It plays a role in maintaining normal blood pressure, regulating blood clotting, release hormones. Calcium also helps carry messages from your brain to other parts of your body, decrease the risk of colon cancer, and preeclampsia and preventing cancers of the digestive tract. It is also particularly important when it comes to protecting against bone degenerating diseases like osteoporosis, which leads to the breakdown of bones and subsequent fractures. In order for calcium to absorb properly, it should be taken with vitamin D. Calcium can only reach its full bone-building potential if your body has enough vitamin D.

 Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption V-D is converted to a hormone which causes intestinal proteins responsible for calcium absorption to be produced. Magnesium is also necessary. In fact, if we take too much calcium and not enough magnesium, it can cause problems in the body. Calcium deficiency can lead to common conditions like hypertension, seizures, and much more.

 It was found in a 2010 study performed by North Carolina State University, in fact, that adequate calcium early in life can protect against obesity. Acidic environment is actually linked to the development of hypertension and kidney stones. Through the consumption of processed sugars, sodas, and other junk foods, the body can become very acidic. Calcium can help to balance out this problem, returning the body to a less acidic, alkaline-based environment.

 Calcium also helps in boosting your health by the transportation of nutrients through cell membranes and where your body needs it most. Every day, we lose calcium through our skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine, and feces. Our bodies cannot produce its own calcium. That’s why it’s important to get enough calcium from the food we eat. When we don’t get the calcium our body needs, it is taken from our bones. This is fine once in a while, but if it happens too often, bones get weak and easier to break.

 Role Of Calcium In A Women’s Body

 Women are more prone to osteoporosis or thinning of the bones than men. 

According to the RDA

• Women 19-50 years should take 1000 mg calcium and 400-800 IU Vitamin-D
• Women 50 years and above should take 1200mg calcium and 800-1000 IU Vitamin -D
• Pregnant & Breastfeeding women-18 years and under 1300 mg calcium and 400-800 IU Vitamin D and 19 years and over 1000 mg calcium and 400-800 IU Vitamin –D

The requirements are greatest during growing, pregnant, lactating, and postmenopausal women, Females have a higher rate of bone loss when estrogen levels decline with menopause because estrogen enhances calcium absorption and decreases its excretion, but the opposite happens otherwise. Thus, the female body finds it hard to keep its calcium together. During menopause, however, the rate of loss increases rapidly for women. It is therefore vital that calcium levels are sufficient during this period if women are to avoid major skeletal problems.  

 Females have a lighter bone structure than men, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis.  As we age we produce less stomach acid which hinders calcium absorption.  Compounding absorption problems in the elderly is low vitamin D levels due to diet and lack of sunlight.

  Between the ages of 30 and 50, 3% to 5% of the bone is lost every year. This levels out to about 1% after age 50. Lifestyle and genetic factors can further exacerbate this loss. In summary: low calcium intakes, vitamin D deficiency, lack of hormone (estrogen) replacement therapy (HRT), low bone density to begin with, and an inadequate diet all contribute to poor bone health.

 Food Intake To Meet Per Day Calcium Needs

 These Fruits and vegetables keep your teeth and bone strength, boost the immune system, fight from various diseases, proper functioning of your nerves & muscles, good for heart disease etc.

Calcium seems to be a solution for all kind of disease related to pain and bone degeneration.

Below is the list of foods that are good for bone health:

• Dates
• Kiwi
• Sardines (vitamin D also)
• Milk (Vitamin D also)
• Curd (Vitamins D also)
• Eggs whole (yolk for vitamin D )
• Salmon
• Mulberries
• Oranges
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Lemon
• Almonds
• Tofu
• Cauliflower
• Green leafy vegetables
• Lady finger
• Pineapple
• Tomatoes
• Mango

 

Calcium is very necessary for life. Add calcium to your diet today.   

By Jasmine Kashyap (Fitness Expert, and Nutritionist & Director at Goodways Fitness)