Calcium and Vitamin D are the building blocks of healthy bones. Vitamin deficiencies are one major cause of bone deformities such as rickets. Our bones need good nutrition to grow strong and healthy and provide a good skeletal structure for our body. Besides conditions like rickets, not eating a healthy diet and expose us to all kinds of problems that are otherwise preventable. There are many other health problems associated with not getting adequate nutrition. Some of these include tiredness and fatigue, muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
Sources of Calcium:
- Milk (1%, 2%, whole, skim)
- Cheese
- Cottage Cheese
- Yogurt
- Sardines’
- Salmon
- Turnip Greens
- Collard Greens
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Beans: navy, pinto, black beans
Sources of Vitamin D:
- Milk, rice milk, soy milk
- Orange juice
- Eggs (yolks)
- Fish ( salmon, tuna, mackerel, trout)
- Whole grain cereals (oatmeal, raisin bran, wheat flakes)
- Ham, turkey, pork loin
- Eggs ( duck, chicken, goose)
- Sunshine
For Those Who Avoid Dairy:
- Soy milk, rice milk
- Orange Juice
- Tofu
- Almonds
- Seaweed (dried)
- Tahini
- Almond butter
How Much is Needed Daily?
The body needs a certain amount of calcium daily. In adults, this amount needs to be replenished frequently due to habits such as coffee-drinking and cigarette smoking which leach vitamins from the body. Here is a breakdown of how much calcium and Vitamin D you should be getting every day:
Adults: 1,000-1,200 mg
(Women 1,000 – Men 1,200 mg)
Aging Adults 1,200 mg
Children 1-8 yrs. 700-1,000 mg
Pre-teens and Teens 9 to 18 yrs. 1,300 mg
Another important source of Vitamin D that was not previously discussed is exposure to sunshine. One way to get a good supply of Vitamin D is to spend plenty of time outdoors soaking up the sunshine. People who spend a lot of time indoors due to health issues or shut-ins may be deficient in this area and be at risk for brittle bones.
Is Calcium Really That Important?
Calcium and Vitamins are used by our bodies every day and that why it is so important to keep a steady supply of these nutrients in our diets. In fact, they work together and need each other to be effective. Our bones keep growing and changing as our bodies grow and can be affected by the type of food we eat. These nutrients keep bones and teeth (another type of bone) strong and healthy. Diets lacking good nutrition can cause holes and thinning in the bones which can leave them weak and brittle. If you want healthy bones as you get older, make sure to feed your body well every single day because osteoporosis is a very real condition and is the number one cause of broken hips in the elderly.
If you eat healthily but are still not sure you’re getting enough calcium and Vitamin D, contact us for a free diet and health assessment. Our office is located 20 minutes west of Melbourne in Sunshine so it is very convenient and accessible. Protecting your health is vitally important and should be a top priority.
