44 million American women and 5 million American men have some degree of osteoporosis.
Stick to the Food Guide Pyramid and aim for 3 servings for adults (2 servings for kids ages two
to eight) from the
Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group every day. Dairy products are the simplest way
to meet your calcium needs.
5 Quick and Easy Calcium-Rich Recipes:
Commit this to memory:
- Kids, ages 9 - 18 need 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day.
- Adults, 19 - 50 need 1,000 milligrams per day.
- If you are over 50, bump that to 1200 per day.
We all know that calcium is the mineral in your body that makes up bones and keeps them strong.
99% of calcium is stored in bones and teeth. But did you know that the remaining 1% is in your
blood and soft tissues and is essential for life and health? Without this tiny 1% of calcium,
your muscles wouldn't contract correctly, your blood wouldn't clot and your nerves wouldn't
carry messages.
There are two ways your body can get this essential 1% of circulating calcium:
- From the calcium in your diet
- Or the calcium in your bones
If you don't get enough calcium from the food you eat, your body will automatically take the
calcium needed from your bones. And that's how over time, bones can become porous and fragile.
