Dem bones need calcium for strength
by KC Jones, reporter

    Make no bones about it … I mean make bones out of it.

    Whatever I mean, calcium, the most abundant mineral in our bodies, is very important.

    In fact, 98 percent of the body’s calcium provides strength and rigidity to our bones.

     One percent can be found in our teeth while the other 1 percent is distributed throughout the body in muscle tissue, nerve tissue and the bloodstream.

    Calcium is important for much more than just healthy teeth and bones.

    All muscle growth and activity are dependent on calcium including the heart.

    Impulses cannot be transmitted throughout the nervous system without calcium.

    It is also instrumental in the blood-clotting process, the activation of several enzymes and the passage of nutrients and waste through the cellular wall.

    When the supply of calcium in the blood is too low, the body withdraws needed calcium from the bones.

    Since calcium is so vital to health, it is alarming to discover 1998 statistics that confirm only 10 percent of women and 27 percent of men got the recommended daily allowance of calcium.

    Why is it so hard for Americans to get enough calcium? Americans avoid many of the foods that are high in calcium like dairy products because of high fat, calories and cholesterol.

    In addition, the consumption of coffee and alcohol drains calcium from the system.

    The phosphoric acid found in dark colas leeches valuable calcium from the body.

    Stress impacts the body’s ability to absorb calcium and at the same time increases the body’s demand.

    The early stages of calcium deficiency are characterized by muscle cramps, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs.

    Recent studies show calcium to work against the changes in the colon lining that precede cancer. In children, a lack of calcium can result in malformation of bones and impaired growth.

    As we age, osteoporosis may develop and has for over 28 million Americans (mostly women) over 45.

    Osteoporosis has been nicknamed the “Silent Epidemic” because no warning signs accompany its onset.

    It affects more older women than heart attacks, diabetes, arthritis or breast cancer.

    One in three women over 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime.

    Osteoporosis cannot be cured, only prevented or its progression delayed.

    Physicians and researchers have concluded that adult women and men alike should consume at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day, 1,500 mg for postmenopausal women, 800 mg for children 4-8 and 1,300 mg for youth 9-18.

    Not all calcium is equal. Many supplements on the market today include dolomite or bone meal as sources of calcium.

    The FDA warns that these supplements may contain lead, arsenic, mercury and other toxic minerals. Also, these sources are not readily soluble; therefore, they can not be easily absorbed and could cause osteoarthritis if the calcium settles in the body’s joints.
Calcium carbonate supplements that are made from eggshells consistently provide a high degree of purity and quality.

    Chelation and rapid dissolution (at least 75 percent must dissolve within 30 minutes) are also very important for effective absorption. A good supplement may also include magnesium and vitamins D and C to enhance calcium absorption and utilization.

    Supplements should be taken with meals to increase absorption.
Meals that are high in calcium would include: 8 oz milk (300mg), 1 oz cheddar cheese (210 mg), 8 oz cooked (140 mg), 4 oz cooked spinach (106 mg), 1 TBS blackstrap molasses (140 mg), a delicious natural sweetener for coffee.

    It is commonly accepted that to properly care for one’s teeth, one should make routine visits to the dentist.

    Many people, however, do not realize the importance of having their bones routinely checked.

    The most qualified person to look at your skeletal frame, for overall health, is a doctor.

A chiropractic doctor can realign bones in the spine without surgery and can relieve pain without medication.

    Nerves that are pinched in between the bones of the spine can cause many serious symptoms; some resemble calcium deficiency (muscle cramps, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs).

    Other symptoms like head-aches and lower back pain may be successfully treated by a chiropractor.

    Dr. Scott Wallis, a local chiropractor board certified in neurology and pain management, offered advice about calcium absorption.

    “In the case of bones and soft tissues like cartilage and tendons, stress causes the body to reenforce the area. Many people have been told that when they break a bone, it repairs itself stronger at the break point,” he added.

    “The way we can apply this [theory] for preventive health measures would be performing weight-bearing exercises to cause stress on the skeletal structure resulting in stronger bones throughout the body. Stretching exercises promote flexibility, strengthen tendons and increase balance—all of which will help prevent injuries,” he said.

    Thus, calcium and exercise work to produce and maintain strong, healthy bones.