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Top 10 to enhance your calcium reserves
 Like any other tissue in the body, the
bone is
diet and lifestyle
dependent. The bone is our calcium bank, the more you deposit and the fewer
withdrawals you make while you are young, the more you save for later life.
Remember the old adage, 'Save for a rainy day'? Well that's what women have to
do. Eat calcium-rich foods and avoid the calcium leaching ones. Besides, calcium
is a fussy
mineral and better calcium absorption depends on a number of factors.
Check out the following tips to enhance your calcium reserve:
  Certain food
fibers bind calcium and thwart its absorption. This doesn't mean that
high-fiber foods are
bad for you. What it means is, avoid taking calcium
supplements along
with high-fiber foods. (like whole-wheat, bran cereal, spinach, fenugreek,
etc.) Even stimulants like tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco and minerals like
zinc and antacids hinder calcium absorption. Try not to take your calcium
supplements along with them.
 Take your calcium supplement in a divided dose rather than all at one
time. In this way, your body will be able to absorb calcium better. Calcium
citrate and calcium glycinate get more readily absorbed than any other
supplement form you choose.
 Researchers say that the best option for calcium absorption is to take a
major part of your supplement after dinner rather than in the morning.
Probably the body performs a better job of storing calcium while at rest.
 Think twice before you pop an antacid. Antacids contain aluminum, a
mineral that reduces the amount of calcium in the body. Also, remember that
calcium is best absorbed in a slightly acidic environment in the stomach.
While antacids may relieve you from
heartburn they
would hinder calcium absorption. Try and change your diet instead to avoid
heartburn.
 Vitamin C supplements, around 500mg, are recommended to aid better
absorption of this
 mineral.
 Foods rich in mineral boron also improve calcium absorption. Boron can be
found in soyabean, raisins, almonds, peanuts, apples and pears. Besides,
vitamin D and K,
magnesium,
phosphorus and silicon have to exist in a delicate
balance along with calcium to aid its absorption.
  Keep on the move or fritter your precious calcium away. Physical
inactivity pulls calcium out of your bones. If you are laid up in bed for too
long or are immobilized in a cast or have a sedentary job, you are fast losing
vast amounts of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals. Women who
exercise regularly
have better bone
mass than women who don't.
  Eat calcium rich foods like sesame seeds, cheese, milk, curd, tofu,
soyabean, leafy vegetables, kelp (a sea weed), brewer's yeast, whole pulses
like rajma, channa, chowli, etc. and whole grains like wheat, jowar, bajra,
millet and wheatgerm. Although some of you would want to take it in the
natural form, it would be wise to consume foods rich in calcium as well as
take a calcium supplement daily to ensure healthy bones. Consult your
physician regarding the dosage for your specific requirement.
 Limiting excess sodium and avoiding junk foods is a good rule for
prevention of almost any disease, and the same is true with
osteoporosis. A recent study showed that women who ate mainly junk food
had low bone mass versus women who followed a healthy diet had higher bone
mass.
 Soda and other drinks with carbonation have high amounts of phosphorus,
therefore it's wise to reduce or eliminate your intake to help reduce your
risks of osteoporosis.
The most effective treatment for osteoporosis is prevention. Knowing your
risk factors and making the necessary lifestyle changes now will help to prevent
osteoporosis in your future.
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