ONE THING IS CERTAIN - CALCIUM IS OVERLOOKED AND IT IS DEFINITELY NOT SEXY AT ALL. OR IS IT?
Not too many of us stop to think that as we age, it is calcium that is secretly chipping away at our beautiful young sexy bodies. I am sure we all want to stay tall, upright, strong and fit for as long as possible. Instead we tend to overlook the importance of our bones in this scenario. We're just a little busy and obsessed with working on making our muscles bigger. Our bones, as you can't see them get ignored and maybe secretly getting thinner and weaker.
The good thing is that if we do a little planning ahead of time, we won't have to age and look bent over and shrunken like generations before us. If we look after our inner sexiness now we will be grateful to our younger self later.
To make it easier for us we have to find a habit that gets the calcium box ticked every day.
I have recently found a way to do this without thinking about it too much. It has now become my habit.
Before we go to my new habit, let's have a quick look at the value of calcium because it does work beyond your bones.
WHY TAKE CALCIUM?
Most people know the link between calcium and bone strength. The reason why we need it daily is that, like the rest of our body, our bone structure is being broken down and built up constantly. Our bodies need a ready supply of calcium in the blood for the job.
Calcium is also involved in so many metabolic processes including:
1. Muscle and nerve function (working to help the absorption of protein)
2. Maintenance of the acid/alkaline balance in the blood
3. Helps transport oxygen in the blood.
4. Healthy skin, hair, nails.
5. Hormonal balance.
WHAT DIETARY MISTAKES RESTRICT OUR CALCIUM INTAKE?
We may think we are taking in calcium but we may not be taking enough and something most of us are not aware of is that there are some natural blockers in our regular diet that can be avoided.
Here are a couple of common dietary mistakes that block absorption of calcium:
- Eating salty cheese: The sodium blocks the calcium you may be eating cheese for.
- Cooking your greens with salt: Dark greens are a great source of calcium and the sodium can block this here too.
- Drinking bubbly mineral water.
- Taking the wrong form of calcium supplement: Most supplements say they are calcium but not all forms are equal. Most are not easy to metabolize.
- Not taking other minerals and vitamins at the same time: Vitamin D, K and trace minerals, like selenium, and magnesium at the same time. There are many essential co-factors.
DIETING AND CALCIUM
One of the most important things to do is to find a habit to help you remember to take your calcium in the form you know is going to valuable and low in calories. Even more importantly, you need to take it in a form that is going to be absorbed. The calcium you take could also build up in your body in all the wrong place. (This is calcification and can happen in your arteries and around organs and bones).
SO MY SOLUTION IS THIS
It has been some time since I have drunk regular milk. So I drink almond milk and use it for smoothies, tea, cereal and chia puddings. Now I make it fresh and add our Multi-mineral green calcium powder so that it is good to go. I make a couple of bottles of freshly activated homemade almond milk every couple of days. I add it to the blender again at the end to mix it well with the calcium and it stays in the fridge well dissolved (but you need to shake it before use).
The reason why this is a good habit is that we have already been brainwashed with the concept that milk has calcium so it is right where it needs to be for me to use everyday in a hurry. I don't have to prepare it separately every time. I sometimes will drink it straight out of the bottle (just the calcium powder and almond milk)—a very refreshing cold drink on its own.
So if you are thinking about watching your weight, reducing your calories or worried about your digestion and a bloated stomach, then taking calcium powder this way may be the easiest way for you too.