Most Americans do not get enough calcium in their diets; the average daily intake is 500 milligrams shy of the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) of 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams.
Gastric bypass patients are even more unlikely to intake adequate dietary calcium and without supplementation they may become calcium deficient which ultimately results in osteoporosis. Weight loss surgery patients are limited by the volume of calcium rich foods they may consume. In addition, the malabsorption issue resulting from gastric bypass presents another problem. Since the bowel does not readily absorb calcium and the stomach is drastically shortened there is limited opportunity for the calcium to be absorbed in the body.
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body ? we have two or three pounds of it, most of which is located in the bones and teeth. In addition to building bones and teeth, calcium is an electrolyte required for transmitting nerve signals, water balance, acid/alkaline balance and maintaining osmotic pressure. It helps the blood to clot and is necessary for the heart muscle function. It's long been known that calcium will aid in the prevention of osteoporosis, but new studies are identifying calcium for it's anticancer actions within the colon.
Most dietary calcium comes from dairy products but can also be found in sardines, canned salmon, green leafy vegetables and tofu. The National Academy of Sciences has raised the calcium guideline to 1,000 milligrams a day for people under 51, and to 1,200-1,500 milligrams a day for people over 51.
Gastric bypass patients can do three things to better assimilate calcium in the body:
First, take a chewable calcium supplement twice daily.
Second, exercise consistently.
Third, enjoy sunshine every day.
Chewable supplements taken twice daily will more rapidly dissolve and assimilate into the body than hard pills. They should be 500 milligrams each; the body cannot absorb more than 500 milligrams at a time. The best supplements are calcium citrate, calcium carbonate and calcium lactate.
Next, studies show that people who exercise regularly better assimilate calcium into the body than sedentary individuals. Even though US Astronauts take calcium supplements in orbit, they return to Earth calcium deficient; NASA believes lack of physical activity prevents their bodies from assimilating the calcium.
Finally, get some sunshine. Twenty minutes a day of direct or indirect sunlight will give the body plenty of natural vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin", which is necessary for calcium assimilation.
Doing these three things will make you feel great today and will contribute to healthier aging. Osteoporosis is an epidemic in this country and is directly attributed to calcium deficiency. We all know that when an elderly person falls and breaks a hip death is imminent. Osteoporosis is nearly always the reason why hipbones break when older people fall. In the case of osteoporosis there is nothing the body can do to defend itself from the loss of calcium associated with aging. Supplementation is necessary throughout adulthood to prevent chronic calcium deficiency.
Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.com
Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.
To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.
tidy up service Glenview ..Body wraps can help tone and tighten the skin, improve... Read More
*Do you truly believe that not eating or cutting back... Read More
Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably... Read More
Did you know that less than 2% of dieters lose... Read More
New gastric bypass patients say they miss food, they grieve... Read More
CancerCoronary heart diseaseStrokeOsteoporosisMajor Depression from Brain StarvationHeadlines.WASHINGTON, Jun 22, 2004... Read More
With this key, I GUARANTEE YOU WILL LOSE ALL THE... Read More
The importance of drinking water is mentioned in almost every... Read More
Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or... Read More
Losing weight on hips and thighs has always been a... Read More
How would you like Julia Roberts to coach you on... Read More
We think we know everything there is to know about... Read More
Mistake 1: Not changing your calorie plan as you lose... Read More
In today's bustling world we are constantly surrounded by media... Read More
Magnetic weight loss is the newest fad diet supplement to... Read More
One of the biggest misconceptions about exercise is that there... Read More
It's common to respond to stress by distracting yourself with... Read More
Cellulite is a condition for which cures are commonly sought.... Read More
You have noticed your obese friend suddenly slimmer. You want... Read More
The cost of gastric bypass surgery and other bariatric surgical... Read More
When on a diet, snack attacks can hit hard and... Read More
If you have been watching your weight all year, you... Read More
A fill is nothing to be worried about. The actual... Read More
Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a... Read More
I believe that water not only helps with weight loss,... Read More
maid service near Winnetka ..One of the most talked about topics in any political... Read More
If only there were a 'better body boot camp', we'd... Read More
You may be considering a low carb diet program, but... Read More
In recent years, carbohydrates have been labeled as the nutrition... Read More
This little known secret has been used by bodybuilders for... Read More
As much as many of us who are over-weight do... Read More
Your blood cholesterol level is affected not only by what... Read More
As hoards of low-carb proponents invade the nutritional landscape, the... Read More
How to burn fat fast is a question that burns... Read More
The world today has more obese and overweight people than... Read More
Adverse Events with Volumetrics Dr. Barbara Rolls is a well... Read More
Telling yourself you have to "struggle with this weight issue... Read More
"Hey, you have reduced now, compared to the last time... Read More
Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More
Before you try starving yourself or turning to diet drugs... Read More
Very few Americans are satisfied with their current weights. There... Read More
The Government of the Australian state of Victoria has started... Read More
"I eat like a bird, why do I gain weight?"... Read More
I did it without starving myself or taking pills. How... Read More
Getting started on an exercise program is one thing. Staying... Read More
Much has been written about obesity and globesity. Obesity is... Read More
Liposuction is also referred to as lipoplasty, suction-assisted lipectomy and... Read More
It can be intimidating to follow a weight loss plan,... Read More
I asked my sister to come to my gym with... Read More
Yes Virginia, the fail-safe weight loss formula exists.It's so simple,... Read More
Weight Loss |