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.
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareDieters dread the plateau. You're on a roll, losing weight... Read More
Temporary weight loss is easy!You simply starve yourself on the... Read More
Recently, I won a family cruise on the Regis and... Read More
Weight loss plans come in all shapes and sizes. Some... Read More
If You are sick of losing the same weight over... Read More
New gastric bypass patients say they miss food, they grieve... Read More
Looking to lose some pounds quickly? Fast and safe weight... Read More
More likely than not a diet with end up a... Read More
I made myself a sandwich today and thought I'd be... Read More
You know you have weighted, err, waited more than enough.... Read More
1. The lower the calories eaten per day, the harder... Read More
It all begins with water .... Water makes up 75%... Read More
Not everyone can handle hot food. But who said cayenne... Read More
If you are traveling on the path towards wellness you... Read More
To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an... Read More
Diet is a dreadful word for most of us because... Read More
You gain weight when your calorie intake is more than... Read More
The words I read made me furious. There it was,... Read More
Do you know the name of that one disease which... Read More
Water is an essential component of the human body and... Read More
April 14, 2005 federal judge Tena Campbell of the federal... Read More
Here are seven tips for getting the calories out of... Read More
Did you know that less than 2% of dieters lose... Read More
Losing Weight is All About Counting Calories/Carbs and Exercising. Or... Read More
Since gastric bypass weight loss surgery gives us a second... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Are you overweight?Most people are afraid to admit they are.It... Read More
After the post-Halloween sugar surge, everyone coaches you to get... Read More
Have you ever wondered why some fat people can be... Read More
Is it easy to lose weight? Yes. Losing weight is... Read More
I'm sure you already know that weight loss and improved... Read More
With the number of people suffering from obesity rising so... Read More
If you want to reduce your body fat, focus on... Read More
If you are looking for a way to lose fifty... Read More
One common question I receive is, "What do you do... Read More
Fats are always looked at as a negative in a... Read More
Are you ashamed of your weight? Do you have a... Read More
Today, Ephedra is an herb of controversy. It contains ephedrine,... Read More
Do you know someone that is obsessed with the scale?... Read More
When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged... Read More
In health clubs, they run classes that call themselves "aerobics".... Read More
Do you know this year Florida will go through a... Read More
* Not walking on a treadmill everyday for 45 minutes... Read More
Here are a few free tips on losing weight that... Read More
I don't know anything about you but if you're anything... Read More
Looking to lose weight quickly? The good news is that... Read More
Saboteurs are people and thoughts that are going to sabotage... Read More
I have been seriously working on losing weight for about... Read More
In this age being ignorant is like committing a crime.... Read More
The most recent shocking news related to Atkins diet UK... Read More
If you're a low carb diet enthusiast, you've probably tried... Read More
Weight Loss |