You may have noticed that as you age, it becomes a topic of conversation with doctors to ask whether or not you're taking a calcium supplement. It's not the only supplement that they suggest, but it is one of the main ones that is suggested to seniors as they grow older. Why? Isn't drinking an extra glass of milk enough? After all, we didn't grow up taking supplements for every little thing like this generation does.
Well, of course you can drink an extra glass of milk! But don't let that stop you from taking the calcium supplement, too. As we age, calcium becomes more important than ever, & is harder to obtain naturally in the body. This is due in part to the decrease in the amount of calories eaten by most aging adults. Our bodies are requiring more and more at just the time when our appetite is growing weaker and weaker. Your body needs Vitamin D in order to absorb the calcium, and also calcium to absorb any vitamin D that you might be taking.
Calcium is important for maintaining bone mass in the body, which naturally weakens with age. If you have less bone mass, it also means that you'll have less bone strength & increasing your chances for breaks or other damage due to falls.
It is also important to have adequate calcium in your body in order to fight off fevers. So make sure you build up this important resource BEFORE you'll have need of it.
Calcium is not only found in supplement form, though. Many foods have rich supplies of calcium available to us if we're able to pack them in sufficiently. Spinach, kale, okra, some types of fish, some dried beans, & of course foods that have calcium fortification like cheese & milk are all option. If you're up for a little more adventure, dill weed & dandelions also have loads of calcium.
However you go about it, be sure to get your calcium intake up to par. Your body will notice the difference!
