Calcium

Osteoporosis is a major health concern, especially for women. Low calcium consumption, estrogen deficiency, and low physical activity are the three major risk factors for Osteoporosis. The amount of bone mass a woman has by age 35 will strongly influence her susceptibility to fractures in later years.

In the United States, the National Institute of Health recommends premenopausal adult women to consume 1,000 mg of calcium per day. Postmenopausal women, who are not taking estrogen, should consume 1,500 mg of calcium per day. Young women, 15 to 35 years of age, need 1,200 mg of calcium per day.

Aside from including load-bearing exercises to prevent Osteoporosis, women may increase calcium intake by:

• Adding skim, low- or non-fat milk in soups, stews, and casseroles;
• Adding low-fat cheese in salads, tacos, pasta dishes, and sandwiches;
• Eating low-fat yoghurt as a snack, dessert, or as a salad dressing;

For those who are very sensitive to lactose in dairy products, products such as LactAid can be added to milk and will, in most cases, reduce symptoms.

(The above article is posted by permission of the copyright owner, Shirley Del Prado-Quejada, President of the Association of Fitness Professionals of the Philippines.)

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