How to Get Enough Calcium

Calcium is important for bone health and proper heart function. It's important to get enough calcium throughout our lifetime, but after age 50 we need more because of declining hormone function. People over age 50 often develop osteoporosis because of this lack of calcium. Follow these easy steps to get enough calcium in your diet.

Instructions

• 1

  Know the calcium requirements for your age group. Keep track of what you eat for at least a week.

• 2

  Take a good calcium/magnesium supplement if you find your diet is lacking in calcium. Make sure the calcium and magnesium are in equal ratio or the calcium won't be absorbed.

• 3

  Check to see if you are getting enough Vitamin D for your age group. Vitamin D is necessary for calcium to be absorbed.

• 4

  Research foods that are high in calcium and incorporate these into your diet. Dairy foods and green vegetables are best.

• 5

  Find out which foods are high in oxylates and phytates by researching online. Choose foods low in these chemicals because they keep calcium from being absorbed.

• 6

  Eat plenty of dairy products if you don't like vegetables. Dairy products contain the most easily absorbed form of calcium. Yogurt is good if you have trouble digesting milk.

• 7

  Exercise regularly to develop and maintain bone density. Studies have shown that people over 50 who exercise regularly and don't take supplements have greater bone density than those who only take supplements but don't exercise.