Me. Now. I’m thinking about it now.

The most abundant mineral in the body, calcium is indeed a multi-functional miracle. Used for muscle contraction as well as to support bones and teeth, calcium is stored in the bones and teeth and said storage fluctuates during a person’s life. The bones absorb calcium for growth in the younger years, and that absorption decreases as you age, almost reversing in the later years. A lack of the optimal amounts of calcium in youth can lead to bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone deformities such as the well known Dowagers hump. Falls and bone breaks are very common in older people, due to a combination of loss of balance and poor bone density.

I started taking a calcium supplement the day that I witnessed an elderly woman fall and experience a compound wrist fracture. That was a crystal clear indicator to me that I needed more calcium in my diet, and if I wasn’t going to drink milk, I was going to have to supplement it in other ways.

Milk and other dairy products are the most obvious and the richest sources of calcium, but not the only ones. Broccoli, kale and Chinese cabbage are relatively high in calcium, and now many foods are calcium fortified. Take advantage of orange juice, cereals, breads and even bottled water that are all calcium fortified.

One other benefit that I’ve noticed since I began to supplement with a calcium/magnesium supplement is an almost complete disappearance of the dreaded leg cramps that I have experienced at night.

The RDA for a woman aged 19-50 years is 1,000 mgs a day. A cup of skim milk has 30% of your daily allowance, and a cup of yogurt an astounding 40%. A bowl of cereal for breakfast – drink the milk! – and a yogurt in the afternoon and you are 75% of the way to your goal.

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Calcium – The Wonder Mineral

With the increase in concern for skin cancers and wanting to protect our skin from sun damage and burning, the amount of sunscreen we utilize has caused our vitamin D levels to plummet. I myself am very fair skinned, but I still make sure to allow my skin time outdoors to soak up the sun’s beautiful rays in limited quantities, ensuring not to burn or over expose myself.

Deficiencies in vitamin D are most commonly muscular weakness and weak bones. The disease that we are mostly familiar with associated with vitamin D is osteoporosis, where an individual will have very fragile bones, which can result in bone fractures.

The recommended daily intake by the National Osteoporosis Foundation is 400-800 IU for adults younger than 50 and 800-1000 IU for adults older than age 50. You should talk to you doctor to understand what levels are best suited for you and can be tested to monitor those levels as well.

In addition to the sun being a great way to increase your vitamin D levels, food is also an ideal source. Examples are:

• Cooked salmon 3.5oz – 360 IU
• 1 whole egg – 25 IU
• Cooked mackerel 3.5oz – 345 IU
• Canned sardines 3.5oz – 270 IU
• Soy milk – 120 IU

You can also look for products such as juices and cereals that are fortified with vitamin D. While they won’t contain as much of the vitamin as whole foods, they will certainly help add to the levels needed by your body.

View the entire vitamin guide:

Vitamin A

Vitamin B12

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin L

Zinc

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Vitamin Guide from A to Zinc: Vitamin D

Once I had been successful with the weight loss, though, I was still unhappy with the look of my body. Reading online one day, I was struck by the idea of lifting weights, but I didn’t want to bulk up. I gave it a try, though, and now I’m addicted. Lifting weights is terrific for women and the benefits are endless. Here are my top five.

• Lifting weights will make you physically stronger. This has benefits that go beyond the obvious, such as carrying in the groceries or wrestling with a tight jar lid – and means that you will be less dependent upon others in your daily living. (It also makes it easier to wrestle with that recalcitrant toddler – but don’t tell them that!)

• Lifting weights will help you lose body fat. The average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3-5 pounds of fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. That’s a win for me!

• Lifting weights won’t cause you to bulk up. Women have less of the hormones that cause muscle bulk, so lifting will help the muscles to define and this helps your clothes both fit and look better.

• Lifting will decrease your risk of osteoporosis. Research has found that weight training can increase bone mineral density by 13 percent in six months. This, coupled with taking your daily calcium, means less bone fractures later in life.

• Lifting weights helps improve your attitude and mood. Women who strength train feel more confident and capable, both of which are important factors in fighting depression.

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Five Reasons Women Should Lift Weights

The benefits may be long lasting for young ladies who take part in weight-bearing activities (running, tennis, volleyball, etc.). A new study shows that older women who participated in weight-bearing activities in their youth now have stronger bones than those who didn’t.

From WebMD:

Researchers say the findings suggest that weight-bearing exercise in adolescence may help maintain strong bones throughout life and compensate for the natural loss of bone strength that occurs in women after menopause.

Maybe the most fascinating discovery that came from the study is how the effects were long lasting, even if the person didn’t continue exercising in their adult life. Researchers say none of the women in the study did weight-bearing exercise at the time of the current study, which suggests that the benefits may last 40 years or more.

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Youth Exercise Strengthens Bones for Women