You Need Calcium, Now What?
Breaking it Down to Feed the Body
Just about every human living in the United States has been exposed to the mass marketing campaigns of the Dairy industry. “Milk, it does a body good”. Does milk really do a body good?
We are saturated with marketing from many colliding voices in Big Food as well as the Big Agriculture Lobby. Here, I would like to break down how the body absorbs calcium and problems that can prevent absorption. This will help you personally navigate choices to feed your body.
Calcium absorption is a complex process that involves several factors.
Calcium is primarily absorbed in the small intestine. This process is influenced by several factors:
Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption. It enhances the efficiency of the intestines to absorb calcium from the diet.. Absorption of calcium decreases with age, which is why you need hacks to keep absorption up.
Hormones: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and estrogen play significant roles in regulating calcium levels in the body.
Stomach Acid: Adequate levels of stomach acid are necessary for calcium to be dissolved and absorbed. This is a BIG REASON we do not want to be dependent on Proton Pump inhibitors or statins. Overtime, these medications prevent calcium absorption, weakening bones. It is likely your doctor failed to mention this when they recommended remaining on a medication permanently.
Bioavailability: Not all ingested calcium is absorbed. The bioavailability of calcium from different foods varies:
Dairy Products: High bioavailability (around 30-35%). There is much controversy around conventional dairy helping the body at all given how deplorable the animals’ lives are. Another factor here is pasteurization. Boiling all of the nutrients out, and adding back nutrients that are not natural to the product typically are poorly absorbed, providing little if any health benefit.
Leafy Greens: Bioavailability varies; spinach has lower absorption due to oxalates, while kale has higher absorption.
Fortified Foods: Bioavailability depends on the type of calcium used. Another word for fortified would be ULTRAPROCESSED, or as I would say from a holistic standpoint—-garbage best to be avoided for optimum health.
Inhibitors of Absorption:
Phytates: Found in whole grains and legumes, can bind calcium and reduce its absorption.
Oxalates: Found in foods like spinach and rhubarb, can also bind calcium and reduce absorption.
Excessive Phosphorus: Common in processed foods, can interfere with calcium absorption.
High Sodium Intake: Can increase calcium excretion in urine.
Enhancers of Absorption:
Lactose: Found in milk, can possibly enhance calcium absorption.
Protein: Adequate protein intake supports calcium absorption.
Supplementation:
Calcium Carbonate: Best taken with food to enhance absorption.
Calcium Citrate: Can be taken with or without food and is better absorbed by people with low stomach acid.
Contact me for specific help here. Many supplements are fake, and therefore can be quite harmful to eliminate from the body. Often, your body will actually deplete nutrients like calcium to aid in eliminating bad vitamins.
Remember, you cannot out-supplement a poor diet. What you eat matters.
Lifestyle Factors:
Exercise: Weight-bearing exercises can improve bone density and calcium utilization.
Sun Exposure: Helps the body produce vitamin D, which is crucial for calcium absorption.
There are many non dairy foods, natural REAL foods high in calcium. Here are a few:
Broccoli, Bok Choy, Okra , Chinese Cabbage.
Beans and legumes.
Almonds, Chia and Sesame seeds.
Canned Sardines and Salmon (with bones).
Tofu, Edamame , Seaweed’
For further reading, here are some great links:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2669834/
https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/high-calcium-vegetables.php
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/mineral-primer/#gsc.tab=0
It may seem complicated, but shifting knowledge from marketing empowers choice over time. The big takeaway here is to absorb calcium, you must have a healthy gut! Contact me to help you reverse your digestive disturbances over time.
Remember we are all BIOINDIVIDUAL, what works for one does not work the same for another.
For more info on packages and classes with Angie’s Real Food look here:
https://angiesrealfood.com/
