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Beyond the Skeleton
Calcium Health for Your Whole Body
By Dr. Aneema Van Groenou
Keeping up your balanced, calcium-rich diet while breastfeeding is critical. I recommend continuing your prenatal vitamins and calcium supplements while breastfeeding. You still need at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day. Keep in mind that the better shape your bones were in before and during pregnancy, the better off you'll be after the intense period of breastfeeding.
For women ages 25 to 50 and for women ages 51 to 65 taking hormone replacement therapy, the National Institute of Health recommends 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day.
For women ages 11 to 24, the NIH recommends 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day. Women who are over age 51 and not taking hormone replacement therapy should maintain their bone density by consuming 1,500 milligrams every day. As one gets older, the body absorbs calcium less efficiently, so we need to eat more to get the same benefits.
Milk products are high in calcium, but they are also often high in fat and difficult to digest. Seventy percent of people are lactose intolerant, meaning they are not able to digest the sugars in milk. Lactose intolerance can cause uncomfortable bloating, gas and even diarrhea. So milk products are not an easy choice for calcium for most people.
You may be surprised to learn how many other healthy foods are high in calcium. Leafy greens, such as Chinese cabbage and collards, are an excellent source of calcium. Canned fish, like salmon, is packed with bone, so it is also a good source of calcium. Many common staples, like bread and cereal, are fortified with calcium to help us meet our calcium RDA (recommended daily allowance).
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