Calcium is one of the essential minerals we need to include in our daily diet.

How do you know that your calcium intake is the amount that you need?

The great qualities and the amount necessary for a calcium diet are also important.

The foods and beverages containing calcium are the

aid you need to keep your body healthy.

The Great Qualities of Calcium.

Calcium has great qualities.

It helps in building healthy and strong bones for

teenagers from 15 years till 24 years.

Calcium is also essential for:

- Keeping the heart beat regularly.

- Alleviation of insomnia.

- Helping metabolize the body's iron.

- Great help for your nervous system, especially in impulse transmission.

The amount of calcium stipulated by National Institute of health is as follows:

11-24 years old-------------1200- 1500 mg/day

25-50 years old-------------1000

mg/day

Pregnancy - Important for both, the mother and the unborn child------------1200 mg/day.

Breast feeding--------------1200 mg/day.

*For teenagers breast feeding or young adult the amount suggested is 1500 mg.

Consult your doctor for the amount required to assist you in specific condition.

Calcium is important for not only women, but also men.

Selected Foods with Calcium.

Vegetables:

Broccoli, cooked, drained, from raw

Quantity :1 cup

Calcium: 135

Calorie 40

Broccoli cooked, drained, from frozen

Quantity: 1 cup

Calcium: 100

Calories 50

Collards, cooked, drained, from raw

Quantity: 1 cup

Calcium: 357

Calories 65

Turnip greens, cooked. drained from raw (leaves and stems)

Quantity: 1 cup

Calcium: 252

Calories 30

Yogurt 9with added mil solids)

Plain, low fat

Quantity: 8 oz.

Calcium; 415

Calories 145

Fruit, low fat.

Quantity: 8 oz.

Calcium: 343

Calories 230

Preparing mals you can calculate the amount of calcium your family take as a requirement for a healthy life.

Calcium intake during pregnancy is vital for the mother as for the unborn child. lack of sufficient calcium causes back pain or joint pain,

because of the unborn child that takes the calcium that it needs from the mother's bones.

For menopausal women the calcium intake in order to prevent Osteoporosis is essential.

After menopasue, women will lose 6% of thier bone density a year.

After 30 years the lose of bone density will be 1-2% a year.

Calcium Robbers.

Some beverages rob the amount of calcium in your bones.

There are also some medicines that robs the calcium in the bones,an example is Depo- Provera Contraceptive Injection.

Some of the Calcium robbers are:

Nicotine, Cola, Alcohol, Caffeine, Refined Sugars, too much salt and too much calories.

 Take note that all calcium supplements aren't the same.

For a good choice, talk to your doctor or with your pharmacist about it.

In some cases a calcium supplement is necessary.

It's not a point to substitute vegetables, beverages and other natural sources of calcium for the use of calcium supplements.

The use of both will help in prevention of brittle bones and joints pain.

The amount of the daily diet of calcium is important for the family members.

As a mother in order to balance the daily diet is essential to make a list of the vegetables and beverages to reach the amount of calcium necessary for the family.

Taking the chart with you when you go to the grocery store, will help you calculate the amount of calcium you need.

"Healthy life eating right is quarantee for

a more energetic life" -X.Overman-