Toss those Calcium Supplements!

Don't believe it when those calcium supplements say "absorbable" on the label. Most calcium pills or chewables are not absorbed by the body and end up in your toilet at best, OR in places in your body where they are not supposed to be at worst. They certainly do NOT end up in your bones!!!

I am teaching a series of food-based calcium classes starting tomorrow in Fort Collins. It is a series I first developed and delivered more than six years ago at Crossings: A Center for the Healing Traditions, in Silver Spring, Maryland, as part of a Menopause Series I created at the time. I am revisiting the material and tweaking it; I SO enjoy the crafting and creation of classes. (And the delivery of course!)

I am reviving these classes because I KNOW they are so important. I am offering these classes because I am now personally experiencing a deep need for calcium on a daily basis. "Why?" you ask. Because I myself am on the brink of menopause. And you? Are you pre-menopausal or menopausal? Do you have osteoporosis? Are you a woman of child-bearing age? Pregnant? A nursing mom? The reality is that ALL bodies need calcium. Women, men, children. For very good reasons. And we are not getting enough of it in our diets...for lots of reasons...inferior milk and dairy products from conventional sources, low-fat diets, a lack of Vitamins A, D and K...

Yes, all bodies need calcium. Growing children need calcium for strong bones. Women need calcium during the child-bearing years, during pregnancy, lactation, pre-menopause, during menopause and after.  Susun Weed says: “Calcium is, without a doubt, the most important mineral in your body. In fact, calcium makes up more than half of the total mineral content of your body. Calcium is crucial to the regular beating of your heart, your metabolism, the functioning of your muscles, the flow of impulses along your nerves, the regulation of your cellular membranes, the strength of your bones, the health of your teeth and gums, and your vital blood- clotting mechanisms. Calcium is so critical to your life that you have a gland (the parathyroid) that does little else than monitor blood levels of calcium and secrete hormones to insure optimum levels of calcium at all times.” WOW. Calcium. Very important, I'd say. Really a good idea to be sure you are getting enough calcium IN YOUR DIET. The foods you eat and the beverages you drink. And I am not talking about more dairy, folks. (Although fresh, raw dairy IS one of the best sources of easily assimilated calcium for the body!)

There are all sorts of things we eat on a regular basis that are "calcium antagonists", substances that contribute to calcium loss (those that cause calcium to leach from the bones) or interfere with its utilization in the body. Most people consume them on a daily basis. OY. Some of the worst calcium antagonists are coffee and carbonated beverages, aka soda, or pop. More on those two another time. (Gotta keep you reading! ;) )

So...I am teaching a class on Food Sources of Calcium tomorrow night, July 25, and another on High Calcium Teas and Vinegars on Thursday, August 22, in Fort Collins. I hope you will join me to learn about how you can have more easily absorbed calcium in your diet...and how to ensure it IS absorbed! You may find more information at http://www.cookingforwell-being.com/Classes.html. Go to Calendar. I look forward to cooking with you! Oh yes, this will be fun!!!