Why is calcium important?

Calcium, a vital mineral needed by the body for normal growth and development can only be acquired from our diet. Because the body does not produce calcium, the right amount has to be taken in daily keep the body at the pink of health.

Why is calcium important?

• Ninety nine percent of the calcium in our body is in our bones and teeth. The remaining one percent is found in the blood and other tissues. This explains why calcium also lowers the risk of fracture and in later life, prevents bone diseases like osteoporosis.
• Sufficient amount of calcium in the body not only benefits your bones and teeth, it also ensures normal blood clotting, regular heart beat, cell metabolism, and other muscle movements.

Recommended Calcium Intake

Our need for calcium varies. Make sure you get the right amount of calcium for your body everyday.

Populations	Weight (kg)	RCI (mg/day)
Infants (months)
Birth - < 6	6	200
6 - < 12	9	400
Children (years)
1 - 3	13	500
4 - 6	19	550
7 - 9	24	700
Male (years)
10 - 18	34 - 58	1000
19 - 64	59	750
65 and over		800
Female (years)
10 - 18	35 - 50	1000
19 - 49	51	750
50 and over		800
Pregnant Women		800
Lactating Women		750

Sources of Calcium

Get enough calcium daily! Milk and milk products are not the only sources of calcium. Mix and match other calcium containing foods with your recipes.

• Milk and milk products
• Cheese
• Smoked and dried fish: dilis, bia, tabios, ang ayungin
• Alamang - fresg, dried or bagoong
• Sardines, clams and oyster
• Soybeans and soybean products
• Mango and other dried beans
• Green leafy vegetables: malungay, saluyot, kintsay, mustasa, and kalabasa
• Other vegetables: seaweed, okra, dahon ng paayap, abitsuwelas, and spinach.

Bone Growth

Know your bone growth increase your calcium intake when it counts.

• About 45% of bone growth happens during adolescence
• At age 20 years, bones reach their maximum length, and they continue to build strength and density until age 30.
• Between ages 25-35 years, the peak bone mass is normally achieved.
• By age 39 years, one already lost 20% of his/her bone mass. Give it a few more years and another 12% goes.
• Peak loss occurs during post-menopausal stage, making women more and more susceptible to osteoporosis.

Workout to build bones

Regular exercises that put mild pressure on your bones help maintain bone strength. Muscle-stretching exercise help attract calcium into your bones and aid absorption

Physical activity also develops your agility and body coordination to avoid falls and fractures even when you age.

The best exercises for your bones are brisk walking, jogging, stair climbing, and dancing. Weightlifting and racket sports are also good. Do a variety of exercises to keep all your bones strong and healthy.

Bone Health

Our Skeleton is made up of 274 bones from head to foot. It protects our major organs and other internal parts, and provides form to the human body. Bones are made of tissues with a rich blood supply, and inherently contain calcium.

Our skeletal system thrives on calcium. Lack of calcium supply in our blood causes it to feed on calcium stored in our bones. Called calcium cannibalism, this process decreases bone density and strength, causing bone diseases:

Rickets (kids) or osteomalacia (adult rickets)

•  a condition wherein bones soften due to lack of calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus.

Osteoporosis

• Known as the "silent" disease, bones pores enlarge and became frail as it steals calcium from the bones. No symptoms are felt until a fracture occurs in the hips, wrist or spine. Women suffer from this disease more than men because of hormonal imbalances such as during menopause. Less estrogen in the body decreases the bones' capacity to absorb calcium. Women's smaller frame than men is also factor.

Women who smoke, drink large amounts of alcohol or caffeine, get little or no exercises, have a family history of osteoporosis, and are thin or small-boned, are more prone to this disease.

Prevent osteoporosis by getting adequate amounts of calcium in your diet, increasing vitamin D intake, not smoking, exercising regularly, and eating a well-balanced diet.