Good day!  Last week we wrapped up our Vitamin Series with information and tips on Vitamin K-2.  This week we will start a Mineral Series beginning with Calcium!  This mineral is a known essential nutrient and widely used mineral supplement for the bones.  Your body needs it for more than just for bones!  We will tell discuss the benefits of this mineral, what foods that contain it, different types of supplements that contain it and what you can take with it to increase the benefits!

Calcium

Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body.  It is most known to be beneficial for our bones.  This mineral is also abundant in our hair, nails, and teeth. It is naturally found in the earth and is in the second period of the periodic table in the alkaline earth metal group. It is considered a metal and can be found as a positive ion. These ions within the body are necessary to get signals to-and-from the brain. Calcium is also needed to help regulate Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Potassium in the blood.  These minerals work together to preform many different functions in the body.  They are essential for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contraction/relaxation and much more.

• This mineral helps increase bone density and strengthen bones (great for treating or preventing osteoporosis).
• It is found to be beneficial for Colon Cancer.
• It can support healthy blood pressure.
• Studies show that it can assist in weight loss (helps increase fat exertion and decrease appetite).
• It is also beneficial for dental health and strengthening teeth.

Foods with Calcium

• Seeds
  • Poppy, sesame, and chia seeds.
• Cheese
  •  Parmesan cheese contains the highest amount of this mineral.
• Sardines
  •  The mineral is contained in their small edible bones.
• Almonds
  • They contain the most of this of all other nuts.
• Dark Leafy Greens
  • Kale and collard greens top the charts for the highest amount compared to other leafy greens.

Supplementing

• Now Calcium & Magnesium
  • These supplements are usually coupled with Magnesium and Vitamin D-3. These minerals work in combination for bone health (more on this below).  This is an effective and affordable type of supplement.  There are other forms that tend to be more absorb-able.
• Red Mineral Algae
  • This is a great form of a natural supplement for bone health.  This is because it is filled with other minerals that help with bone health.  There are 13 minerals that the bones are composed of– calcium, magnesium, boron, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, nickel, vanadium, zinc, silicon, selenium, strontium.  The Red Mineral Algae is suitable for vegetarians!
• Coral Calcium
  • This is an alkaline form of this mineral.  It is easily absorbed by the body.
• Mezotrace Calcium and Magnesium with Vitamin D3
  •  Mezotrace is natural mineral source based supplement that contains trace minerals to help assist in bone health.  This is one of our most popular supplements for this mineral.

Coupling

As you can see above Calcium is typically paired up with other nutrients to help it properly absorb and function in the body.  Here are the main nutrients that make it work better in the body:

• Magnesium
  • Calcium assists in muscle contraction and Magnesium assists in muscles relaxation.  They work together and are both responsible for many different chemical reactions in the body.
• Vitamin D-3
  • Vitamin D-3 helps metabolize this mineral and brings it into the vascular system.  Calcium needs adequate amounts of Vitamin D-3 in order to get to the bones and absorb into our body properly.
• Vitamin K-2
  • This important Vitamin pulls the mineral from the blood and into the bones.

As you can see, Calcium needs other nutrients in order to make its way to the bones.  When the body does not have enough of this mineral for other necessary functions, it will start to pull the stored amounts from the bones and into your blood as needed.  This can slowly erode and weaken the bones.  Eat foods rich in Calcium or get a good supplement to make sure you have the proper nutrients to support healthy bones!

As always, do what you feel is best for YOUR body — if you aren’t sure, ask your doctor.  We are health ENTHUSIASTS not licensed practitioners.