No Bones About it | Menopause Happens
What women really want to know
by Rebecca Hulem, The Menopause Expert
As a Certified Menopause Clinician, I asked myself “what do women really want to read on the subject of menopause?” For more than 28 years I have worked in the women’s health field educating women and medical professionals about symptoms and behaviors during various life changes, including pregnancy and the “big change”, menopause. What I found out with my experiences and research is that most women just don’t have the knowledge, understanding or time to figure it all out as quickly as they want. As you know, the magnitude of that information would be a book in itself (funny you should mention that…) and since this article is much more limited, I wanted to talk about one of the most important issues regarding menopause (before, during and after), bone health.
When the physical symptoms of menopause scream for your attention, it’s easy to know where to focus your energy. Once you do, you will quickly know whether your efforts have paid off; the symptoms either subside or they don’t. But your bones, like your heart, are hidden from sight, and seldom show any signs of damage until the damage is done. Never forget the strength and integrity of your bones is vitally important to your overall health. Protecting your body and its supporting frame from disease and disability becomes extremely important during and after the menopause years.
Good nutrition is essential in providing the vitamins and minerals necessary for strong bones. The two most important nutrients are calcium and vitamin D.
What food comes to mind when you think of calcium? Perhaps you remember a slogan that was popular when you were a child: “To build strong bones and teeth you need to drink your milk! “ But, while milk and other dairy products are a good source of calcium and vitamin D, it is not the only way to build and protect your bones. I enjoyed drinking milk until I was a young adult. As a teenager I used to love to come home from school and drink ice-cold milk right out of the carton. By the time I reached young adulthood, however, I was no longer interested in milk. I rejected it as fattening and decided to spend my calories on something more urgent…chocolate! There just has to be some calcium in chocolate…right?
While calcium and vitamin D are vital, ongoing research tells us that many other vitamins and minerals must be included in a healthy diet as well. Minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, sodium and phosphorus are important because our skeleton is formed from minerals. In fact, approximately 17 percent of our bone mass is derived from the mineral phosphorus. Vitamins C and K are also important to good bone health as they contribute to collagen production, which is the first stage of bone formation. A healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables will provide a lot of the nutrients your body needs.
Although we may know all of this already, research shows that most women are not getting enough of these vitamins and minerals in our foods. Therefore, it may become necessary to rely on supplements to provide the necessary nutrients for our bones. One drawback to relying on supplements is that we have to remember to take them! Most of us don’t have a problem remembering to eat!
Referring back to the two most important nutrients, calcium and vitamin D, we need to first make sure we are getting the recommended daily allowance using supplements, if necessary. You will need approximately 1500mg (milligrams) of calcium a day, including whatever calcium you are getting from your diet. If you eat 500mg of calcium you will need to make up the remaining 1000mg with supplements. Remember to divide the calcium into separate doses of no more than 500mg each to assure that your body will utilize all the calcium you take. Studies have show that the body cannot absorb more than 500mg at one time.
Also, check the label on the calcium supplement to find out the amount of “elemental” calcium in each tablet or chew. Elemental simply means the actual amount of calcium contained in a compound. The less “elemental” calcium in each tablet, the more tablets you will need to take. The two best forms are in calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Of the two, calcium carbonate generally has more elemental calcium than calcium citrate. There are many different forms of calcium available, all of which can be purchased over-the-counter without a prescription.
Vitamin D, as well as magnesium, helps the body absorb the calcium. Most people need approximately 400 international units of vitamin D and 320mg of magnesium a day. Making sure you get the right amounts can help your body use the calcium you are taking. Again, using supplements can help assure your body gets what it needs.
Personally, I love what the makers of Adora Calcium have done, combining the rich texture and taste of chocolate with the healthful benefits of calcium and vitamin D needed for bone health. Chocolate lovers beware, once you’ve experienced the delicious taste of Adora calcium you’ll never forget to take your calcium again!
To summarize, all women should make sure they get enough calcium, through diet or supplementation, before, during and after menopause. For proper absorption, each serving should have no more than 500mg of elemental calcium. The total recommended dosage is approximately 1000-1500mg per day and any calcium rich foods you eat each day count towards that dosage. One final word of encouragement: some research in progress suggests that a daily calcium intake of 1500mg may help burn fat!
Portions of this article as based on excerpts from Rebecca’s book “Feelin’ Hot? A Humorous, Informative and Truthful Look at Menopause” For more information on Rebecca Hulem, The Menopause Expert, visit www.themenopauseexpert.com
Top of Page
|
