How sad is this... I have osteoporosis. No, I didn't just find out, in fact I have had this debilitating bone disease since I was 17 years old!
So what categories do I fall under when it comes to who is susceptible to getting this disease?
- Well I am a female
- I am a small person
- My mother & grandmother have osteoporosis (THANKS GUYS!)
- I am Caucasian
... But yea, that's it! I don't smoke, I work out every day, I eat right and take LOTS of calcium and vitamin D... SO WTF GIVES! Eh, probably a majority has to do with the fact that it's in my genes but you know what... I AM GOING TO FIGHT IT... And what better way to do that then by... EATING FOR MY BONES!
So you're probably ALL thinking, go grab a damn carton of milk and down that bad boy, STAT! But hold on! I don't drink or eat dairy! I do not digest it well... I guess you could call me lactose-intolerant! PLUS... I am completely against all dairy so even if I could drink it, I probably wouldn't, bah!
Recently a friend of mine was talking about calcium and all it's "wonderfulness" and it got me thinking about the different foods (other than dairy) that are chock full... so I did a bit of research and here is what I discovered!
- Sardines, Mackerel, Tuna & Salmon WITH BONES
- Sesame Seeds
- Collard Greens
- Broccoli
- Tofu
- Turnip Greens
- Brussels Sprouts
- Almonds
- Bok Choy
- Peas
- Spinach
- Kale
- Parsley
- Sea Vegetables
- Shrimp
- Raw Oysters
Ah Ha! See, I don't need to rush to the fridge for a gallon of milk... Instead I can go get a salmon sashimi salad with sea vegetables and a side of sauteed kale... Or I can get all "aphrodisiac" and down some raw oysters! But seriously, if you don't eat dairy and are concerned about your calcium levels, pounce on these foods! Plus, they're good for you!
Alright, now I am hungry... I am going to go eat my favorite snack of all time... Spinach with Sugar-free Heinz Ketchup all wrapped up in NORI SHEETS! ha ha! Sounds delicious right?
FYI: You need about 1500 mg of calcium a day... taken in divided doses of 500 mg at a time because your body cannot absorb more at a time!
calcium carbonate : highest amount of calcium per pill but may cause intestinal gas and/or constipation, and is poorly absorbed
calcium citrate: less calcium per pill but better absorbed than carbonate. No known side effects
Ha, and would you look @ this: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03620/5-Ways-to-Get-Calcium-Without-Dairy.html
ReplyDeleteAndrew and I think alike... um, do great minds think alike? I think YES!