Eat Your Vegetables for Strong Bones

Good article Deborah. Americans consume more dairy, yet have more osteoporosis, than nearly anyone worldwide. Something doesn't add up. One thing to note is that the dairy-calcium recommendations forget about magnesium and vitamin D, which are as, if not more, important than total calcium intake. In fact, it is argued that increasing magnesium intake would do more for lowering the rate of osteoporosis than increasing calcium. Weight-bearing activity is of importance too.

One thing that the dairy industry never mentions is that the calcium in dairy is poorly absorbed (probably because touting calcium sells product). Milk - along with all animal products, grains, and a few other foods - have an acidifying affect on the body, which makes absorption of calcium harder. Fruits and vegetables are alkalizing, so absorption of calcium is better. Fats are neutral. The ideal diet is an alkalizing diet as an overly acidic diet requires the body to scavenge a buffering material to offset the acid load. What's the largest source of buffering materials in the body? The calcium in the bones. Therefore, the ideal diet is one ditching the subpar foods from the dairy and grain groups and focusing on nutrient-rich foods like grass-fed meats, pastured poultry, wild fish, leafy green vegetables, nuts, seed, fruits, and tubers.

Cheers
Scott Kustes
Modern Forager

....great to have this information regarding the calcium content of ' leafy ' greens' versus calcium content of dairy.
Being concious of avoiding the perils of weakening bones as one grows 'older', I have endeavoured to add more dairy to my diet only to find unwanted weight.gain and general lethargy.
However,on returning to my 'leafy green'diet plus added fortified soy products etc. I once again enjoy a felling of well.being now knowing that my calcium intake will not suffer.
Thank you for your research Deborah.

Don't you know that calcium is responsible for fibromyalgia and hardening of the arteries. It is vitamin C that makes for strong bones. The holes aren't in the mineral, they are in the cartilage. It takes vitamin C to prevent the cartilage from tearing.

Great article. Collards, kale, mustad greens and other leafy greens are all superior calcium for the human body. Spinach and chard contain oxalic acid, which decreases calcium absorbtion by a great deal, so I would not include them as good calcium sources. Chocolate, which also contains oxalic acid, binds 4-5 times less calcium than spinach, so you can eat it moderately. I would avoid spinach, especially for women.

Thanks for your responses to my little "sound bite" about calcium everybody. Yes - the subject certainly merits a thesis!

Scott, the dairy/osteoporosis quandary doesn't add up does it! Clever marketing (er...that's not necessarily good - right) certainly appears to overpower what we see happening around us. The vitamin D/magnesium connection is of vital importance - and I will certainly write about this down the track. Your response also emphasizes the fact, that we must help ourselves to good health! (on which I will be writing about next week )

Joe, your information about the Vit C/fibromyalgia connection is an interesting off-shoot. I would love to hear a bit more about your knowledge on the subject. Why don't you write an article about it?

Thanks Mary Jean for the information about spinach. I certainly didn't know this - in fact - whfoods.com didn't include it in regards to calcium absorption either. So, I'm sure many of us will benefit from your input - and there will be a little less spinach on my plate - and a little bit more chocolate...

Thanks everybody, stay tuned for more of my articles. I would love to hear from you all again.

Deborah