Calcium for Health (04)

Children and Calcium: Lactose Intolerance, Milk Allergies, Dairy Allergies
Most children can eat a variety of calcium rich foods to get the calcium nutrition they need, but if your child experiences lactose intolerance and milk allergies or dairy allergies, they can try smaller amounts in meals, or even add lactase enzyme drops to dairy products. children's calcium supplements are another viable option, because calcium nutrition is a must-have for growing children.

How Calcium and Kidney Stones Relate
You can learn all about the basics of kidney stones here, including symptoms. One important factor about calcium and kidney stones is that most stones are calcium stones. These stones are usually a combination of calcium and oxalate, which is an ingredient in some fruits and vegetables. Excess calcium can be caused by eating foods rich in calcium, Vitamin D, from treatment with thyroid hormones or certain diuretics, and from some cancers and kidney conditions. Some people have high calcium levels if their parathyroid glands, which regulate calcium metabolism, are overactive (hyperparathyroidism). On the other hand, certain genetic factors, intestinal bypass surgery and a diet high in oxalic acid can cause excessive oxalate.

Are Calcium Supplements Being Oversold?
Everyone is buzzing about calcium supplements, but are they really best for calcium nutrition? This article discusses a story about calcium supplements and found that calcium supplements can lower blood pressure. It can protect against high blood pressure and against colon cancer, too. Read more about this calcium supplement study here.

Eating Calcium Rich Foods to Fight Osteoporosis
This is the web site of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, which includes information about calcium nutrition. The site explains that eating calcium rich foods such as low-fat milk, cheese and broccoli, is recommended. Nowadays you may not even need calcium supplements to get the recommended dosage of daily calcium because so many foods are fortified with calcium. It's easier than ever to integrate calcium nutrition into your diet to avoid osteoporosis.

Can Calcium Supplements Affect a Calcium Channel Blocker Anti-Hypertensive Medicine?
"Women with essential hypertension, a profile of low renin (a kidney hormone), and lower blood calcium, are actually quite sensitive to dietary salt," this article says. But it notes that their blood pressure lowers when they take calcium supplements and with taking calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine. This site discusses other dietary changes that can improve heart health.