This Parent Cafe gang did so well on advise about fats/oils that I decided to start this thread to ask about Calcium topics.
Do you have a daily goal for Calcium intake? What food sources (dairy and non-dairy) do you favor? And… what’s your approach about supplements?
I don’t have a daily calcium goal, but I have been trying to make sure what I eat is value-added for my health. Calcium is important for me, since I have osteoporosis (hips) and osteopenia (spine). For calcium: broccoli, almonds, yogurt (low sugar content brands), lentils, hummus, cheese, tons of dark leafy greens (like a bunny!), salmon, oranges. I make my own 100% whole wheat bread with seeds (flax seeds are very good for overall health). I take a cal/mag/E supplement, along with vitamin K2. I also take turmeric to help with inflammation.
I drink about 2/3 of a cup of milk a day. I eat leafy green vegetables regularly, but not obsessively. I take a calcium supplement. I have no idea how much calcium I’m getting. I know I didn’t break anything when I tripped in the dark and managed to seriously damage my glasses and give myself a black eye.
@mathmom - Sorry to hear about the trip in the dark… glad there was not serious damage.
I also eat a avocado every day. Calcium is important for bone health, but so are other things. This is an interesting article about avocados: https://saveourbones.com/surprising-facts-about-avocados-and-osteoporosis/.
No fat milk, oat milk with Calcium added, any cheese I can find in the frig, yougurt, and supplement when I remember. Goal is 1200 - 1500 mg but not sure I reach it daily. Do take vit D3 1000 units and 500 mg C daily and some days 500 mg Calcium chew.
Over the past months, I’ve been referring to articles like this for ideas - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-calcium-rich-foods#section1
Happy surprises were
sardines (which I really like and now sometimes have on a salad for lunch)
salmon (which we eat a lot at dinner and sometimes leftovers at lunch - have not tried canned yet)
chia seeds (new to me… good for fiber too)
leafy greens (but wow ya gotta eat a lot)
almonds (wI ould eat more if not so many calories).
[/QUOTE]
I like the dairy options too, but I already knew they were good sources of calcium. “any cheese I can find in the frig” - me too, @rockymtnhigh2
https://www.mayoclinic.org/boost-your-calcium-levels-without-dairy-yes-you-can/art-20390085 has a list of calcium containing foods other than the obvious milk products.
I also do a reasonable amount of weight bearing exercises.
Great tips here. I wish I could eat sardines but I just can’t. Nothing to add but thank you for starting these great threads, @colorado_mom.
Last year when I had my bone density done and it was low, the doctor also measured both calcium and vitamin D. Her conclusion was that I get enough calcium but don’t get enough vitamin D to absorb the calcium. So I am on vitamin D supplements. Mentioning it here because calcium is only part of the formula for healthy bones!
I have a big bowl of cereal with milk every morning, having been doing this most of my life.
I take Vitamin D as well. I had to take prescription doses for 6 weeks but now take 5000 units a week.
Vitamin D can be gotten by some sun exposure on your skin.
The whole sun thing is a problem. Don’t take the sun - it gives you skin cancer (and my parents and husband have had plenty of skin cancer removals over the years.) Take the sun - you need the vitamin D.
My mom has osteoporosis, so that is why I am keen on getting enough calcium / Vitamin D.
About 2 years ago my blood tests at physical showed low vitamin D. (That was actually rather odd because I had been running for about a year, lots of time in CO sunshine… usually with sunblock on face but often with unprotected arms/legs. ) The doctor prescribed weekly high dose vitamin D that I took for about a year. She also advised calcium supplements (which also have D). At the last physical, vitamin D readings were improved … but I still want to focus on getting enough calcium, ideally with much of it from foods.
I recently worked with a nutritional therapist (mainly due to concerns about high A1C, improving now). She had some good food hints, but I’m not yet on board with her recommended mutit-vitamin / supplements. They are pricier than my current budget choices (evening Centrum Silver/Women including 300mg Calcium + morning supplement of 500mg calcium with 10mcg D3), and I am not as opposed to additives etc as she is.
Most people can get sufficient vitamin D with much less sun exposure than it takes to get sunburned or otherwise substantially increase the risk of skin cancer.
But for those who can’t get sufficient sun exposure for whatever reason, Vitamin D supplements are a great option.
Cheese and yogurt. 2% milk in my morning coffee - can’t stand anything else and can taste the difference on the spot (I have sent coffee back in restaurants because they tend to use 1% milk instead of the 2% I ask for 
).
There is no way in burning h*ll I can get Vit D through sun exposure during winter months. I leave for work when the sun is still low, only my face is exposed, I spend my days indoors and come home when it is already dark. A pill saves the day. Yes, I do take Vit D supplements.
I have 2 lattes every morning, and I claim they’re good for me because I’m getting 2 cups of nonfat milk. I also eat yogurt (usually Siggi’s) most every morning. I take calcium supplements (with D) when I remember.
I’m another one who takes daily calcium and D supplements daily due to osteoporosis. But I’m also pretty confident of my calcium food intake as I have a pretty regular diet of whole fat plain yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables, etc.