Since some time, calcium deficiency is like a silent “epidemic” that spreads in our lives. Children need calcium supplements for growth, white-collar workers need calcium supplements for health maintenance, middle-aged and elderly people need calcium supplements to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis …… Calcium supplements have become an indispensable part of life, just like eating. According to some data, this Chinese calcium supplementation movement in full swing has created an industry of 12 billion yuan at its largest scale. However, on the one hand, the fever of calcium supplementation for the whole nation has not receded for a long time, but on the other hand, the incidence of osteoporosis caused by low bone density has been rising, and the “20-year-old man with 40-year-old bones” is no longer a laughing matter.
Chinese people 20 years of calcium “in vain”
The slogans “Chinese people are all calcium deficient” and “universal calcium supplementation urgently” truly reflect the 20-year “calcium supplementation complex” of the nation. According to relevant media reports, the Ministry of Health published the third “Nutrition and Health of Chinese Residents” in 1992, which mentioned that Chinese people did not take enough calcium. Since then, calcium supplementation has become a matter that is closely related to the life of the nation. According to statistics, the calcium supplementation movement in full swing has created an industry of 12 billion yuan at its largest scale. As many as dozens of calcium supplement products in shopping malls and pharmacies are selling like hotcakes; the calcium supplement methods passed on by word of mouth among the people are varied and deeply rooted. But compared to this calcium craze, the effect of calcium supplementation in the country is not optimistic. In particular, the incidence of osteoporosis, a typical manifestation of calcium deficiency in the body, is still rising.
It is expected that by 2050, the number of people with osteoporosis will increase to 200 million, and by then, more than half of the world’s osteoporotic fractures will occur in Asia, and the vast majority in China. Not only that, the bone density, which should have started to decline gradually around the age of 35-40, has been significantly advanced.
10 habits to accelerate calcium loss
In the national awareness of calcium deficiency, “supplementation” is an important part. However, many people do not realize that neglecting the two more important aspects of calcium absorption rate and loss may cause “more and more deficient”. Perhaps you do not know that the following habits, is accelerating the loss of calcium in your body.
1, eat too salty.
The calcium in the body is excreted from the urine by accompanying with sodium. Therefore, if you eat more salt, urinary sodium is discharged more, while urinary calcium discharge will also increase, the loss of calcium in the body also increased.
2, eat too much meat.
Eating too much meat will not only cause excess fat, but also lead to calcium loss, in all kinds of food, meat is the lowest calcium content of a class, the calcium content of pork, beef and lamb in all kinds of food is considered the lowest. In addition, eating too much meat will also lead to excess total dietary protein, which in turn will increase the loss of urinary calcium in large quantities.
3, move too little.
In the human metabolic activity, the development of bone tissue needs to have a certain mechanical strength to support. When the body does not move enough, bone tissue will automatically reduce the amount of bone. But now, it is more and more people to car for walking, facing the computer every day, can not move.
4, the sun is not enough.
Every day in and out of the office life, so people have less and less opportunity to sunbathe. Many women are going out must be coated with sunscreen, hold up the umbrella, afraid that they are tanned. The sunscreen, with the umbrella, will prevent the skin synthesis of vitamin D, and the generation and transformation of vitamin D, calcium absorption plays a key role.
5, squatting too little.
Squatting exercise and strong muscle strength is an important factor in preventing osteoporosis and reducing fractures due to osteoporosis. Before people travel more cycling, now more car; before women often squatting laundry and washing dishes, now many household chores do not have to do it themselves; before people use more squatting stool, now more use of the toilet. The reduction of this slow squatting state, so that the body lacks the corresponding exercise.
6, eat too partial.
Some women in order to lose weight, eat less and partial food, often vegetables and coarse fiber food-based, high protein food intake is not enough. Low-protein diet will not only lead to malnutrition, but also affect the growth and development of bone and bone mass.
7, too little coarse grains.
In food, cereals are rich in calcium and vitamin D class; but now the diet, coarse grains and cereals gradually leave our table, fast food is increasingly sought after. These will let calcium intake is affected.
8, love to drink coffee.
Many people in daily life have the habit of drinking strong coffee, and the amount of drinking more every day. This will also accelerate the loss of calcium in the body. Some statistics show that drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day will affect the absorption of calcium; daily consumption of more than 300 mg of caffeine can accelerate the loss of calcium.
9, too much carbonated beverages.
Young people love carbonated beverages, but long-term consumption of large amounts of carbonated beverages can lead to the loss of calcium in human bones. Teenagers who often drink a lot of carbonated beverages, especially girls, the risk of fracture is three times that of teenagers who do not drink such beverages. They point out that the reason may be that carbonated beverages contain phosphoric acid components affect bone deposition, thus having a side effect on bone growth.
10, like smoking and alcohol.
Alcohol and tobacco damage to the bones has not been given attention. A large number of studies have proven that smoking affects the formation of bone peaks, resulting in lower bone density; excessive alcohol consumption can impair liver function, which affects the metabolism of vitamin D, which is not conducive to bone metabolism.
This is more scientific calcium supplementation
The decrease in bone density is related to changes in the endocrine system, and is not simply a “calcium deficiency”. For the prevention of osteoporosis, regular calcium supplementation can only play a certain role. Too much calcium in the elderly is difficult to absorb. Therefore, experts call on everyone should start from diet, exercise, sun exposure and other aspects to fight the battle of bone defense.
First of all, the diet should be reasonable, in the food to supplement calcium and vitamin D.
Generally speaking, adults should drink 250ml-500ml of milk every day to ensure the supplementation of basic calcium. You can add some foods with high calcium and phosphorus content to your diet, such as fish, shrimp, shrimp skin, kelp, dairy products, bone broth, eggs, beans, etc. Milk products have a high calcium content and a suitable calcium-phosphorus ratio, which is more suitable for the elderly.
Secondly, exercise should be enough.
Bones are also “in and out”, so you should exercise at least half an hour a day to slow down the loss of bone mass. Brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, table tennis, including twirling rice ball songs are all good exercises.
Finally, 20 minutes of sunshine every day.
On sunny days, ensure that you spend 20-30 minutes outdoors every day, and during the non-exposure season, the light time period from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is the best, with as much exposure as possible. Commuters can receive as much light as possible on weekends or during vacations. The sun should not be through the glass, and the curtains should be drawn and the windows opened when you are indoors.
When you reach middle age, you should pay attention to not smoking, drinking less alcohol and drinking coffee and carbonated drinks in moderation while taking calcium supplements. Bone density can be tested regularly if you have the conditions. If the peak bone mass is known, it should be measured every 1-2 years thereafter. After menopause, women should have their bone density checked once a year. Elderly people, women of childbearing age, adolescents and other special groups with high calcium needs can use calcium supplement products in appropriate amounts according to their needs.
Recommend a simple and effective way to prevent osteoporosis: squatting + Tai Chi + cycling. Squatting is recognized as the most effective way to prevent osteoporosis by experts from the American Council on Exercise; Tai Chi is best for the elderly who are not suitable for strenuous exercise and can enhance their balance; cycling is one of the aerobic exercises, most suitable for middle-aged people.