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One of the most frequent questions I get asked is how to get enough calcium in your diet while you’re adhering to a vegan lifestyle.
Even though we think that calcium is only found in dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese, calcium is actually readily available in a number of plant-based foods. Leafy vegetables like kale, cruciferous veggies like broccoli and protein sources like sesame seeds are excellent non-dairy sources of calcium. While we consume dairy to keep our bones and teeth strong, keep in mind that countries with the highest dairy consumption also have the highest rates of osteoporosis.
Dairy is a very acidic food according to the pH scale and calcium is the #1 mineral that the body uses to buffer against excess acidity. So when you eat dairy products, you may actually end up losing calcium as your body works hard to offset the acid-producing effect of the food.
Milk is one of the most popular forms of getting enough calcium but the dairy industry is fraught with problems that trickle down into the milk you add to your tea.
If you are intrigued about how tainted our milk supply has become, Dr. Robert Cohen’s book, “Milk – The Deadly Poison” is a must read. Dr. Cohen pointedly discusses how most of our supermarket milk is filled with an extensive list of antibiotics, virus particles, antibody-resistant bacteria and host of other particles and substances that you would never want being poured over your morning bowl of cereal. He also talks about how the deregulatory and sometimes corrupt practices of the FDA have enabled the downward and unhealthy spiral of our milk supply.
And remember: From calcium-rich foods to taking the proper supplements, you can daily get the adequate amount of this powerful mineral in your diet without eating dairy products.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Hi Nancy,
Thanks so much for this very helpful article on calcium. My question is, what’s the best way to get enough Vitamin D in the winter? I notice that none of the live superfoods I take have Vitamin D.
November 24th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Hello Dianne, must read:The Vitamin D Cure
By James E. Dowd, M.D. and Diane Stafford
Published by Wiley, January, 2008
here’s an article form Mercola.com
hope this will help.
As with most nutrients and compounds, it is always best to get them from their natural sources, and vitamin D is no exception. In fact, according to these new results, it may be one of the most potent examples of what can go wrong if you veer too far from nature.
I have always found it peculiar that the only vitamin that is not in breast milk is vitamin D. To me that is a giant clue that we were NOT designed to swallow vitamin D. Newborn infants, just like you, were designed to get this from exposing their skin to natural sunlight.
Folks, without question, the best way to get the right amount of vitamin D is to spend some time in the sun.
You always want to avoid getting burned, but generally speaking you can safely spend anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours in the sun every day with beneficial effects. If you have dark-colored skin or live far from the equator, you will need to spend more time in the sun than someone who is light-skinned living close to the equator.
Of course, it’s the middle of February, and for people living in many areas this means it’s cold and dreary. In other words, sun exposure simply isn’t an option.
But you do have options to get the vitamin D
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/02/12/why-vitamin-d-supplements-are-not-the-same-as-sunlight.aspx