Get a Boost for your Bones.

Usually women are more concerned with Osteoporosis, but it is affecting men as well. From childhood on we need to be getting in enough calcium for strong healthy bones. Other benefits of Calcium are proper Heart function and normal blood clotting. If you are pregnant or nursing, your calcium intake is very important for you and the baby. The baby will get the Calcium it needs, but your body will suffer from deletion, so be sure to increase your daily intake. So often people think that we should get our calcium from Milk as a primary source, but this is only one source. Calcium is most easily absorbed when eaten, because it comes perfectly packaged with additional nutrients for proper absorption. Here are a few foods that are beneficial for their Calcium.

• Yogurt. This can be confusing with all the choices on the Market today, but looking for a few things will make this easier. You want a Live Culture Yogurt. If there is no mention of live cultures then the yogurt is dead and so is the nutrient value. Also, you do not want added sugars or other additives. You can get a plain or Vanilla yogurt and add fresh fruit and granola to it for a healthy snack, breakfast, dessert, and more. My personal favorite is Mountain View. It has everything and nothing more than it should.
• Soy Milks. These are fortified with Calcium and Vitamin D. They come in delicious flavors like, vanilla, chocolate, and plain.
• Almonds. These little beauties are wonderful. Just a handful a day gives you a calcium boost. You place a handful in storage bags and have them in you purse or laptop bag for a quick easy snack.
• Dark leafy greens. Such as endive, lettuce, watercress, kale, cabbage, dandelion greens, and Brussels sprouts.
• Other choices. Sesame, oats, walnuts, millet, and sunflower seeds. These can be sprinkled over salads, cereals, breads, and soups.

You can see how adding calcium can be easy and fun for your taste buds. I want to mention that your raw dark leafy greens are where you get the most calcium absorption. So get creative and start getting in your daily serving of calcium, today.

Here is a Tasty Salad to get you started
• 2 large navel oranges
• Belgian endives
• 1 cup watercress
• 1 avocado
• 12 medium cooked shrimp, (about 8 ounces), optional
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• Sunflower seeds to sprinkle

To assemble salads: Alternate avocado slices and orange sections in a fan shape on each of 4 salad plates. Top with endive, watercress and shrimp, if using. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with pomegranate and sunflower seeds and serve.