I don’t believe any mineral has received as much notoriety in recent years as calcium. Walk into any health food store or pharmacy and you will be greeted by an array of calcium supplements, but keep in mind your best source will always be food.

Of all the minerals in the body, calcium is the most important and used by the human body more than any other mineral. Evidence indicates that when the level of calcium changes in a tissue, so do all other mineral levels.

Here are a few important reasons why calcium so vital to your health:

1. Calcium determines the ratio or proportion of all other minerals in our cells.
2. Calcium is essential to the development of peak bone mass and prevention of osteoporosis later in life.
3. Calcium is the best tranquilizer nature ever supplied.
4. Calcium releases the mineral energy of your food during digestion. The less calcium in your food, the less mineral energy you will get out of your food.

Ever wonder why you crave sweets, even after a great meal? The answer is that low calcium foods mean low mineral sugars in those foods, leading to poor energy release during digestion. When you are unable to extract enough energy out of your meal, sweets become much more appealing.

Consider this…….calcium actually helps us keep weight off! The reason has to do with your body’s response to a calcium deficit.

When you are low in calcium, your body thinks you’re starving and enters emergency mode, releasing parathyroid hormone. This hormone stimulates your bones to release calcium into your bloodstream. In addition, your kidneys are delivering a dose of a hormone called calcitriol, a form of vitamin D that increases your ability to absorb calcium.

The problem is that parathyroid hormone and calcitriol also stimulate the production of fat and inhibit its breakdown. As a result, your body not only stores fat but stubbornly holds on to it, even on a low-cal diet!

On the other hand, a high calcium intake suppresses these hormones so your body stores less fat and breaks it down easily.

A  few of my favorite sources that are now in season are: fresh coconut, avocado, pineapple, mango, and papaya. Most of the tropical fruits require lots of calcium in their soil, therefore are rich in this mineral. They are also excellent sources of  potassium and manganese, two minerals I find most women lacking in.

Some great vegetable sources would be: kale, cabbage (but have it lightly steamed or fermented to inactivate the anti-nutrients that can impair thyroid function), broccoli, and spinach

We will explore more about the wonders of calcium in upcoming posts…..so keep reading.