Calcium Plays an Important Role in the Way Our Body Functions

By Steve A Johnson
Growing up we probably all have been told at one time or another to drink our milk and to eat low fat dairy products. The reason we were told this is because our parents and caregivers knew that by consuming calcium rich foods our bodies would greatly benefit and our bones and teeth would be healthy and strong.
They were right as it is true calcium plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. However, calcium not only helps to keep our bones and teeth strong and healthy it is a very important and essential nutrient for the entire body. Calcium also plays a very important part in keeping our heart muscles healthy, it helps to control and regulate our heart beat and it help our nerves function and assists with many other bodily functions.
Everybody needs calcium in their diets. Young children and teenagers need sufficient calcium in their diets so they can take full advantage of the calcium storage in their bones. As we age, we need to get sufficient dietary calcium to help us minimize the loss of calcium from our bones because the majority of the body's calcium, approximately ninety-nine percent, is stored in your bones. We also need an adequate amount of calcium in the body because the other one percent is stored in the rest of the body and is for all other bodily functions.
Some good sources of calcium are low fat dairy products, fruits, and fortified cereals and grains. However, due to processing and manufacturing the majority of the nutrients in the food we eat are depleted. So, it is sad to say, we really are not getting as much calcium from our diet as we think we are. It is safe to say that it makes a lot of sense to take calcium supplements along with eating a healthy diet to make sure that our bodies get what it needs.
Even though supplementation is a good idea you should know that not all calcium supplements are created equal. One such calcium supplement that is well absorbed by the body and is very beneficially all bodily functions is called coral calcium. But what is Coral Calcium? Simply put, Coral Calcium is just calcium. However, coral calcium benefits have an advantage over other types of calcium. Marine coral calcium has a wide range and optimal mix of major and trace minerals. It contains calcium, magnesium and trace minerals, and the ratios of these minerals match the human body's ratio perfectly.
Some forms of coral calcium supplements are inferior because some of the other vital nutrients have been lost since they have been baked by the sun for thousands of years. Marine grade coral calcium is harvested miles away from shore below sea level. All of the essential minerals are preserved by nature and made available by carefully removing them from the sea floor away from the live reefs as not to disturb them. Coral Calcium Supplements also contain over seventy other trace minerals and are essential to good health. Preferred Coral Calcium Plus contains nature's balance of 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium. Any form of land grade calcium does not have this ratio. Magnesium is critical for the absorption of calcium. Land grade or fossilized coral contains only about 1% magnesium.

Steven Johnson is committed to helping people maintain healthy and effective lifestyles. For more information on any other health supplements please visit his website Alternative Health Supplements at http://www.alternative-health-supplements.com/coral_calcium_page.html

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Vitamin D to a healthy heart

Vitamin D - A Protector of the Heart
By Dr. Martha Castro, M.D.


We all know the benefits of vitamin D, don't we? We know that vitamin D is good to maintain an excellent bone strength, and now, the University of Michigan Medical School scientists have finished a medical research that link vitamin D to a healthy heart. The study reports that vitamin D protects the heart from heart failure and the cloistral in it makes the hypertrophy (excessive growth of cells) of the heart to actually slow down significantly.
Interesting, isn't it? They don't know yet, however, how exactly this happens, I mean, chemically, but this is only the beginning of more research so they can tell us in the near future exactly how much vitamin D we need to take a day in order to prevent a heart failure, especially amongst people who are at risk of developing cardiomegalia (big heart aka hypertrophy of the hear) like patients with high blood pressure and people who do sports daily, like cyclists, runners, swimmers, etc., since we do tend to have a big heart due to the intense heart beat we require in order to accomplish a well fit physical condition, so we can call ourselves athletes to compete in amateur or professional races or just for the fun of it.
The daily requirements of Vitamin D are 200 mgs a day up to the age of 50. After that, 500 mgs a day are needed.
We can get the most vitamin D from:
1) Sun rays
2) A proper diet rich in vitamin D
3) A daily vitamin supplement of 500 mgs of vitamin D

http://www.med.umich.edu/medschool I am a Medical Doctor and General Surgeon. I specialize in medical and clinical diagnostics, and subspecialize in Ischemic Cardiopathy. I have been practicing medical science for 22 years. In my private life I am a cycling fanatic. I love everything about cycling, road cycling, MTB, cyclocross, cyclo-commuting, extreme cycling, spinning, tandem cycling, and of course, I love and admire Lance Armstrong with all my heart. I have been enjoying the beautiful sport of cycling for 9 years already. I am 46 years old and very well fit. I am short, 5.2 mts, but you know what they say: "Good perfume comes in small bottles". Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Martha_Castro,_M.D.

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