Weight Loss Information

3 Steps Gastric Bypass Patients Can Take to Avoid Calcium Deficiency


Most Americans do not get enough calcium in their diets; the average daily intake is 500 milligrams shy of the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) of 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams.

Gastric bypass patients are even more unlikely to intake adequate dietary calcium and without supplementation they may become calcium deficient which ultimately results in osteoporosis. Weight loss surgery patients are limited by the volume of calcium rich foods they may consume. In addition, the malabsorption issue resulting from gastric bypass presents another problem. Since the bowel does not readily absorb calcium and the stomach is drastically shortened there is limited opportunity for the calcium to be absorbed in the body.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body - we have two or three pounds of it, most of which is located in the bones and teeth. In addition to building bones and teeth, calcium is an electrolyte required for transmitting nerve signals, water balance, acid/alkaline balance and maintaining osmotic pressure. It helps the blood to clot and is necessary for the heart muscle function. It's long been known that calcium will aid in the prevention of osteoporosis, but new studies are identifying calcium for it's anticancer actions within the colon.

Most dietary calcium comes from dairy products but can also be found in sardines, canned salmon, green leafy vegetables and tofu. The National Academy of Sciences has raised the calcium guideline to 1,000 milligrams a day for people under 51, and to 1,200-1,500 milligrams a day for people over 51.

Gastric bypass patients can do three things to better assimilate calcium in the body:

First, take a chewable calcium supplement twice daily.

Second, exercise consistently.

Third, enjoy sunshine every day.

Chewable supplements taken twice daily will more rapidly dissolve and assimilate into the body than hard pills. They should be 500 milligrams each; the body cannot absorb more than 500 milligrams at a time. The best supplements are calcium citrate, calcium carbonate and calcium lactate.

Next, studies show that people who exercise regularly better assimilate calcium into the body than sedentary individuals. Even though US Astronauts take calcium supplements in orbit, they return to Earth calcium deficient; NASA believes lack of physical activity prevents their bodies from assimilating the calcium.

Finally, get some sunshine. Twenty minutes a day of direct or indirect sunlight will give the body plenty of natural vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin", which is necessary for calcium assimilation.

Doing these three things will make you feel great today and will contribute to healthier aging. Osteoporosis is an epidemic in this country and is directly attributed to calcium deficiency. We all know that when an elderly person falls and breaks a hip death is imminent. Osteoporosis is nearly always the reason why hipbones break when older people fall. In the case of osteoporosis there is nothing the body can do to defend itself from the loss of calcium associated with aging. Supplementation is necessary throughout adulthood to prevent chronic calcium deficiency.

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.


MORE RESOURCES:

Gorilla Zoe "Don't Feed The Animals" Weight Loss Challenge!
SOHH, Jersey City - 3 hours ago
In preparation for the album, Gorilla Zoe has decided to take on a 12 week weight loss challenge perfectly titled "Don't Feed Da Animal" to lose 40 pounds ...


Weight Loss Centers Settle Suit Alleging Bias Against Men
HR.BLR.com - 3 hours ago
An employer operating weight loss centers has agreed to pay $20 million to settle a US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) accusing the company ...


Examiner.com

Weight loss secrets revealed
Examiner.com - 7 hours ago
by Stephen Cabral, Boston Weight Loss Examiner 2009 will be here before we know it and the time to start looking and feeling your best is now. ...


Exercise may speed weight loss after gastric bypass
Reuters UK, UK - 2 hours ago
The procedure, which restricts the amount of food a person can eat, can spur substantial weight loss and help control obesity-related conditions like ...


Second Tri-State weight loss challenge to kick off
Huntington Herald Dispatch, WV - 1 hour ago
Millne’s first Tri-State Weight Loss Challenge recently finished up with more than 160 pounds and 230 inches lost by participants. ...


Fund weight loss
Calgary Herald,  Canada - 5 hours ago
... however, if the intent is to save health-care dollars, this money would be put to better use by covering fees for weight-loss programs. ...


Daily News: Weight-Loss Surgery Might Benefit Pregnancy
Nurse.com, VA - 9 hours ago
The researchers, who analyzed data from 75 previous studies, also reported women who have weight-loss surgery can improve their chances of getting pregnant ...


Examiner.com

Randy Jackson's soulful weight loss journey
Examiner.com - Dec 2, 2008
His new book titled Body With Soul, is a testament to his long and hard journey of weight loss. He shares his struggles with fad diets and solutions that he ...


Oh Baby: OB GYN offers up weight loss secret
Sioux City Journal, IA - Dec 2, 2008
Cheat -- even a little -- and weight loss wouldn't happen. Try to cook daily "and you're probably going to fail." The secret: Make your meals ahead of time, ...


PR Web (press release)

Diabetic Living Online Offers Weight Loss Tips, Popular Diabetic ...
PR Web (press release), WA - 12 hours ago
Des Moines, IA (PRWEB) December 3, 2008 -- Diabetic Living Online today unveiled weight loss tips, popular diabetic recipes approved by registered ...

Weight-Loss - Google News

home | site map
© 2006