Resources for Better Nutrition (02)

Calcium Supplements: Should You Take One?
Do you need to take a calcium supplement to make sure that you’re getting enough of this vital mineral on your diet? You probably don't need a general vitamin-mineral supplement if you are eating a reasonably varied diet most of the time, aren't restricting calories to lost weight, and generally don't skip meals, this article states, from the University of Rochester Health Promotion Office. Because many people do not get a lot of calcium, people should eat a good diet and try a supplement. Calcium supplements are better absorbed from the intestine in the presence of lactose (the sugar of milk) and protein, the article says. Taking the calcium supplement with a glass of milk is ideal to get the max amount of calcium. After calcium is absorbed into your bloodstream, your bones will take up the calcium better in the presence of vitamin D.

Nutrition from Plants: The Basics
This site is from the Institute for Plant Based Nutrition, and it exists to educate people about the kind of nutrition we can get from plants, such as nuts, breads, fruits and vegetables. It includes resources that offer nutritional guidelines, links to other plant-based information, and a demonstration of the site owner’s garden project. It shows pictures of gardens and how people can eat the food that they grow at home.

The Effects of Osteoporosis
This website discusses osteoporosis and women, which many women do not realize can highly impact one’s health. The site says that one in two women and one in eight men over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture, and 24 percent of hip fracture patients 50 and over die the year after a fracture. It includes information on how to keep your bones strong and healthy, such as eating a balanced diet with calcium and Vitamin D, doing weight exercises, not smoking or ingesting excessive amounts of alcohol, and going for bone-density testing and taking medications for calcium if necessary.

Nutrition Facts and Calorie Counter: A Healthy Combo
Here’s a neat place online where you can analyze any food, compare foods and find out the nutritional content in food. You can also estimate your daily nutritional needs, track your daily food consumption, improve your recipes and even generate custom nutritional fact labels. There is also a free newsletter, and a side bar with the nutritional information from various national chain restaurants, such as Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Burger King.