Calcium?

What does everyone think of calcium? I've heard that consuming too many dairy products can cause calcium deposites, but I've also seen billboards asking me if I want strong bones. Can't I do falls and throws (or rather be thrown) to build strong bones? Now I know the general idea is everything in moderation, but how much is too much?

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consuming too many dairy products can cause a lot more than just that dude...

I was gonna copy/ paste, but I think you should read this complete article:

http://www.willthomas.net/Convergence/Weekly/Milk.htm

IMHO moderation is the key word
not just for dairy products...

Chief108

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“	Question Authority. Question Society. Question Reality. Question Yourself. Question your conclusions, your judgments, your answers. Question this. If you question everything thoroughly enough, the truth will eventually hit you upside the head and you will know. But here’s a warning: It won’t be what you imagined. It won’t be even close.	”

all hail Martyr Fakka

Yeah, Chief is right. A cows milk is meant for calves, not human babies or even grown humans, it contains six times as much calcium as mothermilk from humans. Also, american milk usually contains hormones like growth hormone, which is banned in Europe, fortunately. If you eat right, your diet should contain enough calcium, so milk isn't necessary. I probably stated some things mentioned in the article, I just gave it a quick glance to check if I had my facts straight.

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You only die once. But it lasts such a long time.-French proverb

I drink milk primarily because I *want* the calcium.

IMO, calcium supplements are a bit risky, but there are studies (Ill try to find them if you really want them) that found that natural calcium intake through foods--and cow milk--can actually decrease chances of kidney stones--I assume this is what you are worried about? if so, check out the entry on "Lemon Rind" that I posted in the Herb Encyclopedia in the TCM section.

I read over that article...2 general comments:
1. Everyone one of those points has gone back and forth in debate between both sides of advocates; you can prove or disprove all of those things depending on the stance you take and the research youve done. The bottom line, I beleive, is that different people need different diets. If milk seems to work well for you, then drink it. If not then dont.
2. The attitude that the author takes in this article makes me wonder. its written like a Michael Moore Documentary...And that sort of writing methodology, while convincing to those who are gullible, makes me take a *very* sketchy stance on the article.

BTW, the Chinese use calcium-rich substances in a plethora of concoctions, internal and external...

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There use to be a guy in my class who did reasearch on bones. I asked him about Calcium and he said calcium is calcium. Natural or otherwise didn't matter.

Personally I intake a lot of calcium. I take a multivitamin and another calcium suppliment. It works for me!

Yeah, it works for you right know. But a constant, high intake of calcium will not be unhealthy all of the time, but probably most of the time. Things like this are like smoking. You don't know if you'll get cancer right from the first cigarette, but in the long run, you will have problems.

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You only die once. But it lasts such a long time.-French proverb

Acually if I don't take the second suppliment I start getting joint pains. As long as I take it I'm pain free. Its a calcium, magnesium, zinc.

If I have to make the choice between prolonged pain over my entire life and the possibility of dealing with a kidney stone every so often(which I haven't had any trouble with yet) guess what I'll choose.

Or are you suggesting that I will come down with something serious like cancer or ebola if I take a little extra calcium?

Cant be as bad as cigs either. A couple guys I live with smoke, and they put all their butts in this clear glass vase on the front porch. The vase is a new development I insisted upon because they kept throwing the things on the ground. But over the past, I'd say, 5 days since its been there, its started growing like this yellow-brown film on the inside...just from the butts.

This article made me laugh.

Sounds like they care more about the cows than the actual point they are trying to get across. But it was an interesting read all the same.

Injecting dairy cows with growth hormones to increase milk production - that can't be good for the cows or humans.
I gave up drinking milk a few years ago and now only have some with a bowl of cereal - very occasionally. I noticed a difference for the better after a while. I try to get calcium form other sources plus I think moderation is the key.

http://www.soystache.com/calcium.htm - check out the table at the end of this page.

Interesting article but many facts are inaccurate or purposely skewed. For one: Oprah Winfrey swore she'd never touch beef again but that was a decade ago and she's backed off that stance (quietly). However, she did bring a long-ignored problem (poor slaughterhouse practices) to the world's attention and that is a good thing. For another: Cow's milk is not pus. Cow's milk is milk. Pus gets in the milk if you allow a cow's udders to become infected; that's a whole topic that the article kinda covers but skews. Also the author talks about mad cow disease but doesn't really relate it to milk production, he just uses it to scare the heck out of his readers. Just like the "pus" comment.

Here are a few "known" things about milk:

1. It's difficult to digest. So even though cow milk has a lot of calcium, your body actually absorbs very little of it. To improve calcium absorption milk should be consumed with foods containing magnesium (chocolate anyone?), or by heating it up to just-below-boiling before drinking (hot chocolate anyone?) or otherwise slightly changing its chemical composition (yogurt culture, cottage cheese, etc.). Even then you will not absorb very much.

2. It doesn't cause calcium deposits to form. In fact, no sure cause has been established for calcium deposits. But because it's so difficult to absorb calcium from milk, you're not going to overdose on it this way.

3. Hormones and antibiotics are a HUGE problem in the milk industry. No two ways around it. Add to that, pasteurization. Here in the U.S., milk isn't just pasteurized, its Ultra-Pasteurized. The upside is that the milk will keep for 2 weeks or longer. The downside is that the process not only kills potentially harmful bacteria (becoming more & more harmful due to antibiotic resistance), but also most of the enzymes present in milk that help our bodies absorb what little they can.

So, I wouldn't worry about calcium deposits forming because of milk. However, it's not the sole source of calcium, nor is it the BEST source of calcium out there. Leafy green vegetables are a great source, even though a lot of people hate them. Soybeans/tofu have a ton of calcium, too.

If you really love drinking milk, go ahead, in moderation. 1 glass a day is plenty. But buy the "organic, hormone and antibiotic-free" product that is now available in most U.S. grocery stores. The remaining drawback is that the store products are still Ultra-Pasteurized -- there is not a single dairy left in the U.S. that offers a truly "whole" milk (unpasteurized, unhomogenized); the FDA made sure of that. However, there are dairy farmers out there who will sell fresh milk to those willing to drive out to the country & bring their own containers. It's mostly a word-of-mouth thing as no one wants the FDA cracking down.

You could also just buy your own cow. Or a couple of goats -- they eat less, are cleaner animals, and produce the right amount of milk for a family of 4). Opinionated little b******s, though.

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"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

Thanks for the info, very interesting.
I noticed when I gave up drinking milk that I stopped producing mucus in my nose. It was great as I always had a stuffed nose. I used to drink anything up to two litres a day up until I gave up four years ago. Now I only have a little on an odd occasion.

Calcium is very important throughout our life, but most important for bone developement through the age of 18-ish. After that, the bones in the body will have developed as strong as they will be. Around mid-20's is when we start loosing the density in our bones.

By consuming enough milk in our younger years we increase the density of our bones. And by doing weight bearing activities, we stress the bone to encourage an increase in bone density. And while we can ALWAYS work on weight resistance throughout our life, this will not stop the bone density loss. However, it will slow it down so that our bones will be much stronger than a person who does not consume milk or participate in activities that stress the bones.

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Everyone who said milk is bad for is an idiot.


Milk is not bad for you, and the amount of calcium you would have to consume to be harmful is unrealistic.


EVERYTHING IS BAD IF YOU HAVE TO MUCH OF IT.


I dont know where you people get this stuff...

“	Originally Posted By: STFinverted I dont know where you people get this stuff...	”

Off the internet of course!

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"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...