It’s time to get rid of some of that extra winter fat we tend to accumulate during the cooler months (in other words… the holidays), so we can fit into that new bathing suit or can show off our skinny legs in shorts this summer. Since we live in an extremely fast paced society, we expect anything including weight-loss to be immediate, but that’s not always in our best interest, especially when it comes to dropping pounds. Going on a crash diet and loosing weight too fast can actually be quite dangerous and unhealthy. I’m sure the last you want to do is risk the health of something like your heart.

I came across this article on quick and healthy weight loss earlier today. You should take a look.

So, what can you do to lose weight in a healthy way? Eat healthy wholesome foods like whole grains, lean protein and lots of fresh veggies. Recent studies have shown that a few glasses of low-fat milk, or some low and nofat milk products like yogurt and cheese can also help you lose weight while providing your body with much needed calcium.

Here’s a quick tip for you that will help you increase the amount of calcium you get through your food each day. When you are preparing soups or hot cereals like oatmeal for that matter, use skim milk instead of water. Not only do you get a bit of extra calcium with each spoonful, it also makes the soups taste ricer.

I first started doing this with condensed soups. It works especially well with tomato soup… turns it into a yummy, creamy soup that’s always a big favorite in our house. Serve it with some grilled cheese sandwiches for even more calcium.

Give it a try and see how you and your family like it.

Why not start your day off with a big boost of calcium that will keep your bones strong. Of course it is also incredibly delicious and gives you the energy to get off to a great start of the day. I call it my calcium boost breakfast smoothie.

Breakfast Smoothie

1/2 cup of low-fat yogurt (any flavor)
1 cup frozen fruit
Splash of milk

Put everything in a blender and blend. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.

I also like to pour it into an insulated mug and drink it on my way to work.

You can create just about any flavor combinations by varying the flavors of yogurt and types of fruit you use. One of my absolute favorites is to start with vanilla yogurt and then add half a frozen banana and some frozen strawberries. Yummy!

A new study from New Zealand is having doctors reexamine the necessity of calcium supplements for post menopausal women. Many of us have been chewing these supplements like candy in an effort to keep osteoporosis at bay, all the while gambling with the health of our hearts and thus our lives without even knowing it.

The study isn’t finished yet, but scientists have been able to show that there seems to be an increased risk of heart attacks and other heart issues with patients who were taking calcium supplements regularly. The reason why the extra calcium may be weakening the heart isn’t known yet and I’m sure there will be larger follow up studies to confirm these first findings.

In the meantime it may be a good idea to visit your doctor to discuss these concerns with him if you are currently on a calcium supplement. It may be time to reevaluate whether or not your body and your bones really need them.

I just have a quick tip for you today… if you are taking a calcium supplement, it may be a good idea to take some magnesium as well. If you have been taking calcium for a while, you may have noticed one of it’s unpleasant side effects - something that’s usually not talked about… You’re going to have a hard time using the bathroom.

Taking a magnesium supplement alongside your calcium will help soften your stool and makes it easier to stick to taking your calcium on a regular basis. If you are getting your calcium through nutrition, you should be getting enough magnesium to avoid this problem, unless of course you’re mainly eating cheese

Once again, a balanced diet that includes dairy, whole grain and plenty of fresh vegetables is probably your best option, but adding some extra calcium, especially if you’re at risk for osteoporosis is still a good idea.

We love to eat instant oatmeal in the morning. It’s fast, easy, pretty healthy and most importantly, the kids enjoy it and will actually eat it on a regular basis. As a mom, I’m of course concerned about my kids health, and am wondering if they are getting enough calcium to grow healthy bones.

Since my kids don’t drink a lot of milk, I started making their oatmeal in the morning with milk instead of water. It goes just as fast, makes the oatmeal taste even better and they get an extra bit of calcium with that all important first meal in the morning.

I also tend to make a lot of pudding and smoothies or milk shakes for the same reason - to get extra milk and thus calcium in their diet.  Works like a charm.

According to a new study by researchers from the University of Sheffield, taking a daily calcium supplement helps increase the bone density and the amount of minerals found in the bones of teenage girls. Since about 35% of an adult’s bone mass is produced during the teenage years, getting enough calcium at this stage of development is important.

The study also showed that weakening of the bones decreased with the daily supplement. Unfortunately once the teenagers stopped taking the supplement, their bones slowly started to lose density.

So, what can we learn from this new study? Mostly that we should make sure our kids and teens are getting enough calcium, both through a balanced diet and a daily supplement where needed. Making sure our bodies get enough off this mineral all throughout life, including early adulthood, will go a long way towards keeping our bones healthy and avoiding bone weakening later on in life.

One of the main reasons we are all paying a lot more attention to how much calcium we get through our diet and supplements is because we want to keep our bones strong and avoid osteoporosis. Studies in women diagnosed with this bone disease now show that some moderate or light weight lifting improves bone density and reverses the effects of osteoporosis.

It has also been shown that people who exercise regularly and include some weight lifting exercises into their workout routine, are far less likely to see a loss in bone density down the road.  What does that mean for you? Grab some full water bottles, or some canned goods and do some simple lifting exercises. You may also want to consider joining a gym where a personal trainer can show you how to properly use some of the muscle (and bone) building equipment. Swimming or water aerobics are another great way to work both muscles and bones.

As always, you should of course check with your health care provider before you start any type of exercising program.

We’ve been talking about calcium and calcium supplements for quite some time now and I thought it might be interesting to take a look at who discovered calcium in the first place. It turns out that this element was first isolated by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808 in England. He isolated it by electrolyzing a mixture of mercuric oxide and lime and thus gets credit for the discovery of Calcium.

Noteworthy also is the fact that calcium in the form of  calcium oxide was know to and used by ancient Romans in the 1st century. They used it to produce lime as well as plaster of paris which they used to set bones.

I actually get this question quite a bit… does taking a daily multivitamin take care of your calcium requirements? Not quite.

Almost all multivitamins include calcium, but not enough to cover your entire daily requirements. Take a look at the label of your vitamin bottle. Next to calcium, it should tell you how much is included in each vitamin or serving and also what percentage of your daily calcium requirement it takes care of. It’s often 25% or less.

That being said, taking a daily multivitamin does of course help to fullfill all your nutritional needs and will give you a boost in your calcium intake. If your diet also includes some dairy products and veggies high in calcium like kale or broccoli, it may just be enough to keep your bones strong.