I'm Watching What I Eat (2022)

[JAS_OH1]

Another week gone and MrsT has lost a further 1.6lbs, which for her, may as well be gaining five pounds, as she's very unhappy with that. I, OTOH, and doing my usual alternating losing/gaining the same three pounds - I'm down this week.

After several weeks of this, I can say our dairy consumption (which around here means milk, half-n-half, cheese, and butter) has dropped to almost nothing: she went from four mugs of tea a day that were half tea and half half-n-half (say that three times fast) to one mug of tea with 1-1/2 TB half-n-half, she's stopped eating cereal (which surprises me the most, as cereal is one of her all-time favorite things), and she's virtually stopped eating cheese, except for one light Baby Bell with her salad, and I've stopped nearly all cooking in butter (and oil).

Fresh fruit and veg have gone way up, eggs have gone way up (and we were already eating a lot of those), and of course, the avocados...she has avocado a few times a week.

You had better inform MrsT she might need to consider taking some calcium supplements unless she plans on upping her intake of leafy greens by a very large amount, and then it's tricky to extract the calcium that way because it's better absorbed if lightly wilted over fresh (calcium in the spinach in salads is less absorbable than sauteed). Women in their 50s and older need to be careful to keep the calcium in their diets high to avoid osteoporosis. I had to proactively ask for calcium supplements (and I still eat cheese and dairy) because I know lots of women who didn't maintain that in their younger years and then got brittle fragile bones--and then fell down and cracked something. The last thing we need is a broken hip or any other fractured bones. It just doesn't heal well as wel get older. Men can have issues with that too, BTW, just not as much as we gals.

 

[TastyReuben]

You had better inform MrsT she might need to consider taking some calcium supplements

Yep, she’s already on a high dose of calcium for something else.

 

[garlichead]

You had better inform MrsT she might need to consider taking some calcium supplements unless she plans on upping her intake of leafy greens by a very large amount, and then it's tricky to extract the calcium that way because it's better absorbed if lightly wilted over fresh (calcium in the spinach in salads is less absorbable than sauteed). Women in their 50s and older need to be careful to keep the calcium in their diets high to avoid osteoporosis. I had to proactively ask for calcium supplements (and I still eat cheese and dairy) because I know lots of women who didn't maintain that in their younger years and then got brittle fragile bones--and then fell down and cracked something. The last thing we need is a broken hip or any other fractured bones. It just doesn't heal well as wel get older. Men can have issues with that too, BTW, just not as much as we gals.

Good advice in regards to maintaining calcium. Woman are prone for problems later in life for sure. Having proper levels of Vit. D is also crucial for calcium absorption as well things like oxalic and phytic acid block absorption big time which are found in grains, beans, cabbage and spinach and of course the 900 lb gorilla which is a lower protein diet and lack of stimulus for the bones like some type of resistance training, or just jumping up and down on the spot. Cheers.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Good advice in regards to maintaining calcium. Woman are prone for problems later in life for sure. Having proper levels of Vit. D is also crucial for calcium absorption as well things like oxalic and phytic acid block absorption big time which are found in grains, beans, cabbage and spinach and of course the 900 lb gorilla which is a lower protein diet and lack of stimulus for the bones like some type of resistance training, or just jumping up and down on the spot. Cheers.

You had better inform MrsT she might need to consider taking some calcium supplements unless she plans on upping her intake of leafy greens by a very large amount, and then it's tricky to extract the calcium that way because it's better absorbed if lightly wilted over fresh (calcium in the spinach in salads is less absorbable than sauteed). Women in their 50s and older need to be careful to keep the calcium in their diets high to avoid osteoporosis. I had to proactively ask for calcium supplements (and I still eat cheese and dairy) because I know lots of women who didn't maintain that in their younger years and then got brittle fragile bones--and then fell down and cracked something. The last thing we need is a broken hip or any other fractured bones. It just doesn't heal well as wel get older. Men can have issues with that too, BTW, just not as much as we gals.

Just remember that too much calcium in the diet is also just as dangerous and can also ironically result in weaker bones including osteoporosis, cause kidney stones, and interfere with how your heart and brain function, cause muscle weakness, vomiting, cramps, and more

So as always talk to a doctor, rather than going in blindly and guessing. Get tested. Bone density scans are not expensive and are the only way to know what is going on in your bones at that moment in time.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

And just for reference...

According to the UK health recommendations, we need 700mg of calcium per day.

These foods would provide you with around 700mg of calcium in a day:

Bowl of porridge or muesli
Small handful of almonds
A few dried figs as a snack
Couple of cups of tea or coffee with calcium-enriched plant milk
Two slices of wholemeal bread
A serving of beans and a serving of kale

 

[garlichead]

Just remember that too much calcium in the diet is also just as dangerous and can also ironically result in weaker bones including osteoporosis, cause kidney stones, and interfere with how your heart and brain function, cause muscle weakness, vomiting, cramps, and more

So as always talk to a doctor, rather than going in blindly and guessing. Get tested. Bone density scans are not expensive and are the only way to know what is going on in your bones at that moment in time.

There is of course that chance just as there is with anything where dose is the poison, as they say. To actually get too much calcium is probably for the vast majority never going to happen and for those that do, supplementation will probably be the reason and why calcium should come from food, imo. The RDA is not perfect and is basically for minimal requirements, and should never be taken as gospel simply because everyone's metabolism will be different and a good reason to check with a doctor to have calcium blood score done. Older people especially women need 1000 to 1200 minimally if they have calcium related problems from any reliable source that I've come across that deals with these issues. Sterilized egg shells that have been ground is probably the best source of supplementation on the planet. cheers.

To add: lack of absorption as opposed to too much is quite common which then manifests itself into quite a few health related problems, kidney stones being one of them and the vast majority of kidneys stones are formed from oxalic acid with binds with calcium and that lack of absorption gets transported through the kidneys. Oxalic acid is basically a natural defense mechanism that plants have evolved with for protection against predation and Oxalic acid is basically an insecticide and under the microscope look like needles and insects would pretty much die almost immediately eating these plants but us as humans, those effects are long term from a lifetime of consuming too much Oxalic acid. cheers

 

[JAS_OH1]

Good advice in regards to maintaining calcium. Woman are prone for problems later in life for sure. Having proper levels of Vit. D is also crucial for calcium absorption as well things like oxalic and phytic acid block absorption big time which are found in grains, beans, cabbage and spinach and of course the 900 lb gorilla which is a lower protein diet and lack of stimulus for the bones like some type of resistance training, or just jumping up and down on the spot. Cheers.

Yup, I'm on vitamin d3 as well. Ohio is a state that gets less sun then most others in the US and with my allergies, I don't go outside much in warmer weather unless I'm loaded up with pills and sprays. So in other words, limited d production occurs naturally.

 

[garlichead]

Yup, I'm on vitamin d3 as well. Ohio is a state that gets less sun then most others in the US and with my allergies, I don't go outside much in warmer weather unless I'm loaded up with pills and sprays. So in other words, limited d production occurs naturally.

Yeah, me too. Canada isn't the best climate for skin exposure to the sun and especially considering it takes shirt off and no sunscreens and not just face and hands to make enough Vit D.

 

[JAS_OH1]

And just for reference...

According to the UK health recommendations, we need 700mg of calcium per day.

These foods would provide you with around 700mg of calcium in a day:

Bowl of porridge or muesli
Small handful of almonds
A few dried figs as a snack
Couple of cups of tea or coffee with calcium-enriched plant milk
Two slices of wholemeal bread
A serving of beans and a serving of kale

One has to like those foods well enough to eat them regularly. I eat beans maybe once a month, kale once about every 2-3 months (I like them but don't love them), I don't like figs or oatmeal, and I eat bread about 2x a week (half a piece). I like almonds ok but prefer other nuts and I don't eat them daily. A container of plant-based milk (over half of it) would spoil before it was consumed completely in my house. I like dairy but don't consume enough to meet my calcium needs so I supplement.

Edited to add that it's undeniable that food sources are the best form of nutrition, but it's just not always feasible to get what we need from our diets alone these days.

 

[garlichead]

One has to like those foods well enough to eat them regularly. I eat beans maybe once a month, kale once about every 2-3 months (I like them but don't love them), I don't like figs or oatmeal, and I eat bread about 2x a week (half a piece). I like almonds ok but prefer other nuts and I don't eat them daily. A container of plant-based milk (over half of it) would spoil before it was consumed completely in my house. I like dairy but don't consume enough to meet my calcium needs so I supplement.

Dairy is the best for calcium. I don't drink milk but consume kefir and of course cheese pretty much daily. As far as vegetables I consume mostly cruciferous but avoid kale altogether and spinach, only cooked, basically I limit my leafy greens.

 

[Morning Glory]

Another week gone and MrsT has lost a further 1.6lbs, which for her, may as well be gaining five pounds, as she's very unhappy with that. I, OTOH, and doing my usual alternating losing/gaining the same three pounds - I'm down this week.

That is a reasonable loss. Sometimes when dieting the metabolism slows down a bit so weight loss can be less some weeks than others. All that half 'n half in tea was never a good thing IMHO. And its so unBritish!

 

[Morning Glory]

As far as vegetables I consume mostly cruciferous but avoid kale altogether and spinach, only cooked, basically I limit my leafy greens.

Why is that?

 

[garlichead]

Why is that?

Oxalic acid if it's the leafy greens comment you were referring to, which I mentioned in a post above. Also really don't care for kale anyway. If it was why only eat cruciferous vegetables it's because I'm on a low carb diet, but I do consume some starches and generally Sunday is that day. Cheers

 

[JAS_OH1]

Oxalic acid if it's the leafy greens comment you were referring to, which I mentioned in a post above. Also really don't care for kale anyway. If it was why only eat cruciferous vegetables it's because I'm on a low carb diet, but I do consume some starches and generally Sunday is that day. Cheers

I will occasionally make a kale bowl, but it doesn't have just kale in it and kale is just a framework for it. I usually put red cabbage, cooked quinoa, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, etc. in it as well.

But I eat all kinds of veggies and potatoes, though lately I have been off the potatoes for some reason. I get in moods for things and then go off for some reason. Watching our garden grow is getting me in the mood for daily salads with all the lettuce and tomatoes growing out there, and there will be lots of sauces and dishes with fresh herbs since I have an abundance of those. As far as proteins go, lately I was into beef, but now I am leaning more towards seafood.

 

[Morning Glory]

These foods would provide you with around 700mg of calcium in a day:

Bowl of porridge or muesli
Small handful of almonds
A few dried figs as a snack
Couple of cups of tea or coffee with calcium-enriched plant milk
Two slices of wholemeal bread
A serving of beans and a serving of kale

Do you mean I'd have to eat/drink all that per day? I don't think its going to happen in my case...