Strong bones, healthy teeth, proper kidney function and an overall balanced absorption of minerals are just some of the benefits to getting enough calcium. Ninety-nine percent of Calcium in our bodies is found in our bones and teeth, with the remaining one percent circulating throughout our bloodstream. While one percent seems like a small amount to be concerned about, the dangers of calcium deficiency are real.

According to Dr. George Obikoya, “calcium is the mineral most likely to be deficient in the average diet.” Dr. Obikoya goes on further to write in an article for Vitamins-Nutrition.org, that recent research is providing results linking calcium deficiency to colon cancer and possibly hypertension. He notes that severe calcium deficiency can lead to “tetany, which involves sensations of numbness and tingling around the mouth and fingertips and painful aches and spasms of the muscles.”

Getting calcium in your diet has long been associated with drinking milk. In fact most people consider drinking milk to be the only way to get calcium at all! Of course milk is a great source, but may people have difficulty digesting dairy products and therefore need alternatives. Lucky for them there are choices galore.

Here are just a few calcium rich foods:

- Anything dark, leafy and green like spinach or kale

- Romaine lettuce

- Legumes, like kidney beans and lentils

- Nuts

- Tofu

- Orange Juice

Incorporating these foods into your diet will ensure a healthier, stronger body as you age. And while drinking milk and eating all the greens around helps keep you sufficiently topped up, there are also supplemental assistants the can bring you recommended 1,200mg’s of calcium each day. To look at some of the possibilities offered by AstroNutrition, click here .