I don't know at 50 years old

nvalleyvee · Post by **nvalleyvee** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:12 pm

As most of you know I had a bout with cancer 2 years ago - and I have been in remission for 18 months. When BTS had his heart attack he requested I get that blood work done and a complete physical. I did - I am calcium deficient but other than that I am as healthy than a 30 year old person...That is what I was told today and I am going to be 50 in December. Go figure... - I am quite sure it is the way I have eaten the past 5 years. I'm calcium deficient because I don't do dairy but 2 times a week. I also don't do fat from animals -yucky poo poo on the skin thing - so I need B12 as a suppliment. I was very surprised that my doc could look at me - examine me - and tell me I was deficient in Calcium -----GOOD DOC. I still wonder how he did that.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 3:26 am

I hear CitriCal is supposed to be good. From what I understand, calcium is even more critical for women than men as we get older. It would really suck to have a healthy mind & body but not be able to enjoy it because of a broken hip.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 4:28 am

*taking a good look at NV*

Well, you are not deficient in good humor and your heart is full of love.

You have a good dic there NV! You deserve some ice cream today, very high in calcium!

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 4:35 am

chonsigirl wrote: [...]You have a good dic there NV! [...]
Yes. We all like BTS! :wah:

Sorry, Chonsi, I couldn't resist exploiting your Fruedian slip.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 4:36 am

*laughing*

Oh, you are quick...............extra credit for you today AC!

alobar51 · Post by **alobar51** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:14 am

I was very surprised that my doc could look at me - examine me - and tell me I was deficient in Calcium -----GOOD DOC. I still wonder how he did that.

Without a bone density test, he can't.

If he made that statement just by a visual exam, he's guessing.

Green vegetables, collard greens and broccoli in particular, are much better sources of calcium than dairy.

The idea that cow's milk is the primary source of dietary calcium is a marketing myth of the dairy industry.

It isn't just getting calcium, its getting it to the bones. Eating a green salad every day does more to protect bones than all the cow's milk in North America.

actionfigurestepho · Post by **actionfigurestepho** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:37 pm

You can tell if someone's calcium deficient by looking at their nails, actually. It's not going to tell the dr. how deficient you are, the way a blood test will, but there are telltale signs. Especially when combined with the not doing dairy thing.

alobar51 · Post by **alobar51** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:51 pm

actionfigurestepho wrote: You can tell if someone's calcium deficient by looking at their nails, actually. It's not going to tell the dr. how deficient you are, the way a blood test will, but there are telltale signs. Especially when combined with the not doing dairy thing.

No, you can't.

actionfigurestepho · Post by **actionfigurestepho** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:47 am

My doctor did with me. I had these weird white spots in my nails and they were flaky. He said "I'll bet you're calcium deficient." We did a blood test. I was.

Yes you can. :-6 Anyway, now in addition to calcium I take vitamin D. I don't feel any differently now, but I'm sure I'll be at much less of a risk for osteoperosis when I'm older.

alobar51 · Post by **alobar51** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:11 pm

actionfigurestepho wrote: My doctor did with me. I had these weird white spots in my nails and they were flaky. He said "I'll bet you're calcium deficient." We did a blood test. I was.

Yes you can. :-6 Anyway, now in addition to calcium I take vitamin D. I don't feel any differently now, but I'm sure I'll be at much less of a risk for osteoperosis when I'm older.

No, you can't.

First of all, a blood test does not determine calcium deficiency. Blood calcium levels are not static. They rise and fall.

when blood ph drops, the body uses calcium to balance ph in the blood. It takes it from wherever it can find it. Blood levels of calcium can vary throughout the day.

Calcium levels and bone loss are not necessarily synonymous. The absorbtion of available calcium is what will determine bone loss. Most people get adequate calcium, but they don't absorb it. In the front door, out the back.

Flaky nails are not an indication of cacium deficiency. Nails aren't calcium. They're the same protein, keratin, that hair is made of.

actionfigurestepho · Post by **actionfigurestepho** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:28 pm

Every other week I get a blood test done at my dialysis and from that test they determine how to adjust the calcium and vitamin D they are giving me. I know this because every other week someone comes up to me and says "we're going to adjust your calcium upwards/downwards." How are they determining my calcium then if not by my blood test? They take the blood straight from the machine. I've never had a bone density test in my life, yet I can see the results on the "scorecard" they hand me from the bloodwork alone.

actionfigurestepho · Post by **actionfigurestepho** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:41 pm

Also, I did a little googling. Obviously occasionally getting brittle or a white spot isn't going to indicate deficiency, but there are other physical signs that you have in conjuncture with this--and it can be a small indication. And yes, there is calcium in fingernails. There's calcium everywhere, for all I know. In fact too much calcium can be bad because you can "calcify." Well, maybe not you personally because you're healthy. But I can because my body's screwed up. I know we're not going to agree on this (it's actually a medical controversy that no one agrees on right now) and I'm sure you guys have heard stuff from your own doctors, but mine works at the numer 6 best nephrology unit in the country at one of the best research hosopitals in the entire world! Why wouldn't I believe him? When the Cleveland Clinic tells you something you listen, even if they're a bunch of pompous jerks. Anyway here are some links, you can discuss them if you want but it is just the internet (grain of salt, and all that) and I'm done--I have no reason to doubt my two nephrologists, two dieticians and the handful of staff who keep me alive. : ) Sorry! I have to trust and believe what they're telling me. That's why I'm paying them.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract

http://www.foodanddiet.com/NewFiles/calcium.html

http://alternative-medicine-and-health. ... rprobs.htm