[fr1endly2]

Here are some hints from ehow.com

Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth and for healthy gums. It is also needed to maintain a normal heartbeat, for the transmission of nerve impulses and for the proper functioning of muscles.


Steps:
1. Take vitamin C at the same time you take a calcium supplement. Or eat a food rich in vitamin C, such as an orange. This helps with the absorption of calcium.

2. Eat foods high in the amino acid lysine, which is needed for calcium absorption. These include eggs, fish, lima beans and soy products.

3. Take a sunbath without sunscreen for 15 minutes, three times a week. Sunshine is the easiest way to get vitamin D, which is essential for proper absorption of calcium. Stay out of the sun when the rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

4. Divide up your doses of calcium. It appears to work more effectively if taken in smaller doses spread out over the day, rather than a large dose all at once.

5. Combine calcium with magnesium in a 2-1 ratio - two parts calcium to one part magnesium.

6. Avoid taking iron and calcium together. It reduces the efficacy of both minerals.

7. Avoid taking large doses of zinc with calcium. At high doses, zinc can interfere with calcium absorption.

8. Decrease or eliminate soft drinks from your diet. They are high in phosphorus, which can cause you to lose calcium. High phosphorus intake can lead to calcium excretion in your urine.

9. Decrease or eliminate animal-based products in your diet. High intake of animal-based proteins causes increased amounts of calcium to be excreted in your urine. A high intake of sodium is another culprit.

10. Cut down on junk foods, alcohol, caffeine and white flour. All of these lead to an excessive loss of calcium from your body and a decreased rate of absorption.

11. Eat foods containing oxalic acid in moderation. Oxalic acid interferes with calcium absorption. Foods containing oxalic acid include almonds, beet greens, cashews, chard, kale, rhubarb and spinach.

12. Use wheat bran in moderation. Excessive amounts can interfere with calcium absorption.

13. Check your prescription medications. Some, such as glucocorticoids, can interfere with calcium absorption. Discuss supplementation with your doctor.

how to absorb iron
take your iron supplment two hours before and two hours after having eaten any dairy and/or clacium for better absorbtion

Hope this information helps. I didnt know this stuff and will have to modify
how and when i take things!HOPE it helps as we all are instructed to take calcium post op. LOVE U GUYS...

[DocSanae]

Lisa, great info.
Since calcium and iron are the two most affected nutrients because of malabsroption from RNY, it's VERY important to keep the levels of these two within effective range.
Don't want any of you walking around with your backs bent in old age, which you now are sure to be able to get to.

[fr1endly2]

thanks MOUSE!
and what a great day in chat!
(((HUG))

and im blushing about the bood thing!
what should we call my BOOK?

[LittleLisaMarie]

Thanks Lisa for posting that, it is very good information for anyone not sure. This whole vitamin thing can get very confusing esp immediatly post op.

[FemmeMode]

I found liquid vitamins...and it is much better for me...I've heard it is hard to do the pill thing after surgery.

I haven't begun taking my liquid Calcium yet...it is mixed with magnisium and vit D...
I didn't know if that was ok....
My surgeon has a website to order supplements from...but, I had already purchased liquid Vita Lea from Shacklee...along with their soy protein that you can cook with...for soups etc....and then the liquid calcium from Whole Foods....
Does anyone else buy liquid...what and where from??
Thanks...

OH, do you think I should start the calcium now??

[DocSanae]

This site also has an eStore. I hope you will consider ordering from there, if it carries any products you are interested in, or already use, as it helps support this forum and site. Please note, though, membership to the forum is not automatically transferred to customer status in the store. You will have to go through the checkout process to be registered as customer to aquire your login name and password. This is for security reasons, so I hope you won't mind the extra process you have to go through.