The concept of "supplementing calcium" is deeply ingrained in the hearts of the Chinese people; and the idea of persistently drinking milk from a young age has also been repeatedly reinforced in recent years. But did you know? There are differences in supplementing calcium in different seasons.
Spring: The Golden Period for Calcium Supplementation
As the saying goes, "A year's plan starts in spring," and this is no false saying. This is because people have "hibernated" for several months in the ice and snow of winter, and in spring, they all come out of their homes. Outdoor exercise increases blood flow in bone circulation, increases bone metabolism, and consequently, the absorption and utilization of calcium by bones also increases. It can be said that drinking more milk at this time, especially some functional milks to supplement calcium, will definitely yield twice the result with half the effort.
However, suddenly starting exercise in the spring can also easily lead to accidental injuries, such as fractures and sprains. At this time, it is often necessary to consume protein and calcium-rich foods, such as milk, crispy fish, sesame, daylilies, kelp, etc., to promote wound healing. In addition, you should also get more sun exposure, as ultraviolet rays can promote the skin's absorption of vitamin D, which in turn helps people absorb calcium more effectively and helps injured bones recover quickly.
For children in their growth and development period, spring is an even golden season for bone growth. Studies have shown that children grow fastest in spring, and their height can increase by an average of 1.37 cm. Therefore, children's daily calcium intake should not be less than 1000 milligrams. While eating more calcium-rich foods, they must also insist on drinking milk every day. Because milk is rich in calcium, vitamin D, and various amino acids needed by the human body, and the combination of various minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium in milk is very reasonable, which is conducive to strengthening bones and enhancing the body's immunity.
Summer: Drink More Milk and Go Outdoors to Strengthen Bones
Summer is the season with the most abundant sunlight in a year. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight can react with 7-dehydrocholesterol in the human body to produce vitamin D, which promotes calcium absorption and plays a role in promoting bone calcification. Therefore, people often run around during this time, such as at least 1-2 hours of outdoor activities every day, which is very beneficial for strengthening bones.
However, strenuous exercise can also cause a large loss of blood calcium. Therefore, while ensuring appropriate outdoor activities in summer, it is also necessary to supplement calcium through diet, such as ensuring two glasses of milk (about 500 ml) every day. Some functional milks, such as OMP milk, contain trace amounts of natural active protein, which can enhance bone density, delay bone aging, and help bones better absorb and retain calcium.
In addition, many people believe that the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables in summer helps with calcium supplementation. This is not the case. Although fresh fruits and vegetables contain a certain amount of calcium, it does not mean they can directly supplement calcium; it is just that most of them are rich in vitamin C, which can play a role in promoting calcium absorption. Therefore, while eating more melons and fruits, it is still necessary to drink milk appropriately to supplement calcium. It is worth reminding that for vegetables with high oxalic acid content, such as spinach, water bamboo, celery, etc., it is recommended to blanch them in water before eating to remove some oxalic acid to avoid affecting calcium absorption.
Autumn: Increased Demand for Calcium
As summer turns to autumn, the human body has experienced a full summer of consumption, and the demand for various nutrients gradually increases, and calcium is no exception. To give an analogy, the human body is like a bank, and calcium is like money. Only by continuously depositing in advance can one avoid insolvency. Therefore, in autumn, you must save calcium for health, eat more shrimp skin, fresh fish, live shrimp, kelp, etc., and also drink more milk and eat more soy products.
Among them, dairy products are the best food for calcium supplementation. Some functional milks contain osteopontin (OMP), a natural active protein found in trace amounts in milk, which has a unique mechanism and effect on increasing human bone density. Compared to ordinary milk, the content of active milk protein is expanded by 100-1000 times, so it has the effect of maintaining bone health. Especially for the elderly, drinking milk is easier for calcium absorption than taking oral calcium tablets, and it can effectively maintain the body's acid-base balance. For young children, they must not be picky eaters. While taking in more calcium, they should also eat more vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C and fresh fish rich in vitamin D.
Women should also pay attention to supplementing calcium in autumn. At this time, the cool breeze takes away the heat and also makes the dewy face dry. Since ancient times, many women have used milk to nourish their skin in dry seasons. For example, in ancient Rome, Cleopatra used both internal and external methods to have dewy skin. In addition, for women in menopause or pregnancy, estrogen levels will change, and calcium loss in the body will accelerate, so they need to pay more attention to calcium supplementation. At this time, you can drink some milk, about 250 ml-500 ml a day. According to data, every 500 ml of milk can provide 500 mg of calcium, which is easily digested and absorbed by the human body, which is incomparable to other foods.
Winter: Appropriately Increase Vitamin D Intake
Adults are most prone to calcium deficiency in winter. In addition to the monotonous diet structure in winter, this is also due to the reduction in physical activity. At this time, coupled with insufficient sunlight, the production of vitamin D in the human body naturally decreases, which is not conducive to calcium absorption. Therefore, while increasing physical activity, you can also take vitamin D supplements under the guidance of a doctor.
In addition, with increasing age, not only calcium in the bones of the elderly will be lost, but collagen substances will also gradually decrease. And good bones should be a perfect combination of toughness and strength. Therefore, calcium supplementation and collagen supplementation should be carried out "simultaneously". On the one hand, 1-2 bags of milk every day to supplement calcium should be an unbreakable rule; on the other hand, supplement vitamin C to make up for the loss of bone collagen, and eat some pig's trotters and lean meat in moderation to ensure sufficient daily protein intake.
由此可见，在四季补钙食物中，牛奶都是不可或缺的。而近些年专家也一直强调：一杯牛奶强健一个民族，坚持喝奶要从小做起。因为，幼儿对牛奶中钙的吸收率可达30%—40%以上，成年人则为20%—30%，35岁之前是骨质的重要存储期，而其中一半的骨质存储是在学龄前完成的，所以这就决定了我们要养成从小喝奶的习惯，并且要贯穿一生。