9 Signs Your Body Needs More Calcium

You get frequent muscle cramps

You’re sound asleep and the cramp strikes. It’s an inching, creeping pain in your hamstring or calf that awakens you from a deep slumber. Sound familiar? Muscle cramps actually have more to do with calcium than potassium, so instead of a banana grab a glass of milk—or one of these other calcium-rich foods.

You’re lacking the sunshine vitamin

In order to absorb calcium, your body must have enough vitamin D—they’re buddies, so to speak. And to get enough vitamin D from the sun, you’d need to be naked outside for an hour everyday (which may upset your neighbours!). As a dietitian, I recommend that everyone get their vitamin D levels tested and stock up on vitamin D-packed foods, like fatty fish.

Learn the signs that could mean you’re not getting enough vitamin D.

A simple bump breaks a bone

Our bodies stop building bones in our twenties. And in our thirties, the calcium we eat helps to keep those nutrients in our bones. If a simple bump breaks a bone, it’s critical to eat more calcium-rich foods and begin a weight training program.

Here are 10 ways to workout when you have absolutely no time.

You feast on too much meat

A diet high in protein can cause our kidneys to excrete more calcium. If you follow a very high protein diet, such as keto or paleo, it may be putting you at risk for calcium deficiency.

Find out the ways your keto diet can backfire.

Your teeth are suffering

Calcium and phosphorous team up to keep our teeth strong. Tooth decay is a good indicator of poor calcium intake, because when we don’t eat enough calcium-rich foods our body begins to pull the calcium it needs from our bones and teeth.

Discover the foods that are worse for your teeth than candy.

You’re feeling the low-calcium blues

Calcium is linked to depression, and if you’ve been feeling a daily dose of blues consider the food and mood connection. The DASH diet—which encourages three servings of dairy a day—has been shown to decrease depression.

Check out the essential vitamins your body needs to stay healthy.

You’ve ditched dairy

Dietary restrictions—like veganism or paleo—often target dairy, and such restrictions can lead to a calcium deficiency. If you’ve given up cow’s milk, load up on other calcium-rich foods like anchovies, broccoli and almonds.

Get the recipe for energy-boosting vegan wild blueberry smoothie.

You’re plagued with itchy skin and brittle nails

Our skin and nails are good indicators of health. Dry, broken and brittle nails may give a glimpse into our blood calcium levels. And psoriasis and eczema have both been linked to calcium deficiency. It’s important to get checked by your physician and supplement with calcium citrate.

Don’t miss these tips to get healthy, gorgeous nails.

You suffer from high blood pressure

Calcium is part of our blood pressure regulation. Following the DASH diet can help ramp up calcium in our diet and regulate our blood pressure.

Next, here are the foods that can naturally help lower blood pressure.