1 – Remember the number 1,200

Although many of us are aware of the need for calcium, we still don’t get enough. Women need between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams per day, depending on their age and degree of risk for bone loss. The National Academy of Sciences recommends the following daily intake:

Ages 19-50: 1,000 mg/day
Age 51+: 1200 mg/day

Calcium is best absorbed if you take it in doses of 500 mg or less, between meals. Avoid taking calcium with iron.

2 – Magnesium Is A Must

A variety of other vitamins and minerals get into the bone-building act. Magnesium is especially important, and must be present in at least a 1:2 ratio to calcium. Whole grains, nuts, and beans are good sources of magnesium; if you’re supplementing higher doses of calcium (to meet the 1,200-milligram recommendation), however, you’ll probably need to take a magnesium supplement as well. Many calcium pills contain magnesium in the correct ratio.

Build Stronger Bones with Kathy Smith

3 – The Sun Loves Your Bones!

Vitamin D, too, is a must-have for calcium absorption. Our bodies naturally manufacture vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Unfortunately, prolonged sun exposure ages the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer. That’s why it’s important to supplement your sun exposure by consuming milk and other vitamin-D-enriched products, and taking 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D in pill form.

4 – Go For The Super 7

Here are 7 of the best foods to implement calcium into your diet:

Unsweetened almond milk – 450 mg per 1 cup
Yogurt (plain, nonfat) – 452 mg per 8 oz
Protein shake – 300 mg per shake with the Kathy Smith Protein Shake
Nonfat milk – 299 mg per 1 cup
Salmon – 232 mg per 1/2 can (with bones)
White beans – 191 mg per 1 C. cooked
Dried figs – 107 mg per 8 figs

Other good sources of calcium include some green vegetables (such as kale, turnip greens, Chinese cabbage), some legumes, canned sardines, seeds, nuts, and certain fortified food products. Realistically, however, you’re not likely to get all the calcium you need in your food.

If you feel like you’re not receiving enough calcium from your diet, I find that most women feel more comfortable when they supplement it. Calcium carbonate is the most popular kind, although calcium citrate is more easily digested and is a better choice as we age.

5 – Accelerate Your Muscle

As we get older we all experience a scary little process I call “The Great Decline.” Every decade we lose muscle mass, and as we age, the percentage of loss just keeps accelerating. By age 60, the average person will have forfeited one-third of his/her muscle mass. The good news:  you can reverse it with strength training. There’s no age limit on our ability to add muscle and stop “The Great Decline.”