On Fri, 06 Oct 2000, Cave Chick wrote:

> 3 oz of canned salmon only contains around 300 milligrams of calcium -- so a
> whole 7 ounce can would only be half of the recommended 1,200mg per day women
> are supposed to get.  I'm wondering if this recommended amount is just a lot
> of hoohey.  Thoughts?  Also, one would have to eat completely unrealistic
> amounts of greens to make up the deficit.

The recommended amount may be misleading, as a person's calcium status
appears
to be more related to the ratio between absorption and excretion.
Some factors affecting absorption :-
1/.The ratio between calcium and magnesium in the diet.
2/.The amount of vitamin D available.
3/.The amount of phytic acid and other mineral binding compounds in
the diet.
Some factors affecting excretion :-
1/.The pH balance produced by the metabolism of the diet. A diet which
produces
an acidic residue is often buffered using calcium.
2/.The amount of exercise taken.

There are many more factors involved, the above, incomplete, selection
being
taken from :- "Textbook of Pharmacology" by Bowman/Rand.

We know that HG's don't use dairy products, and I agree that eating
several
kilo's of greens each day would seem to be unlikely.  It may be that a
HG, who
spends a lot of time in the sun, does a lot of exercise, eats no grain
products, and has a diet which produces a neutral acid residue, can
get by on a
much lower intake of calcium. It would appear that many other factors
have to
be considered apart from total daily intake.

Andy.