Trish,

The fact is that dairy foods interfere with the absorption of calcium.  The
high consumption of dairy is correlated with osteoporosis historically and
in research.  I am not an expert, but it works something like this.

Please other listers jump in with your own knowledge, and ignore my
laywoman's explanation!

First, protein content interferes with the absorption of calcium.  Dairy has
way too much protein to not interfere with whatever calcium is present.  The
caseine will directly interfere with absorbtion, and the calcium in the milk
is rendered un-bioavailable for use in building cells and stuff.

Second, ounce per ounce, green leafy stuff has just as much if not more Ca
than milk or dairy...depending on the veggie of course.  And no dairy
proteins to interfere with its absorption (or wheat proteins, I might
add...I dont know about meat or beans, maybe someone else can say??).

Third, people argue for the dairy calcium by showing that blood calcium
levels become elevated after consuming dairy.  But in fact, high calcium
levels in the blood are ALSO the first indication of leeching calcium out of
bones.

As a point, witness the burial of my cat, a traditional cremation in Japan.
My cat had been on steroids for years.  Corticosteroids are notorious for
leading to osteoporosis and bone depleteion.  He had yearly blood tests
done...always showed he had exemplary calcium levels in his blood (something
like 11 or 12 on a scale up to 13).  At his burial, I saw many little nicks
and erosion from his bones, which were brittle and yellow looking.

Now this is my theory and Im sure many others have their own. It is very
possible that we don't even need the calcium levels of 1200 mg. daily or
whatever the USRDA says.  Because its not how much calcium we get that is
the main point;
it's how bioavailable that calcium is to us.  I believe that milk and grain
proteins directly interfere with the healthy use of calcium.  And Im not so
sure that all that unusable calcium circulating around in our blood system
is good for our arteries or kidneys either.

Sorry for the long winded highly opinionated explanation.  In a nutshell,
no, you dont have to worry about calcium if you dont have dairy, and their
is hard research to support that you will have to worry about it less than
the neighbor who does get his dairy.

Judith
[log in to unmask]
]]Speaking of Dairy foods............. should I be including more calcium
supplements to make up for the calcium I dont eat from dairy?

Trish