C is for Calcium!

Recently my grandma has taken a turn for the worse. Her health has been declining over the last few years. A week ago, she had a mini seizure. She was taken to the hospital, was okay, and went home a few days later. Then, she was going down the two steps in her garage, holding the hand rail and my grandpa's arm and somehow slipped or something and fell. She ended up breaking her femur, a broken fibula above the knee, a broken fibula below the knee and two bones broken on each of her ankles. She had surgery to put her leg back together, but her bones are just like mush on the inside. The Dr. barely had to drill, then he just pushed the screws through. It will take about 8 weeks to heal, during which she'll be in a wheelchair or bed. She'll probably have to stay in a wheelchair for now on, since the Dr. said she would for sure fall again because she is so weak, has arthritis in her other knee and her bones are so soft.

I feel so bad for my grandma. I'm so sorry she has to be in pain and go through this ordeal. I'm so thankful she's okay, but honestly I don't know how much longer she'll be around. I feel bad for my grandpa as well. They've been married for 60 years. She'll have to be in therapy for 8 weeks, so he'll be living at home alone. I'm sure that will be very hard on him.

This whole story leads me to my main point.

CALCIUM!!!

Ever heard of it? Haha.

Women in general are more susceptible to bone problems. Having babies, breastfeeding and I guess just our anatomy leads to more bone problems. This is precisely one of the main reasons I lift weights and take a calcium supplement every day. I DO NOT want to be frail and weak when I get older. I want to be a spry, old lady who can keep up with the young bucks! Lol. :)

In reality, it's stupid not to take care of yourself when you're young (and even when you're older). So many problems are preventable and avoidable, if we just take certain steps and precautions.

Lifting weights helps maintain your bone density, and keeps your bones healthy and strong. When you're pregnant and breastfeeding, all priority goes to the baby. All the nutrients your body supplies go to the baby first and you get what's left over. If your body isn't receiving enough calcium, it takes it out of your bones and tough luck for you! However, this takes years and years for it to show up on your body and for you to realize there is a problem. By then, it's too late to change!

I take a calcium supplement and a multi-vitamin every morning after I eat breakfast. I like to take them with food to help with their absorption. When I first started nursing Alex, I started noticing that I was losing more hair than normal. I thought it was odd and realized I hadn't been taking a multi-vitamin or my calcium. I finished my prenatal vitamins when he was born and hadn't taken anything after. As soon as I started taking them, that problem went away. I can tell a difference when I take them. My nails grow faster, my hair is healthier, etc.

Getting calcium naturally is better than a supplement, but I like to take the supplement for extra measure, especially since I'm nursing right now.

I think how things could be different for my grandma if she had been more aware of her health when she was younger and taken preventative steps. I know there are some things that you can't prevent or completely avoid, but there are still things you can do to make it better. Also, she is very lucky to have my mom and my uncle and aunt around to care for her and get the help and treatment she needs. Who knows who will be around when you're older? Being able to take care of yourself and not have to depend on others is also really important. Keeping yourself in good health is one of the best ways to do this!

I really want to encourage everyone who is reading this to be aware of how much calcium you're getting, especially women! And to encourage everyone to take time to lift weights and do strength training exercises that will strengthen your bones!

It doesn't matter if you're 15 or 50. Starting something now is better than doing nothing at all. I think about different contestants I've seen on The Biggest Loser and how older people have completely changed their overweight body to be lean and fit.

If you're not sure how to start, do some research online, join a gym, or you can ask me. I am by no means an expert, I still have much more to learn myself, but it is something I enjoy and do regularly.

It's a normal occurrence to hear about older people falling and breaking a bone or a hip, I just hope it's not me when I get older! I'm going to do all I can now, to prepare for my old age. I want to enjoy my life, not just endure it. :)