Dysregulated calcium can clog your arteries and calcify your soft tissues. What you eat determines how your body regulates calcium and whether you have strong bones or calcified tissues.
Most people are doing all the wrong things. 🧵

> Calcinosis is abnormal calcium deposition in soft tissue.
> Calciphylaxis is the calcification of blood vessels.
> Hans Selye showed that calcinosis could be triggered by parathyroid hormone.
> Adding a “calciphylactic challenger” like serotonin to the mix caused calciphylaxis.
> Calciphylaxis is the calcification of blood vessels.
> Hans Selye showed that calcinosis could be triggered by parathyroid hormone.
> Adding a “calciphylactic challenger” like serotonin to the mix caused calciphylaxis.

> Arterial calcification is a hallmark of atherosclerosis.
> This is quantified by a CAC score (coronary artery calcium).
> CAC is the best predictor of atherosclerotic complications.
> Elevated CAC score tied to parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.
> This is quantified by a CAC score (coronary artery calcium).
> CAC is the best predictor of atherosclerotic complications.
> Elevated CAC score tied to parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.

> PTH pulls calcium from the bones and deposits it in soft tissues like the arteries.
> PTH is elevated in people consuming inadequate calcium, leading to calcium deposition in soft tissue.
> Soft tissue calcification drives aging and “age related” disease.
> PTH is elevated in people consuming inadequate calcium, leading to calcium deposition in soft tissue.
> Soft tissue calcification drives aging and “age related” disease.

> Increasing calcium consumption reduces calcium deposition in the soft tissues.
> This is known as the calcium paradox.
> This is known as the calcium paradox.

> Consuming calcium helps to lower parathyroid hormone.

> Phosphate is the form in which the body absorbs and utilizes phosphorus.
> Higher dietary phosphate can increase parathyroid hormone
> This contributes to soft tissue calcification, endothelial dysfunction, and calcification of the artery walls (medial calcification).
> Higher dietary phosphate can increase parathyroid hormone
> This contributes to soft tissue calcification, endothelial dysfunction, and calcification of the artery walls (medial calcification).

> The ratio of dietary calcium to phosphate is critical.
> Most people consume too much phosphate compared to calcium.
> This suboptimal ratio causes calcium to flow from the bones and teeth into the soft tissue.
> Most people consume too much phosphate compared to calcium.
> This suboptimal ratio causes calcium to flow from the bones and teeth into the soft tissue.

> Vitamin D is involved in the absorption and metabolism of calcium.
> Low levels of D elevate PTH (hyperparathyroidism).
> This leads to diseases of soft tissue calcification.
> Low levels of D elevate PTH (hyperparathyroidism).
> This leads to diseases of soft tissue calcification.

> Supplementing vitamin D lowers parathyroid hormone.

> In the 1940s, Weston Price observed the effects of an unidentified dietary factor, which he called Activator-X.
> Consumption of Activator-X-rich foods was tied to better dental, bone, and cardiovascular health.
> Activator-X was later identified as vitamin K2 (menaquinone).
> Consumption of Activator-X-rich foods was tied to better dental, bone, and cardiovascular health.
> Activator-X was later identified as vitamin K2 (menaquinone).

> Vitamin K2 helps to regulate calcium by activating matrix GLA protein
> This prevents calcium buildup in the arteries and other soft tissues.
> Combining calcium and vitamin K2 reduces undercarboxylated osteocalcin (UcOC) and increases bone mineral density.
> This prevents calcium buildup in the arteries and other soft tissues.
> Combining calcium and vitamin K2 reduces undercarboxylated osteocalcin (UcOC) and increases bone mineral density.

To maintain proper calcium metabolism:
> Maintain a high calcium intake, preferably from dairy, which has a great calcium:phosphate.
> Cows milk has a ratio of 1.2:1.
> Shoot for 1.5-2g of calcium per day.
> Otherwise, maintain a high calcium-to-phosphate ratio - 1:1 or higher (more calcium than phosphate).
> Cooked green leafy vegetables also have a high calcium-to-phosphate ratio. Boiling will extract some of the calcium into the water. For example, 36% of the calcium was extracted into cooking water when 2 oz of kale was cooked for 20 minutes in two cups of water. It's a good idea to use this calcium-rich water for broths or soups or to drink it as-is.
> A table with the calcium-to-phosphate ratio (Ca:P) of some foods is available here
guinealynx.info/chart_CaP.html
> Eggshell calcium or coral calcium powders are also good sources of supplemental
calcium.
> Meat, fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, and many processed foods are high in phosphate and have little calcium. The exceptions are fish dishes with edible bones.
> The inorganic phosphates in many processed foods are more easily absorbed than those found in whole foods - you can assume that they are twice as potent per unit of weight in this regard. Avoid.
> Cheeses like Gouda, Edam, and Brie are good sources of vitamin K2. Thorne and Idealabs produce high-quality vitamin K2 supplements.
> Vitamin D from sunlight exposure or a D3 supplement in olive oil.
> Maintain a high calcium intake, preferably from dairy, which has a great calcium:phosphate.
> Cows milk has a ratio of 1.2:1.
> Shoot for 1.5-2g of calcium per day.
> Otherwise, maintain a high calcium-to-phosphate ratio - 1:1 or higher (more calcium than phosphate).
> Cooked green leafy vegetables also have a high calcium-to-phosphate ratio. Boiling will extract some of the calcium into the water. For example, 36% of the calcium was extracted into cooking water when 2 oz of kale was cooked for 20 minutes in two cups of water. It's a good idea to use this calcium-rich water for broths or soups or to drink it as-is.
> A table with the calcium-to-phosphate ratio (Ca:P) of some foods is available here
guinealynx.info/chart_CaP.html
> Eggshell calcium or coral calcium powders are also good sources of supplemental
calcium.
> Meat, fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, and many processed foods are high in phosphate and have little calcium. The exceptions are fish dishes with edible bones.
> The inorganic phosphates in many processed foods are more easily absorbed than those found in whole foods - you can assume that they are twice as potent per unit of weight in this regard. Avoid.
> Cheeses like Gouda, Edam, and Brie are good sources of vitamin K2. Thorne and Idealabs produce high-quality vitamin K2 supplements.
> Vitamin D from sunlight exposure or a D3 supplement in olive oil.
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