Just a quick question. If I didnt really drink much milk or take vitamins and stuff when I was little and im now eighteen, how much harm could that of done? Im eighteen now and suffer from a stiff swollen knee and a spot in my back that hurts when I push on it. Do you think this is due to not being forced to take vitamins or drink milk when i was a kid. And is too late to take vitamins now and drink more milk. Have I already done to much damage to bones or will I be ok? Im not blaming my parents, but I didnt know how important this was to do as a young one and when your young you never do stuff like this on your own cuz you dont know too. Thats what parents are for and I really wish they would of made me or told me to. It kind of hurts to know that they made my older three siblings, and not me, like they didnt care as much cuz I was the youngest.
answers would be great

Hi
Of course it's not too late. 18 is a wonderful age. ENJOY. I find it refreshing that young people like you are considering thier health.

Have a glass of milk. Also there are MANY other calcium rich foods out there. If you want to take suppliments try a good multi-vitamen so you get a good rounded amount of everything. If you decide on a seperate calcium suppliment choose one with 500 mg because your body won't absorb more than that at one time and be sure to get vitamen "D" with it to cuz calcium needs D to work.

It's true that an optimal situation would be perfect vitamin and mineral health from birth.. But 18 is no where near too late. Bones are constantly growing and forming untill aprox age 30 when we reach a plateau and thats about the best our bones will get (on the average). I'm sure your parents do care about you. Perhaps they didn't force you to drink milk or take vitamens because they thought you were getting enough in the other foods you ate? Not everyone needs suppliments.

But I'd suggest seeing a Dr about your sore knee and back if they are still giveing you problems. Write down the questions you want to ask the Dr so you don't forget them. Include asking the Dr to recommend a good vitamen regimine for you.

Good luck and I hope your knee and back feel better soon.

Hi
Of course it's not too late. 18 is a wonderful age. ENJOY. I find it refreshing that young people like you are considering thier health.

Have a glass of milk. Also there are MANY other calcium rich foods out there. If you want to take suppliments try a good multi-vitamen so you get a good rounded amount of everything. If you decide on a seperate calcium suppliment choose one with 500 mg because your body won't absorb more than that at one time and be sure to get vitamen "D" with it to cuz calcium needs D to work.

It's true that an optimal situation would be perfect vitamin and mineral health from birth.. But 18 is no where near too late. Bones are constantly growing and forming untill aprox age 30 when we reach a plateau and thats about the best our bones will get (on the average). I'm sure your parents do care about you. Perhaps they didn't force you to drink milk or take vitamens because they thought you were getting enough in the other foods you ate? Not everyone needs suppliments.

But I'd suggest seeing a Dr about your sore knee and back if they are still giveing you problems. Write down the questions you want to ask the Dr so you don't forget them. Include asking the Dr to recommend a good vitamen regimine for you.

Good luck and I hope your knee and back feel better soon.
thanks for your ideas and taking the time to read this and write to it.

Yes, you may have been getting all the nutrients you need from the other foods that you were eating. Milk has a lot of calcium but your stomach tends to absorb more calcium from bread. Swollen knees aren't necessarily due to a calcium deficiency either. You may have been putting to much stress on your knee causing it to swell up. Try sitting or lying down and elevating your knee with ice on it 2-3 times daily and eating ani-inflammatory foods to reduce the inflammation. If it really concerns you, go see your primary care physician about both the knee and your back. Mitch