Calcium is also found in sesame seeds, sardines, nuts and dried figs, she says. Finally, an easy way to get calcium is to take calcium carbonate, such as Tums or Mylanta, says Dr. Altman. While ideally food sources are best, it can be difficult to get the recommended 1,000 milligrams or more of calcium that way, so taking calcium carbonate is a quick and simple way to make sure women get the calcium they need, she says. Pregnant women and nursing moms who have lactose intolerance need to be extra careful about getting adequate calcium, says Dr. Altman. If it can't find it in the bloodstream, it will draw it from your bones, she says.
Women can take calcium carbonate or go for calcium supplements.
But avoid dolomite-derived calcium substitutes, Dr. Altman says, since they may contain lead. Know the Difference Sometimes lactose intolerance is confused with milk allergy, and it's important to distinguish between the two, experts say. While lactose intolerance is a digestive problem, milk allergy, the number one food allergy, involves a change in the immune system. But with milk allergy, it's possible to have a severe, life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis, in which the throat swells, breathing is blocked, blood pressure drops and the body goes into shock. Milk allergy may go away, but you have to avoid milk as long as you have it.