> Unless you like cheese and [[milk]], a calcium supplement would be the only way to balance the phosphate. Powdered eggshells are the best calcium supplement, oyster shells are the next best. Having some [[fruit]], such as orange juice each time you eat meat will make the protein assimilation much more efficient, so less is needed. The natural [[sugar]] in [[fruit]] is mostly sucrose, equal parts of glucose and [[fructose]], and the fruits have some of the minerals needed to use carbohydrate efficiently. > [[Milk]] and cheese are the best foods for getting enough calcium, and they will help to keep your protein intake up; an active person needs at least 100 grams daily for efficiency. ...80 grams of [[protein]] daily is probably enough for a medium sized person who isn't very active. I have known people whose [[thyroid]] function improved noticeably when they increased their [[protein]] from 20 grams to 40 grams daily. (A quart of [[milk]] has 32 grams of [[protein]], an egg about 6 grams.) If you depend on chicken for your major [[protein]], it will contribute to suppressing your [[thyroid]] and [[progesterone]]. Increased [[salt]] helps to increase your metabolic rate. Low [[thyroid]] makes you lose [[salt]] too easily, and temporarily just eating more [[salt]] helps to make up for low [[thyroid]]-adrenals-[[progesterone]]. > Did they mention the CO2 or bicarbonate? That's usually low with [[hypothyroidism]], and CO2 is what regulates calcium. Powdered eggshell (mixed with food) is a safe way to supplement calcium. > The [[milk]] estrogen research isn't good. It also contains [[thyroid]] and [[progesterone]] and other protective substances. The high calcium content helps to increase the metabolic rate, and probably contributes to maintaining the anabolic balance. > Regarding [[milk]] and its tryptophan content, The calcium helps to keep the metabolic rate high, and the other nutrients help to steer tryptophan away from the [[serotonin]] path. > [Is 2000 mg calcium and 1000 mg phosphorus a safe ratio?] Yes, that's safe. Even a 1 to 1 ratio is probably safe, but the ideal hasn't been clearly defined. > _[Jared: Ray, I was wondering if supplementing calcium would help decrease very elevated pth when there's a tumor involved. Thank you, Jared]_ > > Keeping the phosphate in the diet low relative to calcium might help, also vitamin D. > > _[Jared: Assuming boron helps regulate phosphate/calcium ratio, do you see supplementing boron as a way to help with that ratio and also regulating the pth? Or is that not true, that boron regulates those things?]_ > > It affects them, but the essential thing is to have adequate calcium in the diet relative to phosphate. (Submitted by [@JaredVerax](https://x.com/JaredVerax)) [Message date: _June 2021_, Submitted: _Jan 2025_] > The calcium, accompanied by some saturated fat, is a major benefit of milk and cheese. [Source](https://lowtoxinforum.com/threads/ray-peat-email-advice-depository.1035/post-230414)