more leg cramp info

[Guest guest]

Hi! I got this info from my alternative health/nutrition web site, with FreeLife. Hope this helps.

Sincerely, Gabriele RN

http://www.naturalhealthnurse.com

http://www.naturalhealth.freelife.com

MUSCLE CRAMPS

 

Few experiences in life will get your attention faster than those dreaded leg cramps in the middle of the night. The stomach cramps that can accompany a bad touch of the nerves, perhaps just before delivering a speech, aren’t much fun either. However, if you think these are painful just imagine what a professional athlete goes through when cramping up in knots at the end of tough race, or while trying to close out a grueling five set match at Wimbledon. I’ve witnessed some athletes seize up to the point where they literally “couldn’t move a muscle.†It’s not a pretty a sight. Most of the two hundred plus muscles involved in providing the body with its full range of motion operate in opposing pairs. Normally they go about their business flawlessly without you even having to think about it. Yet, all it takes is a cramp in one to make you painfully aware of just how essential the muscles are to everyday activity. Cramps themselves are simply a matter of a muscle contracting with greater force than it, or an opposing muscle, stretches it back out again. Contributing factors are listed below. CAUSES

 

 

  Dehydration

  Nutritional deficiencies or imbalances

  Poor circulation

  Intense exercise or overexertion

  Not warming up or stretching properly prior to exercise

  Sleeping, standing, or sitting in an unnatural position

  Fatigue

  Adverse drug reactions

  Smoking

  Inactivity

  Pregnancy

  Anemia

  Stress

  Anxiety

  Hormonal imbalances

  Heat stroke CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS

 

Muscle cramps are one of the rare medical concerns where mainstream physicians actually recognize the importance of proper nutrition in treating them. In addition to common sense advice like warming up adequately before exercising and not overexerting yourself, most doctors will now recommend drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration and either eating certain foods such as bananas or even taking supplements (believe it or not) to maintain proper levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, etc. in the body. Other doctors may suggest popular sports drinks to prevent mineral imbalances, but these should be avoided because of their high sugar content.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES

 

Dietary and Lifestyle Changes

 

 

  Drink at least 8-10 glasses of purified water daily to prevent dehydration.

  Always stretch and warm-up adequately before exercising.

  Pay close attention to any medications you are taking for which cramps may be a side effect. Drugs to watch out for include all diuretics, estrogens, and lithium.

  Don’t smoke, and avoid second-hand smoke.

  Avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which can lead to dehydration.

  Avoid sleeping, standing, or sitting in uncomfortable positions. Airplane seats are a good example. Get up and walk down the aisles often, or at least change your position.

  Increase consumption of whole foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, and grains.

  Try taking a hot bath before bed with mineral salts added.

  Massage muscles that are prone to cramping.

  Try massaging flaxseed oil or olive oil into muscles before and especially after exercising. Applying heat also helps.

  Consider acupuncture, which can be very effective for preventing recurring cramps.

  When stricken with a cramp in the calf, as often occurs at night, a good way to get rid of it that’s used by athletes is standing with your feet flat on the floor and putting your full weight on the foot below the calf affected.

 

Nutritional Supplements

 

Once a cramp occurs there’s not much you can do by way of supplements to stop it. Preventing cramps is another story. Nothing works better than maintaining proper nutrient levels in the body. The best place to start is a high-quality multivitamin/mineral/ phytonutrient formula taken daily. Specific nutrients known to be the most useful for preventing cramps are presented below.

Most Effective

Name Dosage Benefits Multivitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient Use as directed by manufacturer. Promotes overall health of the entire body. Vitamin E 500 IU Super antioxidant that improves circulation. Deficiencies linked to cramps. Calcium 1000 mg Deficiencies linked to cramps, especially leg cramps that occur during the night. Magnesium 400 mg Relaxes muscles. Deficiencies linked to cramps. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) 3-20 g of pharmaceutical grade in divided doses. Works best when taken with vitamin C. (Combine with MSM lotion applied to muscles prone to cramping.) A form of organic sulfur that is highly effective for relieving muscle pain and reducing the frequency of cramps. Malic Acid 1200-2400 mg Works in combination with magnesium to promote muscle relaxation and prevent cramps. Potassium 99 mg Helps prevent and relieve cramps. Required for proper calcium and magnesium metabolism. Glutamine 5-15 grams in divided doses Balances immune response, promotes proper digestion and nutrient absorption, and helps build and maintain healthy muscles. Prebiotic Fiber Blend Use as directed by manufacturer. Boosts immunity and promotes proper digestion and nutrient absorption.

Highly Effective

Name Dosage Benefits Colloidal Silver 50 mg Enhances calcium absorption. Vitamin D 400 IU Enhances calcium absorption. Vitamin C 3-12 grams in divided doses Super antioxidant that improves circulation. Vitamin B-Complex At least 50 mg Improves circulation. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) 120 mg Improves circulation. Ginkgo Biloba 120 mg Improves circulation. Garlic Extract 1000 mg in divided doses Improves circulation. Valerian Root Use as directed by manufacturer. Promotes good sleep and relaxes muscles during the night. Zinc 15 mg Enhances calcium absorption. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

 

For most people, even serious athletes, muscle cramps are the result of dehydration, nutritional deficiencies or imbalances, or some combination of the two. Drinking enough water coupled with a few key supplements can usually prevent them from recurring. If cramps persist after following the steps outlined here you should consult with a nutritionally-oriented physician. The cramps could be a sign of more serious circulation problems. I suggest visiting the Website of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine at www.acam.org, or call (800) 532-3688 for a referral in your area. © 2000 Healthvoyage™

[Guest guest]

Wow, very informative, thank you. I know I don't drink enough water and I

have a 2+ hour commute each way to work and my legs ache because of it then I

sit at a computer all day. I will increase my water, vitamins and eats more

bananas now!

 

Kathy

" Take on the situation but not the torment " - Stevie Nicks

[Guest guest]



even switch to "LITE" salt...it's primarily potassium instead of sodium based....read the label before you buy...but it's a lite blue package...smaller then the usual sized one...

 

Licienne

 

-

FranklinKP

Wednesday, May 15, 2002 10:30 PM

more leg cramp info

Hi! I got this info from my alternative health/nutrition web site, with FreeLife. Hope this helps. Sincerely, Gabriele RN http://www.naturalhealthnurse.com http://www.naturalhealth.freelife.com MUSCLE CRAMPS Few experiences in life will get your attention faster than those dreaded leg cramps in the middle of the night. The stomach cramps that can accompany a bad touch of the nerves, perhaps just before delivering a speech, aren’t much fun either. However, if you think these are painful just imagine what a professional athlete goes through when cramping up in knots at the end of tough race, or while trying to close out a grueling five set match at Wimbledon. I’ve witnessed some athletes seize up to the point where they literally “couldn’t move a muscle.†It’s not a pretty a sight. Most of the two hundred plus muscles involved in providing the body with its full range of motion operate in opposing pairs. Normally they go about their business flawlessly without you even having to think about it. Yet, all it takes is a cramp in one to make you painfully aware of just how essential the muscles are to everyday activity. Cramps themselves are simply a matter of a muscle contracting with greater force than it, or an opposing muscle, stretches it back out again. Contributing factors are listed below. CAUSES Dehydration Nutritional deficiencies or imbalances Poor circulation Intense exercise or overexertion Not warming up or stretching properly prior to exercise Sleeping, standing, or sitting in an unnatural position Fatigue Adverse drug reactions Smoking Inactivity Pregnancy Anemia Stress Anxiety Hormonal imbalances Heat stroke CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS Muscle cramps are one of the rare medical concerns where mainstream physicians actually recognize the importance of proper nutrition in treating them. In addition to common sense advice like warming up adequately before exercising and not overexerting yourself, most doctors will now recommend drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration and either eating certain foods such as bananas or even taking supplements (believe it or not) to maintain proper levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, etc. in the body. Other doctors may suggest popular sports drinks to prevent mineral imbalances, but these should be avoided because of their high sugar content. NATURAL ALTERNATIVES Dietary and Lifestyle Changes Drink at least 8-10 glasses of purified water daily to prevent dehydration. Always stretch and warm-up adequately before exercising. Pay close attention to any medications you are taking for which cramps may be a side effect. Drugs to watch out for include all diuretics, estrogens, and lithium. Don’t smoke, and avoid second-hand smoke. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which can lead to dehydration. Avoid sleeping, standing, or sitting in uncomfortable positions. Airplane seats are a good example. Get up and walk down the aisles often, or at least change your position. Increase consumption of whole foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, and grains. Try taking a hot bath before bed with mineral salts added. Massage muscles that are prone to cramping. Try massaging flaxseed oil or olive oil into muscles before and especially after exercising. Applying heat also helps. Consider acupuncture, which can be very effective for preventing recurring cramps. When stricken with a cramp in the calf, as often occurs at night, a good way to get rid of it that’s used by athletes is standing with your feet flat on the floor and putting your full weight on the foot below the calf affected. Nutritional Supplements Once a cramp occurs there’s not much you can do by way of supplements to stop it. Preventing cramps is another story. Nothing works better than maintaining proper nutrient levels in the body. The best place to start is a high-quality multivitamin/mineral/ phytonutrient formula taken daily. Specific nutrients known to be the most useful for preventing cramps are presented below. Most Effective Name Dosage Benefits Multivitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient Use as directed by manufacturer. Promotes overall health of the entire body. Vitamin E 500 IU Super antioxidant that improves circulation. Deficiencies linked to cramps. Calcium 1000 mg Deficiencies linked to cramps, especially leg cramps that occur during the night. Magnesium 400 mg Relaxes muscles. Deficiencies linked to cramps. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) 3-20 g of pharmaceutical grade in divided doses. Works best when taken with vitamin C. (Combine with MSM lotion applied to muscles prone to cramping.) A form of organic sulfur that is highly effective for relieving muscle pain and reducing the frequency of cramps. Malic Acid 1200-2400 mg Works in combination with magnesium to promote muscle relaxation and prevent cramps. Potassium 99 mg Helps prevent and relieve cramps. Required for proper calcium and magnesium metabolism. Glutamine 5-15 grams in divided doses Balances immune response, promotes proper digestion and nutrient absorption, and helps build and maintain healthy muscles. Prebiotic Fiber Blend Use as directed by manufacturer. Boosts immunity and promotes proper digestion and nutrient absorption. Highly Effective Name Dosage Benefits Colloidal Silver 50 mg Enhances calcium absorption. Vitamin D 400 IU Enhances calcium absorption. Vitamin C 3-12 grams in divided doses Super antioxidant that improves circulation. Vitamin B-Complex At least 50 mg Improves circulation. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) 120 mg Improves circulation. Ginkgo Biloba 120 mg Improves circulation. Garlic Extract 1000 mg in divided doses Improves circulation. Valerian Root Use as directed by manufacturer. Promotes good sleep and relaxes muscles during the night. Zinc 15 mg Enhances calcium absorption. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS For most people, even serious athletes, muscle cramps are the result of dehydration, nutritional deficiencies or imbalances, or some combination of the two. Drinking enough water coupled with a few key supplements can usually prevent them from recurring. If cramps persist after following the steps outlined here you should consult with a nutritionally-oriented physician. The cramps could be a sign of more serious circulation problems. I suggest visiting the Website of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine at www.acam.org, or call (800) 532-3688 for a referral in your area.

© 2000 Healthvoyage™

 

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