What's a good food for leg cramps?

[livenraw]

This hasn't happened to me before - well, not since eating this way.

I just got done weight training for an hour and now my legs are all crampy. Is there a good food to cure this? Or am I missing something in what I am eating? Like maybe potassium? I do eat bananas so I can't see how that could be it.

My legs haven't felt like this in a long time. Last time, they felt like this was when I was working out on the elliptical 6x a week for an hour a day!

[Sunshine9]

Every now and then I wake up in the middle of the night with a leg cramp. I think it is usually related to hydration and magnesium. Since I've been drinking lots of green juice and water they hardly happen...

[livenraw]

I never thought about the water part. I usually drink 120 oz per day. And yesterday, I only drank 48 oz. That must be it.

[Frecs]

Definitely get hydrated. That may well be the whole problem. If it continues, try taking magnesium. Before going raw, I was having problems with the muscles of my hands cramping and making my hands/fingers form a hook or fist. My chiropractor said it was a magnesium defiency. I got a powdered magnesium and took it at night (it also makes you sleepy -- best sleeping "pill" I've every tried!). It did the trick. I haven't had the same problem since going raw -- probably because I'm eating better now!

[Pailani]

I started taking calcium with magnesium - and also just plain magnesium. And my cramps are gone. I first tried more water, but it didn't help. I read that it's more often a chemical imbalance than dehydration, although more water certainly can't hurt.

[Mango]

This is going to sound very strange by my mom, aunt, and my MIL swear by it. They sleep with a bar of soap in their bed :eek: . For whatever reason that I don't know, it helps them and they have no more leg cramps in the middle of the night.

[Maria]

I had a big problem with nightly leg cramps and poor sleep until I started taking Dr. Gilham's CALM, which is magnesium citrate powder. It's the BEST magnesium I've come across. :)

[solarliving]

A while back someone mentioned figs helping their leg cramps. I think they are a good source of magnesium.

[Pailani]

This is going to sound very strange by my mom, aunt, and my MIL swear by it. They sleep with a bar of soap in their bed

How interesting! When I looked up cramps online, I found one weird remedy listed quite a bit - pickle juice! Supposedly it stops cramps in their tracks. I was so desperate, I tried it. It didn't seem to help, though. Maybe the soap would have been better!

[Mango]

I guess you are supposed to avoid Dove and Dial. Here is an article http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/legcramp.asp

[Sharon in Colorado]

Are you stretching? That would be the best thing to loosen up your muscles. Then lots of bananas.

[Pailani]

Are you stretching? That would be the best thing to loosen up your muscles. Then lots of bananas.

During the time I was plagued with cramps, stretching actually made it worse! I was so faithful to flex my feet because I'd been cramping in my calves and the arches of my feet - and then I had a cramp in my shin! I didn't even know it was possible to get them there. The only thing that helped was walking. As long as I was on my feet, they couldn't cramp. But it meant I spent the night pacing instead of sleeping.

[sport]

Ground flax seeds is the only thing that works for me. I discovered this before I ever went raw and have retested it on at least a dozen occasions.
I do not know why it is but If I go for a while without my flax seeds my problems (including cramps) will be back.

[solarliving]

There could be many reasons someone has cramping. Here is a list of possible deficiencies:

sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, water, omega 3's.
Sodium- Celery is a good source
potassium- bananas
magnesium- green leafy veggies
calcium- green leafy veggies, sesame seeds, oranges, almonds, dried fruit
Omega 3's- flax, chia, leafy greens, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds

[Naiad]

Calcium supplements helped me big time. They'd stop as soon as I put the pill into my mouth :eek: