Mindy D Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 In the past I have woke up with "Charlie Horse's" or leg cramps, but since I started Whole30 I think they have gotten worse! Is the a food or other item I should be eating/ingesting to help with this! I have uped my water and drink less coffee, I also salt my food! I heard tonic water w/quinine helps but not sure if that's whole30 compliant. Would appreciate some suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberino21 Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Magnesium helps with cramping, as does potassium - if you're low on either, that could be another cause! Do you drink too much water, potentially flushing your body out? Do you salt enough with good quality salt...not table salt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindy D Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Can you just take magnesium/potassium tablets? I drink about 60-90 oz water. I use sea salt. Is there a brand/type of salt that is better than others? Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary-t Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 I used to have cramps, but started taking magnesium glycinate. It's more easily absorbed than other forms (I have Celiac so intestinal malabsorption is a problem for me). I started w/ 400 per day, now take 600 (400 at night, 200 in morning). Cramps are gone, but if I miss a dose or two, they come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberino21 Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 You can take supplements, you can also get both in food - plenty of dark leafy greens, sweet potato, avo, salmon, berries, bananas, nuts, seaweed, loads of herbs, cacao....amongst other things! Celtic or Himalayan salt are both supposed to be high in nutrients. I've read you need 1/4-1/2 Tspn good salt per litre of water you consume..that's about 33oz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizitea Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Or it could be calcium http://www.acu-cell.com/dis-mus.html How can I tell if I need - or don't need extra Calcium? If no resources are available to measure cellular calcium (blood or serum calcium levels cannot be used to determine dietary calcium requirements), one could supplement 300 mg - 500 mg of calcium two to three times a day for a couple of days and evaluate the effect. (Studying calcium excess / deficiency symptoms may help with the decision as well). If the muscle spasms improve or subside, one can assume that a calcium deficiency may have existed, and a safe, daily amount - sufficient to relieve the spasms, without overdosing - and the right type will have to be determined. For instance, calcium carbonate is better for soft stools or higher stomach acid levels, while calcium citrate is usually better for lower acid levels and those with a tendency for constipation. Vitamin D3 requirements can be assessed through blood tests, where its levels should be optimized to more than 75 nmol/L as well. If muscle cramping gets worse when supplementing extra calcium, then high calcium levels may be suspect and extra co-factors may be required to make calcium more bioavailable. Remedies to choose from include a higher daily intake of Vitamin C, Lecithin, Omega 3, Protein, Magnesium, and others. Increasing stomach acid (if low) with supplements, or using lemon water with meals are other options. A grinding noise when doing knee bends or squats can be another indication of excessive calcium retention. Provided there is no injury or major joint degeneration, the grinding noise will disappear once calcium levels are normalized, which can also be confirmed with before and after cellular calcium measurements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.