The majority of people at some time or another experience the excruciating pain of leg cramps, especially at night time. Leg and foot cramps can be prevented with some easy additions to your diet in combination with supplements.
Hydration
Staying hydrated helps keep the body's electrolytes balanced avoiding spasms and cramps throughout the body's muscles. Drink at least eight 8 oz glasses of water a day. Drinks containing caffeine don't count in this quantity.
Potassium
Keep your potassium up to avoid leg cramps. Loss of potassium causes a variety of problems for the body and throws the kidneys out of balance. The kidneys are responsible for fluid management in the body and proper hydration is necessary for overall good health and lessening leg cramps. Eat foods high in potassium like bananas, oranges and tart cherries, or take a potassium supplement daily. The recommended dose is 99 mg daily.
Calcium Magnesium Supplements
Combine Calcium and Magnesium for reducing leg cramps suggests www.peoplespharmacy.com. They work well in conjunction with potassium to reduce spasms especially at night time.
Pinching the Upper Lip
Also from www.peoplespharmacy.com, a peculiar remedy but one that seems to help relieve leg cramps. Pinch the upper lip just below the nose and hold it until the cramps dissipate. This particular site is part of the acupuncture/acupressure meridian network and may have something to do with relieving the cramps due to its transfer of energy through the meridian.
Soap under the Sheet
Another peculiar sounding remedy from www.peoplespharmacy.com but one that also seems to be helpful not only with leg cramps but with restless leg syndrome (RLS). People have reported success at reducing cramps and eliminating RLS by placing a bar of soap under the bottom sheet of the bed and leaving it there during sleep.
Stretch
During a cramp, stand up and put weight on the leg that is cramping, stretch the muscle in the natural direction in which it is meant to go, suggests the Home Remedies website. This relieves the cramp quickly. If you have a cramp in your foot, flex the foot with the toe pointing upwards and toward your head. This stretches the muscle relieving the cramp.
Apply Heat
The Home Remedies site goes on to suggest applying heat or taking a hot bath to relax the muscle. This works best after the cramp has been relieved.
Check Thyroid Levels
If leg cramps persist in spite of doing the above suggestions, have a blood test to check your thyroid levels. Low thyroid levels can precipitate leg cramps.
