Muscle Cramps

So I have been traveling lately and we know you never get as much water as you should , or the proper nutrients.

We get busy and don’t eat as we should or you get busy seeing this or that and before you know it, you went 5 hours with no water. Not good

Recently I started getting leg cramps in the middle of the night a couple times and I know it’s lack of water and nutrition on my part.

Foods That May Help With Muscle Cramps.

Eat to Beat Them.

Muscle cramps happen when your muscles tense up and you can’t relax them.

The cramp contractions are associated with repetitive firing of motor neurons and nerve impulses in the muscle. This causes the muscle to shorten and seize up, which in some cases can be painful.”

A commonly thought reason for muscle cramps is a lack of certain nutrients.

While this is true, there are also various other reasons that can cause these often unbearable muscle cramps.

But I am focusing on water nutrition today. 💦

It is true that muscle tissue relies, in part, on a range of minerals, electrolytes and other chemicals in order to contract and relax,”

“Some of these important substances include calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Poor diet, dehydration, vomiting and diarrhoea may disturb the body’s balance of minerals and electrolytes and as a result, make muscles more susceptible to cramping.”

Other reasons why muscle cramps may occur include:

• Muscle fatigue or injury
• Inadequate blood supply to the muscle (narrowing of the arteries) e.g. atherosclerosis
• Nerve compression
• Use of diuretics and other medications
• Metabolic disorders
• Neuron disorders
• Poor muscle tone
• Poor gastrointestinal absorption (IBS, coeliac disease, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Tight or inflexible muscles
• Excessive sweating
• Physical exertion of cold muscles

So for me traveling I need to make sure I am getting the proper nutrition.

For me

A half of a banana a day.

48 to 64 ounces of water minimum

A triple zero yogurt

Eating Melons are great

A little salt is good for me. A body requires sodium to maintain normal body-fluid balance and blood pressure. Sodium also works together with other electrolytes for nerve impulse generation and muscle contraction.

Be sure to get your sodium from unprocessed foods or natural sea or Himalayan rock salt. Some food sources containing sodium include pickled foods, cheese (cottage, feta, blue, cheddar, edam), beetroot, celery, carrots, pesto, smoked meats and fish, sauerkraut and olives.”

Potassium

“Potassium is the major electrolyte found inside all body cells and is critical for proper nervous system and muscular function, particularly for generation of electrical impulses, which is why your muscles can cramp if you’re deficient.”

Food sources containing potassium include fruits (especially melons, citrus, bananas, avocados), vegetables (especially potatoes, sweet potato, pumpkin), dairy and fish.

Calcium

“Calcium plays a crucial role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, including in your heart, blood vessels and intestines. It also plays a role in nerve impulse generation, so calcium deficiency may contribute to impaired muscle contraction,”

“Food sources containing calcium include dairy, canned fish with edible bones (sardines, anchovies, pink salmon), dark, leafy greens, nuts and seeds and fortified tofu.”

Magnesium

About one third of the magnesium in our body is located in our muscles where it is used for muscle contraction and relaxation.

“It also plays a crucial role in energy production, protein synthesis, nerve conduction and electrolyte balance,”

“Foods containing magnesium include legumes and soybeans, mackerel, avocado, nuts and seeds, dark, leafy greens, bananas, whole grains (brown rice, cereal), raw cocoa, dark chocolate, dried fruit and natural yogurt

Stretch — Engage in light stretches that are focused around the major and minor muscle groups that are cramping. A physio or exercise physiologist can help guide you on the best stretches.

Hydrate — Remain well hydrated so your body and muscles remain in fluid balance.

Massage — Lengthening the cramping muscle by using gentle massage may help reduce the duration and severity of the cramp.

Ice pack — In cases of severe cramps, an ice pack applied to the muscle for a few minutes may help.

Medical — See your GP or physio if you experience regular muscle cramping or if cramps last longer than a few minutes, as there may be an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.