Drink up to prevent leg cramps

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Drink up to prevent leg cramps By Laurie Steelsmith Q. What are leg cramps, what causes them and how can I prevent them? A. Leg cramps are painful involuntary contractions of the calf or thigh muscles that are experienced by most people at some time in their lives. The causes of leg cramps include dehydration, decreased circulation, excessive exercise, and depletion of electrolytes and minerals from diarrhea or too much sweating. In some cases, muscle cramps are a warning sign of thyroid disorders, diabetes or liver

disease. If you get cramps while walking, it could indicate that you have arteriosclerosis — narrowing of the blood vessels that supply your muscles. People who take diuretics may have muscle cramps because increased urination can result in greater mineral loss. For licorice lovers, excessive ingestion of licorice tea may also increase the incidence of leg cramps, since licorice can cause a loss of the mineral potassium. To prevent muscle cramps, drink up! Increase your intake of water and electrolytes, especially if you've been engaging in strenuous physical activity or sweating a lot. You can purchase one of the popular electrolyte drinks, such as Recharge, at most health-food stores. But better is to eat plenty of bananas and oranges, which are excellent sources of potassium. If you are

experiencing leg cramps, you might need to increase your intake of calcium and magnesium, which are important in regulating muscle contractions. For pregnant women, magnesium may be particularly helpful; an article in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in July 1995 showed that ingesting magnesium decreased leg cramps in pregnant women. See your naturapath for doses. Ginkgo biloba, an ancient herb from China, may also help decrease leg cramps because it dilates blood vessels and increases circulation; the recommended dosage for leg cramps is 60 milligrams three times a day. Some people have painful cramps while they're asleep, waking suddenly with a muscle locked in spasm. Whenever you experience a cramp, carefully stretch your muscle in the opposite direction that it is pulling, and

increase circulation by gently massaging the area. It may help to walk around or get into a hot shower. Good preventive measures include stretching your muscles before you go to bed.

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