Leg and foot cramps

[MargJ]

Last night I woke up 3 or 4 times in absolute agony, with cramp in both feet at first then in one thigh, then back to the feet. I've never had cramp so badly. I am not on any medication and my levels are quite good. Is this likely to be diabetes related?

 

[Mike d]

Wouldn't be jumping to that conclusion just yet as it could be any range of things. I know I had those experiences and took some straight Himalayan salt and all gone. That is hardly scientific but it worked for me. Believe me, I know how painful they can be so from that moment forward, I make sure my diet includes a bit each day.

Plenty of water is also a good idea

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Mike makes a good point. There is an urban myth that salt is bad for you. It started when "research" showed that excessive salt is bad for us. Whereas that is true you can become quite ill on no salt at all and the recommendation is up to 6gms per day. It is one possibility for cramps.

 

[catherinecherub]

Not all conditions are diabetes related and cramp affects the general population.
This article might help
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/10/dont-let-foot-cramps-charley-horses-slow/

 

[Mike d]

Mike makes a good point. There is an urban myth that salt is bad for you. It started when "research" showed that excessive salt is bad for us. Whereas that is true you can become quite ill on no salt at all and the recommendation is up to 6gms per day. It is one possibility for cramps.

Squire ... two years back, you in fact suggested it to me Never forgotten that and I should have given you credit for it in my first message.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Thank you Mike, much appreciated.

 

[Shar67]

Lack of salt can cause cramps, I drink slimline tonic water as quinine is good for stopping cramp as well

 

[magsiesss]

I actually used to suffer a lot of cramps during the night, but since I have started walking at least 6k steps on a daily basis, I haven't had night cramps ...

 

[Kristin251]

Magnesium before bed is supposed to help as well as help sleep. It has the opposite effect on me but many swear by it.

If you just started low carbing some additional sea salt is very helpful.

I had cramps the last 3 nights and no clue why

 

[MargJ]

Thanks for all the advice. The last few nights were cramp free fortunately! I eat very little salt and I know I don't drink enough water so must start there. Finding it hard to concentrate on me as my husband is seriously ill in hospital. Don't suppose the stress helps either!

 

[Kristin251]

Salt seems to be more important than water to me. I have a sea salt jar with 1/4 tsp in it and if there is no other salt in the meal I add that. I use 1/4 taps on my smashed avocado every morning. Sea salt also gives you loads of nutrients. Table salt is another story. I don't touch it.

Glad you're cramp free now. They are a nightmare

 

[JohnEGreen]

As my old dad used to say salt is what keeps the body and soul together.

 

[Bowlerguy]

Hi, just joined the site. Don't know where most of you are located but I'm on the West coast in the USA. I can tell you that I found a remedy for my leg cramps about 5 yrs. ago which is plain old pickle juice. Sounds funny but it stops my cramps within 30-60 seconds. The football team at BYU College in Utah has a cooler of pickle juice on the field for their players. I've passed this on to many of my friends and bowler customers and they thank me and swear by it also. (I own a bowling alley so I'm careful what I tell my customers .) From the studies I've read the doctors don't really know why it works because it works so fast, they say it's not from ingesting it. Basically I don't care as I just used it again the other night and by the time I walked from my kitchen to my bed they were gone. Try it, it's cheap and works great! Let me know how it works for you. I should add that you only need a couple of tablespoonfuls.

 

[Kristin251]

Pickle juice is very high in sodium. Just an FYI

 

[Bowlerguy]

Good point. Do you take the sea salt when you get the cramps or do you just use it as a supplement? I haven't tried that approach because I found the info on the pickle juice and since I have an unlimited supply from our snack bar I never really got any further into it. Also,, I'm a pretty active 73 yr. old (actually 74 in a few weeks) except for 5 back surgeries since 2012; I keep breaking the titanium rods which is another story. I don't know if the activity helps the cramps or not since I've had them along time. Now I just rely on the pickle juice.

 

[Kristin251]

I just use sea salt on my food. No supplement but I like the nutrient benefit as well.

 

[chri5]

If the OP is eating very low carb this can lead to loss of electrolytes due to more frequent urination, thus minerals such as sodium and magnesium are lost. This may cause various issues such as cramp and arrhythmia but they can usually be solved by simply replacing the lost minerals.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Recommended Ways to Drink Pickle Juice

" there are many other ways to add pickle juice to your diet without having to suffer through the taste. Here are just a few ways people have found to get the benefits without the sour face:

Mix a few ounces into water for your after workout recovery drink. You can even add it to any recovery shake you use too.
Anywhere you can think to add a pickle, you can also put pickle juice. Add some to salads, egg salad, tuna salad and any other place where putting in a few slices of pickles makes sense in the first place.
Yogurt is an excellent choice for your diet that can become even more powerful if you add several tablespoons of pickle juice. The added bonus is that yogurt will mask the taste of the juice too.
Add it to any marinade, or use it as its own marinade for your poultry, fish and even meat.
Use it as a salad dressing. The vinegar and salt taste of the pickle juice can make it an ideal salad dressing.
Are There Any Side Effects of Drinking Pickle Juice?

Just like any other change to your diet or supplement, always talk to your doctor before starting. Drinking pickle juice has no real side effects, but there are certain preexisting conditions that could be aggravated by it.

ŸIf you are on a low sodium diet for any condition, you do not want to drink pickle juice.
ŸIf you have gout, or even a family history of gout, you may also want to avoid drinking it too as it can cause a buildup of uric acid.
ŸOne thing you do need to do is check with your pharmacist if you take medications. The acidity of the pickle juice may not be a good mix. Your doctor or pharmacist may say it is OK for you to begin drinking it, but that you need to wait a certain amount of time after taking your medication to make sure they are properly absorbed."
http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Drinking-Pickle-Juice.html

 

[Bowlerguy]

Good information, although I never really worried about taking it as the two tbsp. amount is so little it never seemed to cause me or any of my friends any probs. And since we only take it when we get the cramps it isn't too often. I prob get more from eating the cheeseburgers with the pickles from my cafe than I do when I eventually drink the juice. But I agree if you have concerns you should check it out. As for my friends, not all of them are diabetic, in fact most are not. They just get leg and foot cramps and like the relief..

 

[JohnEGreen]

Though there does seem to be a fair amount of sugar involved in the pickling process though I doubt you would get too much of that if you take only a small amount.

I also see you can buy a sports drink with it in now in the USA