Cramp is a painful, though temporary condition which often affects legs or toes at night. The muscles go into spasm, and there is extreme pain which only goes away when it is massaged or - in the case of a toe - pulled in the opposite direction. Cramp does not do any damage, but is a symptom that the body is running low of certain nutrients.
Salt for cramp
In general, we are advised to cut back on salt as it can lead to high blood pressure and other ailments. However, in the summer, when we perspire heavily and drink a lot of fluids, we may sometimes cause our bodies to become low in salt. This can lead to being awoken at night by painful cramps in the limbs, or even - if the condition is more serious - during the daytime. Eating a few salted nuts, or even half a teaspoon of table salt can help the body to recover its natural balance of salt.
If you regularly take exercise or do manual labour in hot weather, it is important to take salty food or even salt tablets to ensure that you do not get cramp or the exhaustion that can be caused by your body becoming too low in salt.
Calcium for cramp
If you tend to eat salty food, or have not been perspiring, then lack of salt is unlikely to have caused cramp. It is also possible that cramp in limbs may be caused by lack of calcium. You may want to take a calcium tablet before sleeping to increase your levels quickly, but it is more important to look at your diet and check that you are eating plenty of foods which are high in calcium. Dairy products are traditionally considered to be calcium-rich, but today's processed and hydrogenated products can make it difficult for this nutrient to be fully absorbed. Ensure that you regularly eat plenty of green vegetables, or other products - such as almonds - which have more readily-available calcium.
Stomach cramps
Some women experience monthly stomach cramps as part of their menstrual cycle. These can be minor and brief, or can cause extensive discomfort; in worst cases some women have to spend a couple of days in bed each month. If you suffer in this way, you may want to consider eating increased amounts of raw foods, particularly vegetables, during your periods, and ensuring that you drink adequate amounts of water. If this doesn't help, it may be worth consulting your doctor.
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