Trying again

[Brian W]

I only ever had night cramps in summer when my diet was free from added salt. Adding a little salt to just one meal a day cured me.

 

[silva]

Also, about the nighttime leg cramps: they are probably not related to diet. My husband was suffering badly from those, and we experimented with all kinds of diet changes, to no avail. In the end, we started doing calf stretches before going to bed every evening, and he hasn't had a leg cramp since. We stretch each leg for 30 seconds, and repeat for a total of four rounds (i.e., each calf gets stretched for a total of 2 minutes). The stretch I'm referring to is this one:

Conditions

myhealth.alberta.ca

We do the stretch with the back leg straight; we don't bother with the version of the stretch where the back leg is bent. Also, we just do the stretches once a day. The important thing is to do it every day; otherwise, the cramps will come back. I sometimes get foot cramps, and massaging the arches of my feet with my fingers helps with those.

I stopped getting leg cramps whenever I gave up meat. It occurred to me when a friend talked about it because I'd been on/off veg since a teen.
It's pretty much all plant foods that have magnesium and potassium, lack of which are known to cause cramps, as well as regular salt. When I quit salt my BP just got way too low.
Animal products are sorely lacking in both potassium and magnesium, I've known several people who got carted away in ambulances needing potassium IV as well as so many complaining of leg cramps

Electrolytes in food: Foods high in electrolytes

Learn where you can find electrolytes in food and drink, including the best dietary sources of magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

 

[Lou]

I keep track of my nutrients in CronOmeter. And I eat a pretty good PB diet. However I am frequently deficient in Mg and K.

I have a Mg supplement. One capsule is only about 10% of the RDA. And that is about all I need. I have toyed with the idea of taking K too, but K can be toxic. I could probably take a small dose safely but I'm afraid too.
I get some Calcium on an irregular basis cause sometimes before bed I take a Tums - to help ward off GERD.
I add small amounts of iodized salt to my cooking. Also the prepared processed foods I sometimes buy - have a lot of sodium. So I dont' think I have any issues with Na.

Regardless I've never had an issue with cramps.

 

[silva]

I keep track of my nutrients in CronOmeter. And I eat a pretty good PB diet. However I am frequently deficient in Mg and K.

I have a Mg supplement. One capsule is only about 10% of the RDA. And that is about all I need. I have toyed with the idea of taking K too, but K can be toxic. I could probably take a small dose safely but I'm afraid too.
I get some Calcium on an irregular basis cause sometimes before bed I take a Tums - to help ward off GERD.
I add small amounts of iodized salt to my cooking. Also the prepared processed foods I sometimes buy - have a lot of sodium. So I dont' think I have any issues with Na.

Regardless I've never had an issue with cramps.

Just 1/2 lentils and 1/2 cup beans, one cup of greens and 2oz walnuts have 123% mag
Just 1 cup cooked kale has 549% of vit K