YW_Issue_94_July-18_68 pages

59
childbirth and menopause are stressful
stages in a woman’s life. Calcium,
magnesium, vitamin D, K, E, and other
micronutrients are found deficient
in most women. These deficiencies
cause night cramps in legs, calves,
toes and thighs. To solve this issue
we can begin with a nutritious diet of
plenty of green leafy vegetables, salads,
coloured vegetables, nuts like almonds
and walnuts, whole grains rather
than refined flour, oils like olive and
groundnut (even better if they’re cold
pressed), oily fish, white meat, eggs and
dairy products. A balanced meal will
ensure the body of its required daily
dose of nutrients.
Exercise, walking, jogging, yoga,
or any form of exercise, preferably
outdoor for at least 30 minutes per
day, will give you vitamin D which
is necessary for the absorption of
calcium.
If you are doing all of this and
yet see no improvement, visit your
physician who will run some tests to
determine your calcium, vitamin D,
B12 and hemoglobin levels. If you’re
deficient in any of these, they will
advise oral or injectable medicines to
overcome the deficiencies. That should
free you of the cramps.
Dr Vidhya Pathare is a Family Physician
Dr Subodh Naik says: Along with
the habit of sitting improperly, sitting
for long periods and overexertion
of muscles, medical conditions
such as hypothyroidism, diabetes,
Parkinsonism, different neuromuscular
disorders, electrolyte imbalance,
structural disorders like flat feet,
alcoholism, use of different medicines
like diuretics, beta agonists, etc are
the different reasons for leg cramps at
night. But radiculopathy and electrolyte
imbalance, being the most common
causes, get the following investigations
done first: X Ray L S Spine - AP and
Lateral and serum electrolytes. If they
are normal, get yourself checked by a
physician for the underlying cause.
Homoeopathy would use two
approaches: Acute and Chronic. It
has many medicines for leg cramps.
It would take into consideration the
affected side, the exact part of the
leg involved, the time, the type of
pain, sensation, the aggravating and
ameliorating factors and concomitants,
if any. This will guide the selection of
remedy for acute attack. Mag Phos,
Bryonia, Causticum, Agaricus, Agnus
Cactus, Plumbum Met are the common
remedies that will help.
Dr Subodh Naik is a Homeopath
Francine White says: There can be
many possible causes of leg cramps,
including dehydration, strenuous
exercise, lack of exercise, lack of
certain minerals, pregnancy or even
a trapped nerve in your spine, for
example. If the cramps are severe
and prolonged it’s important to get
yourself checked but you can also
make sure you drink plenty of clean
filtered water daily, at least 2 1/2 litres.
A lack of magnesium, potassium or
calcium can commonly trigger cramps,
especially if you take cholesterollowering
medications, which have
a diuretic effect and are known to
deplete minerals. Make sure you
eat plenty of mineral-rich fruits and
vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard,
arugula, watercress, broccoli, celery,
bananas, watermelon, cucumber,
zucchini, sweet potato, winter squash,
potato (with skins), avocado, beetroot,
oranges, tomatoes and white beans.
Sprouted beans, lentils, nuts and seeds
are also great sources of minerals.
Taking a superfood supplement like
wheatgrass powder, moringa powder,
barley grass or alfalfa powder in a
little water daily can also help to
boost your mineral intake and prevent
cramps. If you do not exercise, try to
do some gentle stretching and increase
your daily number of steps. If the
cramping is from your workout, make
sure you are adequately warming up
and cooling down from your sessions
and increasing your mineral intake.
Coconut water is rich in electrolytes
and so is also great for replenishing
minerals.
Francine White is a Nutritionist and
Columnist with Yourwellness Magazine
Dr Bina Wadhawan says: A leg
cramp is an episode of sudden pain
in the muscles of the leg caused by
involuntary contracting of the leg
muscle. The muscles of your calf,
thigh or foot suddenly become hard,
tight and painful. This usually lasts
for a few seconds to a few minutes.
Causes of leg cramps can be due to
overexertion, dehydration, side effects
of certain drugs and medication, and
an imbalance of sodium, potassium,
calcium, and magnesium. Certain
medical conditions like inadequate
blood supply, pregnancy, structural
disorder (flat feet) and endocrine
disorder can also cause nocturnal leg
cramps.
Always try to treat the underlying
cause first. Make sure that you stay
hydrated. Drink six to eight glasses
of water each day. Eat more foods
that are high in vitamins, magnesium,
calcium and potassium. Bananas, sweet
potatoes, spinach, yogurt, nuts are
rich in those minerals and nutrients,
and may ward off the deficiencies
that would cause leg cramps. In
addition, take Vitamin E, B complex
and magnesium supplements. Make
sure you are nourishing your body
and getting enough rest. Spend a few
minutes riding a stationary bicycle
before going to bed. Stretch properly
before exercise and wear appropriate
footwear that supports your feet.
Forcefully stretching the affected
muscle, jiggling your leg, massaging,
applying ice and standing straight
on the ground are usually the most
effective ways to relieve the cramp.
Straighten the leg and pull the toes up
towards the knee. Walk on the tiptoes
for a few minutes. Remember to act
quickly as it can substantially reduce
the duration of leg cramp and provide
relief promptly.
Dr Bina Wadhawan is an Alternative
Medicine Therapist, Naturopath and
Reiki Master. To know more,
visit www.drbina.com
Do you need expert advice? Send your problem, in confidence, to: ask@yourwellness.com. Problems can only be
answered on the page, we are unable to answer personally. You can also visit the forums at www.yourwellness.com and
ask advice from other readers online.
July 2018 • Issue II • Volume VII • yourwellness.com