4 Ways to Fix Muscle Cramps + DIY Natural Electrolyte Drink Recipe

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Plagued by sudden, random muscle cramps? Here’s some common causes of muscle cramps, and how to stop them. Plus, get a tasty, easy drink recipe below to naturally replenish your electrolytes.

Muscle cramps are involuntary contractions of certain muscles in your body. While they most commonly occur in your legs, feet, and calves; they can plague any muscle that is having trouble relaxing.

Some examples of pain caused by muscle cramps include lower back pain, menstrual cramps, and aching calves. This type of pain is different from the pain of a pulled muscle, which will come on suddenly from activity and possibly start to swell. Also the pain of a pulled muscle will usually stick around much longer than a muscle cramp.

4 Common Causes of Muscle Cramps

There are several causes of muscle cramps, with each depending on your lifestyle and activities.

1. Electrolyte Imbalance

One of the most common causes of muscle cramps is electrolyte imbalance.

Electrolytes are natural chemicals such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, and chloride, that are used by your body for nerve signalling, regulating blood pressure, and maintaining fluid balance.

Each contains an electric charge (hence the name) that causes your nerves to send signals throughout your body. Specifically, a good balance of electrolytes keeps your muscles contracting and relaxing as they should.

Unfortunately, every time you sweat or urinate, you lose a certain amount of these electrolytes. In a perfect world, these would automatically be replaced through mineral-rich foods in the correct amounts.

However, if you don’t regularly consume a lot of organic veggies and fruit, you might end up getting too much sodium and not enough potassium or magnesium, which can cause your muscles to spasm because your nerves don’t have the means to send them proper signals.

In the same vein, if you avoid all sodium sources, you might find yourself with extremely low sodium levels, which can also affect how efficiently your muscles receive signals from your nerves. It’s a truly delicate balance that can easily be thrown out of whack if you’re not paying attention.

2. Lactic Acid Buildup

Researchers have long blamed sore muscles on the buildup of lactic acid – a by-product of muscle breakdown and repair.

While this soreness usually occurs around 12-48 hours after a workout, some evidence has shown that lactic acid accumulation during exercise can also cause muscle spasms, especially when the muscle is worked to fatigue. If you find you’re getting cramps during intense exercise, this could be to blame.

3. Lack of Circulation

If you’ve ever experienced your feet or hands feeling numb, you know that lack of blood circulation can definitely have an immediate effect on your body. One of these effects could also be muscle cramps, since a blockage or compressed area could reduce the blood flow of nutrients to certain muscles.

4. Posture

Similar to lack of circulation, poor posture can also put unnatural pressure on the muscles, ligaments, and nerves throughout your body. This could result in the signals to your muscles being blocked or compressed, causing them to spasm. Sit up straight! Poor posture could lead to muscle spasms.

If you’ve been getting enough electrolytes and regularly stretch your muscles, but still find you have persistent muscle cramps, you might want to work on your posture or see a chiropractor.

4 Ways to Fix Muscle Cramps

1. Eat More Mineral-Rich Foods

There’s a reason you’ve probably been told at least once in your life to eat a banana if you’re having cramps. Namely, bananas and several other fruits and veggies, are rich in potassium and electrolytes that can help get your muscle contractions back on track.

Some other excellent sources of minerals and electrolytes are avocado, sweet potato, citrus fruits, kale and leafy greens, root vegetables like carrots and beets, and seeds. Try adding more of these into your daily diet, making sure to get plenty before and after sweaty, intense workouts.

2. Get Moving

If your muscle cramps are being caused by lack of circulation, your best bet is to add more movement into your day. This could mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and standing once or twice every hour and doing some active stretches like arm circles and leg swings.

3. Stretch and Foam Roll

Stretching and foam rolling have been shown to help remove lactic acid buildup in muscles, which could reduce the chances of experiencing cramps. Massaging the area that’s cramping up can also bring immediate, effective relief.

4. Increase Electrolytes

As mentioned earlier, electrolyte imbalances are a common cause of repeated muscle cramps. Increasing electrolytes can help re-balance your system to help your muscles fire properly. Drink coconut water or pickle juice after your workouts — not Gatorade!

Aside from increasing your intake of mineral-rich foods, you can also consume drinks like coconut water and pickle juice, before and after your workouts, to help keep you hydrated. One thing you shouldn’t do, however, is down commercial sports drinks, since they’re often loaded with sugar and artificial colors, flavors, and chemicals.

Instead, check out the do-it-yourself electrolyte water recipe below!

DIY Natural Sports Drink with Electrolytes

Recipe by Megan Olson

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of coconut water
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1/8 cup lime juice
• 1 t honey
• ½ t sea salt

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process on high 2-3 minutes until honey is fully incorporated.

• Transfer to a glass and drink.

Watch this video – Fix Muscle Cramps – 7 Causes & 7 Cures

Written by Megan Patiry

Author Bio:

Megan is an inquisitive nutrition and wellness writer harboring an editorial love affair with the decadent and the nutritious. She is a dedicated researcher in all areas of ancestral health, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal trainer, and professional almond milk latte addict.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Top 11 Healthy Potassium-Rich Foods You Should Eat Often

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

While you tend to think of bananas when it comes to potassium, many other foods – like avocados and sweet potatoes – naturally pack more potassium.

When it comes to filling up your plate with potassium-rich foods, knowing which sources to reach for and having a range of healthy options are essential.

Discover why this nutrient is key to your health, and the top eleven foods that are chock-full of potassium.

What is Potassium?

Potassium functions as an electrolyte in the body, controlling fluid balances and muscle contractions.

This essential mineral lives mostly in muscle cells but is also found in red blood cells, the liver, and the bones.

Potassium intake today is well below what it would have been for people who lived in the pre-agricultural time. This is because the soil is no longer as rich in minerals as it was before the age of agriculture.

Symptoms of low potassium can range from fatigue and muscle cramping to insomnia, depression, and even irregular heartbeat.

To ensure proper electrolyte and fluid levels, you should eat plenty of potassium-rich foods every single day.

6 Benefits of Potassium

Potassium is crucial for healthy bones, kidneys, and blood pressure. While we don’t often think of potassium as being involved with our health issues, it can play a bigger role than we may realize. Here are six of the biggest health benefits that potassium can provide.

1. Reduces High Blood Pressure

Potassium helps to regulate fluid levels in the body, supporting a healthy blood pressure. This helps reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.

2. Supports the Nervous System

The nervous system is the great communicator of the body and requires healthy muscles to function. Potassium supports proper muscular contraction, which influences how the nervous system sends messages throughout the entire body.

3. Aids in Muscular Function

As we touched on above, potassium can alter how muscles work by changing the way nerve cells are able to communicate. The heart – a particularly important muscle – can be dramatically impacted by too little or too much potassium, leading to an irregular heartbeat.

4. Balances Fluids

Without electrolytes, the body’s fluid balances would be out of sorts. More than 60 percent of the body is water, and this balance of fluids in and out of the cells is carefully regulated by electrolytes and potassium. When potassium is out of balance, muscle contractions, heart problems, and kidney stones or disorders can occur.

5. Provides Healthy Bone Mass

Got potassium? While many studies focus on calcium for strong bones, some research shows that potassium also directly strengthens bones.

Osteoporosis and bone density problems are mostly genetic, but as much as 40 percent can be influenced by diet.

6. Promotes Kidney Health

Kidney stones often form when excess calcium isn’t buffered by the right fluid balance. Potassium can help lower the amount of calcium in urine, preventing kidney stones and keeping the bladder and kidneys free from calcifications.

11 Potassium-Rich Foods

Here are the top nine Paleo-friendly foods with the highest amounts of potassium.

1. Winter Squash

Winter squash, including varieties like acorn, butternut, and pumpkin, is rich in potassium, B vitamins and vitamin C. Roast them for savory or sweet side dishes, soups, and chilis.

2. Cooked Spinach

Raw spinach has less than five percent daily value of potassium, but lightly cooking spinach until soft increases its potassium levels significantly. Try stuffing cooked spinach into Portobello mushrooms, top it on a burger, or jazz up your next pot of soup.

3. Sun-dried Tomatoes

While raw tomatoes contain some potassium, sundried tomatoes are an epic source of this mineral for such a small serving. Get your fill with this recipe for chicken smothered in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce.

4. Bok Choy

Bok choy is a nutrient-dense leafy green vegetable perfect for stir-fries, sautéed veggies, and Asian-inspired dishes. Just one cup cooked – which shrinks down fairly small – contains 18 percent of your daily value.

5. Avocado

This beloved fruit is rich in fiber and B vitamins and packs a wallop of potassium with nearly a quarter of the day’s needs in just one cup of mashed avocado. Mix it into a hearty guacamole and pile it onto burgers and sandwiches.

6. Banana

While most people associate bananas with potassium, it’s definitely not the food highest in this nutrient. Still, a single banana contains more than 10 percent of your daily value, making it a great choice for a snack.

7. Wild-caught Salmon

Salmon is rich in potassium and other minerals like phosphorous, selenium, and magnesium. Bake it any night of the week for a hearty meal rich in healthy omega-3 fats.

8. Broccoli

When steamed or boiled, broccoli contains well over 10% of the day’s potassium needs. It also contains lots of healthy B vitamins and fiber. Add them to stir-fries, toss them into broccoli salads, or blend them up into a soup.

9. Sweet Potato

These yam-like vegetables carry a nice amount of potassium, but also manganese, vitamin A, and vitamin B6. Roast them, spiral them up into savory “noodle” dishes, or even whip them up into sweet potato pancake batter.

10. Watermelon

This juicy fruit is considered by many to be mostly water, but it’s actually packed with plenty of nutrients like vitamins A and C as well as 14 percent daily value of potassium. Slice it up and enjoy as a delicious snack.

11. Coconut water

Coconut water is better than any sports drink for fighting off muscle cramps and dehydration – it contains natural electrolytes like magnesium, calcium, sodium, and manganese alongside a healthy dose of potassium to help you bounce back quickly. Plus, it has no artificial coloring or refined sugars.

Potassium-Rich Recipes

If you want to add more potassium to your diet, try these delicious home-style recipes.

1. Salmon Sweet Potato Cakes with Avocado Salsa
This recipe packs the double whammy of potassium from both the salmon and sweet potatoes.

2. Roasted Acorn Squash
This squash makes the perfect anti-inflammatory side dish for holidays or just everyday eating.

3. Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies
Potassium-rich sweet potatoes are the not-so-secret ingredients in these moist, decadent brownies.

4. Keto Avocado Brownies
Speaking of brownies: this batch of goodness relies on the creamy perfection of avocado for a superb texture.

5. Cream of Broccoli Soup
Cooked broccoli contains plenty of potassium and what better way to enjoy it than blended up in a dairy-free soup.

Watch this video – 20 High Potassium Foods (700 Calorie Meals) DiTuro Productions

Bottom Line

Potassium is required for healthy functioning muscles and nerves. There are plenty of foods rich in potassium, so be sure to eat a lot of them to get enough electrolytes in your system.

Written by Aimee McNew

Author Bio:

Aimee McNew is a Certified Nutritionist who specializes in women’s health, thyroid problems, infertility, and digestive wellness. She ate her way back to health using a Paleo diet, lost 80 pounds, and had a healthy baby after numerous miscarriages. She focuses on simple nutrition practices that promote long-lasting results.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook