Muscle Cramps/new diet

kikih64

I put this on the primal tips group and no one has replied. Thought I'd try here too! Thanks.

So, in my past life, I pretty much ate a banana everyday and white potatoes a few times a week. I've adopted primal about 6 weeks ago, and am now experiencing feet and calf spasms almost everyday. I'm guessing lack of potassium and calcium could be the cause, since this was never a problem before.

I haven't had a banana or white potato I think in 6 weeks - really trying to watch sugar levels. I do minimal dairy now too. I suppose I could go the supplement route, but thought I'd check in with the group. Have any of you experienced this? What are your thoughts on bananas and white potatoes - are there other foods I can try?

Thanks all!!

ShannonKirton

I have never experienced any of that, but I never had bananas or white potatoes as often as you say you had in the past. Maybe it is a "sudden" lack of the particular minerals that are found in both of these items. Try a supplement and see if it helps, otherwise maybe try to incorporate them again slowly and minimally due to your watch on sugar.

kiramaniac

How low are your carbs?

The issue may be a potassium deficiency, but the core of the potassium deficiency may be tied to sodium deficiency.

From "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" Low carb diets are natriuretic - they make the kidneys dump sodium. Sodium deficiency can cause headache, dizziness and fatigue. With continued low carb intake and sodium restriction, at some point your kidneys start to excrete potassium in order to conserve sodium. Potassium deficiency can lead to muscle cramps, cardiac dysrythmia. it can also cause the body to lose muscle, even when there's plenty of protein in the diet.

For low carb, we should consume 3-5 g sodium per day.

But this would really only apply if you've dropped carbs sufficiently low.

novarugger10

strawberries have quite a bit of potassium. Not sure if they have more or less sugar than bananas but I suppose its easier to control portion size considering they are smaller. If there is an issue with sodium, just add a bit more salt seasoning to your meals.

I wouldn't worry about the lack of white potatoes though as they are considered more of a starch than anything else. That being said, if you need more starch, stick to sweet potatoes/yams and white rice.

happyheathen927

I suffer from leg/foot cramps if I don't supplement. I'm fairly low-carb and avoid both bananas and potatoes; I have no idea whether other foods might be good sources. My cramps are VICIOUS and I do not mess around with them...potassium supplements every night.

Dragonwolf

I suffer from leg/foot cramps if I don't supplement. I'm fairly low-carb and avoid both bananas and potatoes; I have no idea whether other foods might be good sources. My cramps are VICIOUS and I do not mess around with them...potassium supplements every night.

Bananas aren't actually the top for potassium. http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php

As others have said, too, make sure you're getting enough sodium.

nellyett

I second the salt intake. As soon as we upped that my husband and I both felt worlds better!

strychnine7

I used to get calf cramps in the middle of the night that would wake me up out of a dead sleep almost every night. I started taking a calcium/magnesium supplement* once a day after reading an article by Bill Sardi**, and haven't had one since. In that same article, he also says, "I can remember, as a teenager, returning from a day at the beach and experiencing the worst charley-horse cramps in my leg muscles. A day in the bright sun had produced high vitamin D levels that increase the utilization of muscle-constricting and relaxing minerals such as calcium and magnesium. An imbalance of these minerals can produce excruciating leg and foot cramps."



* http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Calcium-Magnesium-Tablets/dp/B00028LZ9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379530567&sr=8-1&keywords=calcium+magnesium

** http://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/03/bill-sardi/how-to-stay-out-of-trouble-when-taking-dietary-supplements/

justaspoonfulofsugar

If you have gone low carb there are lots of things that can be an issue.
All have been mentioned above.
Another thing to consider is drinking a lot more water than you are used to as this helps to flush things out of the body.
Magnesium,more salt(broth for example)and potassium rich foods.
The only time I get cramps are when I am dehydrated.

KarenisPaleo

+1 on the magnesium and salt.

Either supplement with magnesium tablets or take epsom salt bath soaks for at least 12 minutes 4 times a week.

Akimajuktuq

There are many better sources of potassium than bananas and potatoes.

Anyway.... when I went Primal 14 months ago, I had many big health improvements but cramping feet were an every day occurrence. I was consuming lots of sea salt, so that didn't resolve it for me. Through advice and research I came to believe that it was magnesium deficiency. At the time I was not taking vitamins, except perhaps krill oil. When I started taking Dr. Mercola's multi-vitamin (not cheap, but high quality) the cramps were resolved in 3 days. I've had a couple of minor incidences of cramping in the last year, but not many and I am able to use my mind to fend them off when one starts (strange but true).

I also bath with magnesium salt one or two days per week. Magnesium will pass through skin apparently.

Edit: of course finding foods to rectify a deficiency is the best, but for me, I can't really improve much on what I am doing considering limitations of my remote community, so a high quality multi that proved itself to work immediately is money well spent.

kikih64

Thank you all for the advice. I'm getting plenty of water - avg. 80 oz. per day. I took a look at my diary for the last few weeks and sodium is all over the board - some days very low and others a bit over, so I am probably averaging less than I should. I aim for 15% carbs (usually between 60-80 per day), but rarely ever get that low - usually 20%+.

Dragon - I took a look at the link, and I am eating many of the foods on that list quite often.

I have had many fantastic health benefits since starting this way of eating, so I'm not giving up on it. I will use the links provided for further research and probably add a vitamin/supplement to my diet, as well as upping the sodium a bit. I've added it to my food tracker so I can more closely monitor.

Again - thanks everyone for all the great info!!

leighn62

I have had terrible problems with night time cramping and a naturopath type pharmacy recommended a liquid calcium/magnesium supplement (taken before bed) which helped. I found another supplement while reading these boards called Nautral Calm
that is magnesium powder you sitr into liquid and drink before bed. I think this has helped the most.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BPUY3W0/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1