| Muscle cramps caused by nutritional | | | | especially potassium, can be helpful in |
| deficiencies can be treated successfully | | | | cases, where the disease is caused by mental |
| through diet. The patient should take a diet | | | | tension and nervous disorders. Elimination of |
| which contains liberal quantities of all the | | | | contributory psychic causes are, however, |
| essential nutrients. This diet may consist of | | | | also essential in such cases. |
| seeds, nuts and whole grain, cereals, | | | | |
| vegetables and fruits. The emphasis should be | | | | Foot cramp may sometimes be caused by |
| on calcium and magnesium-rich foods, such as | | | | deficiency of Vitamin B6. Even many strong |
| leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits, | | | | persons suffer from foot cramps because of |
| particularly apricots, and soured milk | | | | lack of this Vitamin. In such cases, it is |
| products. The best sources of calcium are | | | | essential to take Vitamin B6 on a regular |
| most vegetables, cereals like millet, oats, | | | | basis. This vitamin can be taken up to 50 mg |
| rice, sesame seeds, beans, milk and homemade | | | | daily for months together without any ill |
| cottage cheese. | | | | effects. It is, however, essential that while |
| | | | taking Vitamin B6, the whole family of |
| The patient should avoid excess of citrus | | | | Vitamin B complex should be taken |
| fruits, especially their juices, meats and | | | | simultaneously, as too much of one of the B |
| excess of grains, especially wheat, as all of | | | | vitamin may cause imbalance of the other |
| them are deficient in calcium. Millets are | | | | Vitamins of the B group. |
| the best cereals for relieving muscle cramps | | | | |
| and they should be consumed liberally by the | | | | Cramps associated with menstrual cycle and |
| patient. Other foods which are valuable in | | | | menopause can be treated successfully by |
| this disease are sesame seeds and almond, | | | | large doses of Vitamin E, B6 and B12. |
| especially in the form of milk. | | | | |
| | | | A useful method for relieving muscle cramps |
| The use of Vitamin C and E in large doses has | | | | is to apply heating pad over the cramping |
| been found beneficial in the treatment of | | | | area. Massaging the area will also be |
| muscle cramps caused by oxygen deficiency in | | | | helpful. Persons suffering from leg cramps at |
| the tissue. Vitamin C has been found valuable | | | | night should keep bed covers loose, or use a |
| in the assimilation of calcium in the body | | | | foot cradle at night to keep the weight of |
| and preventing it from piling in the joints. | | | | the covers off the feet. Those sleeping on |
| Vitamin E helps circulation in the legs. Leg | | | | their stomach may extend their feet over the |
| cramps in some cases have responded to adding | | | | edge of the mattress to maintain a neutral |
| vegetable oils, which is a rich source of | | | | foot position. |
| Vitamin E, to the diet. Organic minerals, | | | | |