Beware the Statin Drugs and Leg Cramps

If you take cholesterol-lowering medication and are suffering leg cramps, it's likely you're suffering a side-effect of the drug.

There are other options to these liver-damaging, nutrient-depriving drugs that won't damage your health.

Check with your doctor for alternatives.

Yoga, Pilates Help Prevent Running Cramps and Leg Cramps

Well, our secret is out - you can prevent running cramps and leg cramps by doing flexibility exercises such as yoga and pilates.

As the players and coach of the Rockford Soccer team testify, a regular program of yoga helps prevent muscle cramps - click here for the article.

Many sportspeople don't spend enough time doing stretches before and after a game and most do not include flexibility exercises such as yoga into the training routine.

Our experience is that yoga will help you prevent running cramps and leg cramps and should be part of your regular training program.

We have included a 5 minute flexibility program as well as a stretching routine in the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide that we guarantee will work if you make it part of your regular routine.

6 Eating Rules to Prevent Running Cramps

If you suffer running cramps there may be a way you can literally eat your way to good health and avoid getting a leg cramp each time you exercise.

Here's some tips that may help:

1. Eat enough and eat often - at least 5 meals per day - this includes between meal snacks. To do this properly you will need to plan ahead the night before - heres some ideas: prepare packs of nuts, bags of fruit, left overs from the evening meal, make a whey shake, make sandwiches, pack some vegetables and make salads, can of tuna or salmon can go a long way.
2. Eat carbohydrates - you need carbohydrates for energy. Choose more complex carbohydrates (low GI) as opposed to refined carbohydrates (cakes, biscuits, muffins etc).
3. Drink lots of water - hydration is one way you can prevent running cramps. Water is also needed for the release of energy from carbohydrates and helps keep the body and muscles cooler.
4. Choose lean sources of protein - protein provides sustained energy and aids muscle repair and growth.
5. Eat a balanced diet - a good guide to proportions is about 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein and 20% fat. Make sure you consume at least 5-7 servings per day of vegetables and 2-3 servings of fruit. If you train for more than 2 and a half hours each day you may need to increase this.
6. Eat Healthy - always chhose natural and nutrient-rich foods over junk foods. Junk food is loaded with harmful free radicals, trans-fatty acids, preservatives, food chemicals and rancid fats - all of which slow, inhibit or even deprive the delivery of nutrients to the muscles.
7. Supplements can help - if you exercise regularly and work regular hours, you may need to supplement your diet so you get adequate amounts of minerals (particularly the major minerals of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Copper etc), vitamins and essential fatty acids. If you think you exercise a lot and get everything you need from the food you eat, you are kidding yourself. Click here for more help with supplements.

The Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide has several chapters devoted to nutrition, eating plan and the role of nutrients in preventing running cramps, calf cramps, leg cramps - all types of cramps. we exaplain what minerals and vitamins you need, the role of minerals, vitamins and essential fats in preventing muscle cramps and eating plans that will ensure you are getting adequate amounts of these nutrients.

Will pocket full of soap stave off leg cramps?

Apparently this leg cramps treatment of putting a stock standard bar of soap in your sheets or in your pocket has a lot of favour among many readers.

My opinion is that anything is worth a try and this seems to be an inexpensive and simple remedy.

I have no idea as to how it works, but as the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

So I'll leave it there.

Restless Leg Syndrome & Leg Cramps

Restless Leg Syndrome is a condition that particularly affects the elderly and is more prevalent at night.

It causes uncomfortable sensations, including leg cramps, and is generally alleviated by activity.

Doctors will tell you that it's a genetically inherited disease and prescribe muscle relaxants and sleeping pills to help you relax and sleep.

In fact there's a more natural solution to the condition.

In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide we talk about several major minerals (such as Calcium and Magnesium) that work like a charm for leg cramp and running cramp sufferers and will help restless leg syndrome sufferers exactly the same.

We also recommend a program of stretching and flexibility exercises. The benefit here is that by following a particular program of exercise that you can do right in the comfort of your home (as opposed to randomly walking around or doing a few stretches to relieve the pain) you will see faster results.

For anyone suffering chronic RLS I would also recommend a program of Japanese acupuncture - it'll have you relaxed and sleeping like a baby after a couple of visits.

For more information, download your copy of The Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide.

Running Cramps, Leg Cramps & Nutrition in Pregnancy

Cramping and leg cramps are a problem for many women during pregnancy. To cure them is quite simple and involves doing the same things you would normally do to ensure you have a healthy baby.

Exercise - regular exercise is helpful for cardiovascular health. As the pregnancy developes make sure you choose low impact options such as swimming and walking.

Nutrition - we all should be aware of the benefits of folic acid and essential fatty acids and some of the major minerals like calcium and magnesium. A balanced nutritional intake and the use of supplements is definitely recommended. The Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide has many recommendations that will not only help prevent leg cramps and running cramps, the same nutrients will also help women in pregnancy.

Stretching & Flexibility - the exercises we recommend in The Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide will not only keep you toned, they will help prevent and alleviate the cramps.

Hydration - stay well hydrated (with water) at all times - particularly in a hot/humid climate.

When Running Cramps Become a Strain

Dealing with Running Cramps is one thing - but curing serious calf strain is a challenge that has taken me over 8 weeks. In this article I'm going to share with you the techniques I've learned to turn around debilitating and chronic calf strain.

It all started when I returned to running after literally tearing my hamstring - in fact the tendon totally tore off the muscle.

Through constant physiotherapy, daily exercises and plenty of walking and stretches I was gradually able to build up my remaining tendon and get the muscle working again.

Surgery at the time wasn't an option because I was working in a remote area and by the time I was able to walk again, I was also pain-free and decided against having a surgical repair.

The end result, to cut a long story short, is when I got into running again, I found that I had changed my running style to accomodate the injury and this resulted intially in running cramp - the reason I wrote the Running Cramp Relief E-Book

Once I worked out how to cure the running calf cramps - it's all in the book - I started to get chronic calf strain. In fact the strains appeared like clockwork; at around the 3km mark (running at only 60% effort) I experienced a sudden stabbing pain that go worse very quickly and resulted in a convalesecence period of over 5 days.

So I then switched my attention to dealing with the strain and successfully came up with a program that I'm about to commit to e-book form.

Once the e-book is produced, all of my Running Cramp Relief customers will receive an advance copy absolutely FREE.

Following is a summary of the program I used to cure my calf strain in 8 weeks - looking back I now know i could have done it in 4-6 weeks and this is what I will elaborate on in the e-book:

• I used the exact same stretching, flexibility & yoga exercises in The Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide
• I followed the same self-massage program as described in The Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide
• I used Japanese acupuncture to 'get in control' of the injury - two treatments were required - in addition there are several pressure points that are very effective.
• Moxa was applied to the calf and hamstring after every workout.
• I trippled my calcium intake to 3000 mg of calcium and 1500 mg of magnesium per day - this was in a liquid and capsule form.
• Strength training involving a 30 minute run and hill climbing - I'll elaborate on this program as it was key to conditioning the muscle to deal with the injury. In particular this involved getting the muscle to the point of failure and actually failing it repeatedly and conditioning it to fail after progressively longer periods.
• Strenuous walking and making sure the foot is quite stretched during the stride.

For anyone who has suffered running cramps or calf strain, you will know that having a chronic injury of this type is debilitating, frustrating, painful and potentially expensive if you get an 'army' of therapists involved. The new book, I promise will deliver results.