I don't have cramps every single night but it is really bothering, even unfrequently. I read they come out of mineral lacks ( magnesium, sodium, calcium,...). I'd like to do the right thing NOW so the problem does not build up.

Any thoughts about what to do? Should I supplement? In the past, I avoided all multivitamins because it would give me stomach pain.

I'm 100% raw since 01/01.

thanks

Cynthia

Cynthia,

Alas, raw cacao is very high in mag : ( Also: kelp, dulse, leafy greens, dandelion, parsley, nuts and seeds. Good luck!

Whenever I stop eating sunflower seeds and whole brown sesame seeds, I get cramps in my toes, and sometimes feet, especially at night.

Whenever I start eating them again - especially the sesame seeds - the cramps always go away, usually within a couple of days.

My husband has found the same thing to be true for him, regarding the sesame seeds.

1/4 cup a day of each of the two seeds is more than sufficient for me (I'm small). Sometimes I soak them first, and sometimes, I don't.

Forgot to mention that foods containing vitamin C will help a person absorb the minerals in sesame seeds. ORANGES are a good source of both calcium and vitamin C.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/2009 06:59PM by suncloud.

Potassium is supposed to help cramps. Are you eating bananas?

I'm a semi-retired organic banana farmer, formerly supplying certified organic bananas to health food stores for many years.

In my experience, even LOTS of bananas included in a raw food vegan diet everyday for many years will not prevent toe/foot/leg cramps - UNLESS there is also sufficient calcium in the diet.

I get most of my calcium from oranges (also home grown organic), sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Bananas are good though!

Thank you so much for all your advices. I eat bananas almost everyday. No sunflower seeds though as I have a hard time digesting them. I'll try sesame seeds.

Can lemons replace oramges? I eat tons of them.


Cynthia

Hi cynthia.

A lemon actually has just a little bit more calcium and just a little bit more Vitamin C than a naval orange (according to www.nutritiondata.com).

So if you're eating tons of them, it seems they could probably replace oranges for those nutrients.

well, first i have to say congrats for being raw since 01, thants amazing. i have just started a couple of days ago and cant wait till i can say i have been doing raw for as long as you have.

even when on the SAD diet, mulit vits give me a belly ache too. i have always tried crushing them and putting them in my smoothies or something. i wonder if that could work or if the smoothie would just be unbearable.

i dont have much advice, i just wanted to congrat you on such progress since 01. i hope you find a solution. good luck

Have you tried lying down and putting your feet up at a 90 degree angle against the wall or whatever? It will help some of the lactic acid to flow back down your legs, and helps your lymphatic system. My sister does this for 10min every day and it helps her with cramps.

Hi there,
I was talking to my Dad last night who is an intuitive healer/Chiropractor, and vitamin/herb/homeopathic specialist. He was picking up low-calcium on you for your feet cramps. Greens have the most calcium, you may want to research which greens have the most, for some reason, I'm thinking Broccoli has a lot of calcium. Anytime, we feel stressed, our bodies absorb our calcium, so when we're stressed it's important to eat alot of calcium filled food. If you do want to go on a supplement, I recommend CALM. it is a powder Cal-Magnessium drink mix. It eases stress in the first sip. I love this stuff. Our bodies absorb calcium best with Magnessium, which is why the two are together in most good supplements.

GooD Luck with the greens and remember to find ways to calm your sweet self, especially before bed. Maybe yoga, journal writing, poetry, playing some music, or meditating (counting breaths is a good one).

Happy Healing.

cucumbers are good stress relievers too...and maybe some forward bends to stretch your legs and calves.. also ankle rolls and flexes throughout the day and before bed should help.

I totally agree with Maxi; it's the calcium, and our bodies absorb calcium best when there's also sufficient magnesium.

Cruciferous greens (brocolli, collards, kale, cabbage, etc.) have the most calcium - for greens - and also fair amounts of magnesium.

But sesame seeds are often overlooked as the most calcium-concentrated raw vegan food source (that I'm aware of), and they're very high in magnesium as well. Unfortunately, average consumers in "developed" countries don't usually consider eating whole brown sesame seeds, although they're routinely eaten in many "underdeveloped" countries.

Tahini (sesame butter) is not nearly as good a source for calcium, because it's usually made with white sesame seeds. The calcium-loaded brown hulls are removed.

Here's some USDA data on calcium and magnesium (as noted by www.nutritiondata.com):

One QUARTER (1/4) Cup (!) of raw whole brown sesame seeds supplies 351 mg calcium, or 35% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for calcium. Plus, 126 mg magnesium, or 31.5% of the RDA for magnesium.

One WHOLE (1) Cup of raw broccoli (including flowers and stems) supplies 42.8 mg calcium, or 4% of the RDA for calcium. Plus, 19.1 mg magnesium, or 5% of the RDA for magnesium.

One Cup of raw collards supplies 52.2 mg calcium, or 5% of the RDA for calcium. Plus,3.2 mg magnesium, or 1% of the RDA for magnesium.

One Cup of raw kale supplies 90.5 mg calcium, or 9% of the RDA for calcium. Plus, 22.8 mg magnesium, or 6% of the RDA for magnesium.

One Cup of raw scotch kale supplies 137 mg calcium, or 14% of the RDA for calcium. Plus, 137 mg magnesium, or `19% of the RDA for magnesium.

If you compare, you'll see why whole brown sesame seeds are an excellent food for correcting calcium deficiency, and for preventing deficiency in the future.

But, unless a person wants to eat over half cup of sesame seeds a day, it's definitely good to include other high-calcium foods - like the above cruciferous greens - to bring up the total daily calcium % (as close to 100% as possible if you have symptoms of calcium deficiency).

The above figures appear to show that if you're eating enough calcium-rich foods, you'll probably also be getting enough magnesium.

In checking USDA figures, I now notice that when I referred yesterday to a lemon having a little more calcium than an orange, I was looking at the calcium figures for a WHOLE lemon, INCLUDING THE PEEL.

OOPS! Sorry!

Here's some exact data on the citrus:

1 lemon WITH PEEL supplies 65.9 mg of calcium, or 7% of RDA.

1 large lemon, WITHOUT PEEL supplies 21.8 mg calcium, or 2% of RDA.

The juice from 1 lemon yields 3.3 mg of calcium, or 0% (!) of the RDA.

1 orange, WITH PEEL supplies 111 mg of calcium, or 11% of the RDA.

1 naval orange, WITHOUT PEEL supplies 60.2 mg of calcium, or 6% of RDA.

So there you go. I agree with Maxi's Dad. It's the calcium. My vegan nutritionist told me the same thing when I first had toe/foot/leg cramps (Mine became really bad. Both calves would suddenly cramp up in the middle of the night. The condition was soon corrected by adding more calcium-rich foods to my diet. Supplementing was never necessary for me)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2009 03:46AM by suncloud.

Hi Everyone,

My feet / leg cramps are a thing of the past since 1/1/09. I too used to be shaken from deep sleep with a Charlie-horse. I had to learn that whenever this happened to lean over the side of my bed & kinda stand up ( we have a high mattress). My feet would cramp up for seemingly no reason when I laid down to relax or to sleep. I thought it was just from 'gettin old'.... NOT... I'm only 53.

Since starting 95% or more raw on 1/1 I haven't experienced this even once. My diet consists mainly of green smoothies (spinach & romaine), Zuchinni pasta, raw stuffed peppers (sunflower seeds,walnuts,celery,lemon,dry basil), kashi cereal, lots of bananas, apples, & red grapes.

It seems in my case it was the SAD diet that caused this. I also had real problems digesting bananas when I ate SAD but since 1/1 I have no indigestion whatsoever. Because I am eating foods to create serotonin nutritionally, I also eat lots of nuts & seeds so I can continue to wean myself from paxil so I benefit more than 1 way from this.

Hope this helps........
Joe

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not self-seeking, love ALWAYS protects,always endures. (1corinthians 13)

God IS love!! (1john4)
Jesus Christ...... The ONLY way to Heaven.
I am the Way, the Truth & the Life..(John 14:6)

hey joewood

hmm nifty the idea of raw stuffed red bell peppers
i like broccoli... been using my food processor to make a fluffy broccoli mix
then i put it onto cabbage

but i think i'll put it in red bell peppers now

how do u make your kashi?

do u soak stuff overnight? add berries?

Hi La_veronique,

My kashi is the typical breakfast cereal from the box. Since I'm new to the raw style I still have some cereal left from my SAD days. Lately, I've been adding blueberries with banana milk or if I'm pressed for time I'll just use soy milk.


I know this isn't raw but I'm still very much a newbie in transition. I believe it's a marathon, not a sprint. I know I'll get there soon.

I ate some cabbage with lemon squeezed over it & I thought it was delicious. My body however had a little trouble digesting it so I haven't had it lately. I like raw brocolli also but haven't eaten any recently. I just bought a Hamilton-Beach food processor a week ago & I'm very happy with it. When my money situation improves, I'll splurge for a cuisinart.

I never knew until last week that the green peppers weren't as ripe or as nutritous as the red. So I buy red or orange or yellow.

Joe

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not self-seeking, love ALWAYS protects,always endures. (1corinthians 13)

God IS love!! (1john4)
Jesus Christ...... The ONLY way to Heaven.
I am the Way, the Truth & the Life..(John 14:6)

I heard our body is supposed to have a "mind" of its own. Now I understand why I crave cauliflower and lemon so much. I enjoy drinking lemon juice straight, I have never enough of it LOL !! Thanks Maxi, suncloud and all others for your experiences and advices.

Cynthia

For what its worth, I learned that placing a bar of soap beneath your bed sheet (between mattress and sheet) is suppose to help. I don't know how. I learned this after I had a massive leg cramp one night. I have a bar of ayurvedic soap under my sheet now. I haven't had a cramp since but I get them very infrequently anyway. I don't know that the kind of soap matters. But, its worth a try and it can't hurt - unless you sit on the bar of soap. :-)

Good luck.

Patty