Don't Let Muscle Pain
Cramp Your Style

You've probably felt the pain of a muscle cramp at one time or another. The pain can be excruciating. 

Muscle cramps commonly occur when a muscle is worked to the point of exhaustion, but often the underlying cause can be a nutritional imbalance.

If muscle cramps plague you, take a look at these 3 nutritional factors that may contribute to muscle cramping.

#1. Dehydration

The average adult woman should drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day just to keep up with her body's vital needs. Pregnant women and new mothers require more water than 8 ounces a day and if you exercise, your body's need for water is also increased. Water serves so many purposes to our bodies. It helps to regulate body temperature, prevents constipation, aids in digestion, helps the body absorb vital nutrients and curbs appetite. 

Some key tips for making water work for you: 

* Drink at least 8 glasses a day, more if you exercise, are pregnant or are a new mother. 
* Flavor water with orange, lemon or lime slices. 
* Avoid coffee, tea and alcohol - they dehydrate

#2. Not Enough Calcium

Since calcium plays an essential role in muscle contractions, some researchers believe that even a small calcium deficiency may cause muscle cramps.  Plan to eat the recommended 2 to 3 servings of dairy a day, including milk, yogurt and cheese.

To find out how much calcium you need each day, visit the Nutritional Needs Calculator.

#3. Sodium Deficiency

Excessive sweating can lead to a sodium deficiency if salt intake is restricted.  Despite the bad press sodium often gets, it is essential to life.

500mg of sodium a day is considered to be the least you need. That's 1/4 teaspoon of table salt. There is no official recommended daily intake for sodium. However, healthy individuals are advised to limit sodium intake to 2,400mg a day. That figure is used for determining the percent daily value for sodium on food labels.

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