Milk
is a great natural source of calcium, potassium and sodium.
It also contains protein, which is essential to repairing your muscles after your workouts.
Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of potassium, calcium and magnesium.
It's not just sweet potatoes either, normal potatoes are also great sources of these 3 nutrients. Additionally, potatoes contain a lot of water to help keep you hydrated.
Melon has it all! Lots of potassium, a good amount of magnesium & calcium, a bit of sodium and lots of water. Sodium and water are important as you exercise your body flushes sodium out with your sweat. If you lose too much water you can get dehydrated and muscle cramps are much more likely to occur.
Bananas are an awesome source of potassium, but they can also provide calcium and magnesium.
That's 3/4 of the electrolytes you will require to prevent muscle cramps all wrapped up nicely in a yellow peel. It's no surprise that bananas are a popular choice for cramp relief!
Legumes such as lentils & beans are chock full of magnesium. For example, one cup of cooked black beans has nearly 120 milligrams of magnesium. Additionally, they are high in fiber, which is shown to help ease another type of cramps (menstrual), as well as helping to maintain your blood sugar levels and lower your LDL cholesterol.
BONUS: Many athletes swear by pickle juice as a quick way to alleviate muscle cramps. It is believed to be because of it's high water and sodium content. Some research would even suggest that pickle juice sets off a reaction within your nervous system that helps to immediately stop cramps!
You can also get electrolytes from supplements if you are still struggling to get enough from whole food sources.
In fact, you can check out our online store with Thorne Research for products that contain electrolytes, such as Magnesium CitraMate. You can even get 10% off your purchase if you list Rejuv Medical Fitness as your referral source!
I truly hope this article has given you a few ideas to help effectively alleviate your cramps!
~ Taylor the Kinesiologist
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