Re: Leg Cramps - Please Go Away

December 9, 2000

Hi Bill,

Are you just starting Atkins? I had some problems the first month I

was on it. I find that the protein shakes have a good amount of

potassium in them. I use the atkins shake mix and whey powder and have

a shake everyday as a meal replacement or sometime for a snack.

Barbara

>I am now drinking over a gallon of water a day on this diet and I know it's

flushing all the potassium right out of me. I am taking two potassium tablets

per day to counterbalance things, but lately, I have been getting more cramps. I

need this diet and this diet needs me, but I need to find more heavily laden

potassium food that is legal on this diet that will pour alot of potassium into

me --- any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Bill

December 9, 2000

Hi Bill,

This is what the atkins center says:

What is best for leg muscle cramps? Supplements of potassium, magnesium

and calcium are needed. Potassium is best replaced by a potassium chloride

salt substitute from the supermarket (used liberally).

Just a note about suppliments.... the RDA for Potassuim is 900 mg a day! I

have yet to find a multi that little if any, also most suppliment

(potassium) are only 99mg, I believe there was a reason I heard they don't

make them higher, it was not a big deal, just a silly reason... My bottle

says that 99mg is only 3% of the recommended daily

allotment!........so.......two is not going to do much for you. Make sure,

to begin with that you use salt with potassium chloride as the atkins center

suggests....You might try spacing your suppliments out, one in am, one in

the pm.......your body absorbs vitamins better at night, because it is not

" flushing " as in the normal course of the day LOL.......

something else you might consider is looking at this article on how vitamin

E is working with leg cramps: http://www.orthomed.com/vite.htm

Here is some other info I found for you:

Leg Cramps - YOUCH! These will hit usually in the middle of the night or

while you're working out. You're

lying in bed, happy as a clam (just how HAPPY is a clam anyway?) and then

your shin, calf, thigh or ankle

(and sometimes ALL of them) feels like it's been caught in a trap and

there's a heavy knot of muscle that

won't relax. For immediate relief, massage the area very firmly, flex and

unflex the area and stand up.

Yes, it will hurt until they loosen. I've been close to tears with them. Leg

cramps can signal a a couple of

things such as calcium deficiency. I used to drink a LOT of milk and my body

was craving it. I don't eat a

lot of dairy products since they seem to cause constipation. I have my

occasional cheese, but not everyday.

To combat these killer cramps, take both calcium and magnesium. You can find

both these in one tablet at

most health food stores. I honestly don't know the correlation but I get my

worst cramps when I forget to

take the calcium and I'm on a good week for losing a lot of weight. Another

thing leg cramps could be

telling you is that you're low on potassium. This is because when you're

drinking all this water, you're

flushing it out. Get some potassium via a supplement. But remember, the

cramps can be from EITHER

calcium or potassium deficiencies. Best bet is to have both on hand and to

really think about your diet in the

past couple days when you get a cramp.

Also, make sure that you are getting potassium in what you eat first, leafy

green veggies are the best source. 3 cups a day of salad is what Dr. A says,

if you aren't doing that, that may be your simplest answer to why and how to

fix it. Beans are also a good source but watch the carbs on them.

magnesium food sources are nuts, veggies, tea or coffee (arg! did I say

coffee LOL)

Salmon is a good source of calcium

Also note that potassium in foods is lost significatly when cooked in water,

so do your veggies in the mic people!! or steam them!

Here are some other foods rich in potassium, however not all of these are

legals on low carb, but many are:

VEGETABLES

Artichoke, globe (french), cooked 1 medium + Asparagus, cooked 1/2 cup +

Beans: Green, cooked 1/2 cup + Lima, cooked

1/2 cup +++ Cauliflower, cooked 1/2 cup + Chard, cooked 1/2 cup ++ Corn,

cooked 1/2 cup + Jerusalem artichoke, raw 1/2

cup + Mushrooms, cooked 1/2 cup + Parsnips, cooked 1/2 cup + Peas, green,

cooked 1/2 cup + Plantain, green or ripe,

boiled 1 medium +++ Potato: Baked or boiled, with skin 1 medium +++ Baked or

boiled, without skin 1 medium ++ Pumpkin,

cooked 1/2 cup ++ Rutabaga, cooked 1/2 cup + Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup ++

Squash, winter, cooked, mashed 1/2 cup +++

Sweetpotato: Baked 1 medium ++ Boiled 1 medium + Tomatoes: Raw 1 medium +

Stewed 1/2 cup ++ Tomato juice, canned

3/4 cup ++ Tomato-vegetable juice or tomato juice cocktail, canned 3/4 cup

++

MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, AND ALTERNATES

Meat and Poultry Beef: Brisket, braised, lean only 3 ounces + Ground; extra

lean, lean, or regular; baked or broiled 1 patty +

Pot roast, braised, lean only 3 ounces + Roast, rib, roasted, lean only 3

ounces + Shortribs, braised, lean only 3 ounces +

Steak, lean only: Baked or broiled 3 ounces + Braised 3 ounces + Stew meat,

simmered, lean only 3 ounces + Chicken,

without skin: Breast, broiled or roasted 1/2 breast + Leg (thigh and

drumstick), broiled or roasted 1 leg + Cornish hen, roasted,

without skin 1/2 hen + Ham, roasted, lean only: Fresh 3 ounces + Smoked or

cured 3 ounces + Lamb, lean only: Chop,

shoulder; baked, braised, or broiled 1 chop + Roast, leg or shoulder,

roasted 3 ounces + Pork: Chop, baked or broiled, lean

only 1 chop + Cutlet or steak, baked or broiled, lean only 1 cutlet ++

Ground, cooked 3 ounces + Roast, roasted, lean only:

Loin 3 ounces + Shoulder 3 ounces + Turkey, light or dark meat, roasted,

without skin 3 ounces + Veal, lean only: Chop,

braised 1 chop + Cutlet or steak, pan broiled 1 cutlet ++ Roast, leg,

roasted 3 ounces +

Fish and Seafood Carp, catfish, flounder, or mullet; baked or broiled 3

ounces ++ Haddock, mackerel, or porgy; baked or

broiled 3 ounces + Clams: Canned, drained 3 ounces + Steamed or boiled 3

ounces + Cod, croaker, pompano, or trout;

baked or broiled 3 ounces ++ Crabmeat, steamed 3 ounces + Lobster, steamed

or boiled 3 ounces + Mussels, steamed,

boiled, or poached 3 ounces + Ocean perch, perch, pike, sea bass, or

whiting; baked or broiled 3 ounces + Oysters: Canned,

undrained 3 ounces + Steamed 3 ounces + Salmon: Baked or broiled 3 ounces +

Steamed, poached, or canned; drained 3

ounces + Scallops: Baked or broiled 3 ounces + Boiled or steamed 3 ounces +

Swordfish steak, baked or broiled 3 ounces +

Tuna, canned, drained 3 ounces +

Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils Beans, cooked: Bayo, black, brown, or red

kidney 1/2 cup ++ Calico, chickpeas (garbanzo

beans), mung, or pinto 1/2 cup + Lima, soybeans, or white 1/2 cup ++

Lentils, cooked 1/2 cup ++ Peas, split, green or yellow,

cooked 1/2 cup ++ Soy milk (not baby formula) 1 cup +

Hope this answers your question......ps......I had cramping, and just upped

my multi vitamins to 2 a day, one in am, one in pm and take my potassium and

calcium at night and I haven't had any problem since......also when you get

thru induction and start upping your carbs I think it clears up

MHO...........Annie

>

>I am now drinking over a gallon of water a day on this diet and I know it's

>flushing all the potassium right out of me. I am taking two potassium

>tablets per day to counterbalance things, but lately, I have been getting

>more cramps. I need this diet and this diet needs me, but I need to find

>more heavily laden potassium food that is legal on this diet that will pour

>alot of potassium into me --- any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

>Thanks in advance. Bill

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December 9, 2000

Good idea Barbara, may I also warn you that alot of the protein shakes are

yukky!!!! But! there are some really neat ways folks have learned to make

them super........check this

out...http://www.ilovelowcarb.com/reviews/shakedoctors.html

Annie

>

>Hi Bill,

> Are you just starting Atkins? I had some problems the first month I

>was on it. I find that the protein shakes have a good amount of

>potassium in them. I use the atkins shake mix and whey powder and have

>a shake everyday as a meal replacement or sometime for a snack.

>

>Barbara

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December 9, 2000

HEY, THANKS Annie, is that the place that you write for in the newsletter?

corky

Re: Leg Cramps - Please Go Away

>

> Good idea Barbara, may I also warn you that alot of the protein shakes are

> yukky!!!! But! there are some really neat ways folks have learned to make

> them super........check this

> out...http://www.ilovelowcarb.com/reviews/shakedoctors.html

>

> Annie

>

> >

> >Hi Bill,

> > Are you just starting Atkins? I had some problems the first month I

> >was on it. I find that the protein shakes have a good amount of

> >potassium in them. I use the atkins shake mix and whey powder and have

> >a shake everyday as a meal replacement or sometime for a snack.

> >

> >Barbara

>

____________________________________________________________________________

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>

> Please visit our homepage at http://members.xoom.com/AChallengers

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December 9, 2000

No, but at the bottom of all the pages are buttons (hearts) and above that

is the ilovelowcarb logo which is the home button, they should direct you to

the newsletter page,.......it tells about the nov. issue if you missed it to

and the great response it had along with the table of contents and how to

get a back issue............the newsletter contains totally new and

different info than the sight, always will.........thanks for your

intrest..........it's an awesome site, with much much much more to

come........will keep you posted! Annie

>

>HEY, THANKS Annie, is that the place that you write for in the newsletter?

>corky

>

> Re: Leg Cramps - Please Go Away

>

> >

> > Good idea Barbara, may I also warn you that alot of the protein shakes

>are

> > yukky!!!! But! there are some really neat ways folks have learned to

>make

> > them super........check this

> > out...http://www.ilovelowcarb.com/reviews/shakedoctors.html

> >

> > Annie

> >

> > >

> > >Hi Bill,

> > > Are you just starting Atkins? I had some problems the first month I

> > >was on it. I find that the protein shakes have a good amount of

> > >potassium in them. I use the atkins shake mix and whey powder and have

> > >a shake everyday as a meal replacement or sometime for a snack.

> > >

> > >Barbara

> >

>____________________________________________________________________________

>_________

> > Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download :

>http://explorer.msn.com

> >

> > Please visit our homepage at http://members.xoom.com/AChallengers

> > You will find information, recipes, before and after pictures.

> > To contact the list owner please send mail to lindag@...

> > Visit our 2000 Train Tour Site -

>http://www.brunnet.net/k & l/web_site_train_tour/actraintour.htm

> >

>

>Please visit our homepage at http://members.xoom.com/AChallengers

>You will find information, recipes, before and after pictures.

>To contact the list owner please send mail to lindag@...

>Visit our 2000 Train Tour Site -

>http://www.brunnet.net/k & l/web_site_train_tour/actraintour.htm

>

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December 9, 2000

> Just a note about suppliments.... the RDA for Potassuim is 900 mg a day!

I

> have yet to find a multi that little if any, also most suppliment

> (potassium) are only 99mg, I believe there was a reason I heard they don't

> make them higher, it was not a big deal, just a silly reason... My bottle

> says that 99mg is only 3% of the recommended daily

> allotment.

Hi everyone! The reason they don't make the potassium supplements in higher

over the counter strengths is that too much potassium is as bad for you as

not enough. The feeling is that if you need that much supplementation you

should be on prescription strength potassium and under a doctor's care.

Cardiac dysfunction can result leading to death if the excess potassium is

stored in the body. This can be caused due to organ malfunction or

medication interference. I think the best source of potassium for this diet

is fresh meats (not processed), and the leafy green veggies. It is water

soluble and flushed out of the body to a degree, so this wasn't meant to

scare you all, I'm just hoping to spare someone from popping 10 potassium

tabs thinking they are doing themselves good! Take Care all! Marie

December 9, 2000

Excellant point, was pretty dumb to say " silly reason " *blush* Annie

>

>Hi everyone! The reason they don't make the potassium supplements in higher

>over the counter strengths is that too much potassium is as bad for you as

>not enough. The feeling is that if you need that much supplementation you

>should be on prescription strength potassium and under a doctor's care.

>Cardiac dysfunction can result leading to death if the excess potassium is

>stored in the body. This can be caused due to organ malfunction or

>medication interference. I think the best source of potassium for this diet

>is fresh meats (not processed), and the leafy green veggies. It is water

>soluble and flushed out of the body to a degree, so this wasn't meant to

>scare you all, I'm just hoping to spare someone from popping 10 potassium

>tabs thinking they are doing themselves good! Take Care all! Marie

>

>Please visit our homepage at http://members.xoom.com/AChallengers

>You will find information, recipes, before and after pictures.

>To contact the list owner please send mail to lindag@...

>Visit our 2000 Train Tour Site -

>http://www.brunnet.net/k & l/web_site_train_tour/actraintour.htm

>

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December 9, 2000