2 +1 tips on how to avoid muscle cramps

Cramps cause one of the most piercing, sharpest pains that one can feel.  Although mostly harmless and short in duration (lasting from a few seconds to 15 minutes), muscle cramps cause intense contractions that we definitely don't want to experience again anytime soon. To do that, we need to know what causes them and certain ways to prevent them.

The muscle spasm that leads to cramps is caused by the involuntary, sudden and violent contraction of muscles when they are tense and cannot relax. As a result, acute pain is caused by this palpable and painful muscle hardening. Cramps are more common in muscles extending to two or more joints but are not uncommon in the abdomen, chest or even the fingers.

Several experts believe that this is usually caused by a temporary weakening of the mechanism controlling the natural movement of the muscles. Sometimes, it is caused by reflexive "arrhythmias" of this system, especially when our musculoskeletal system experiences a strain due to fatigue or intense exercise.  Of course, cramps are possibly the body's response to a lack of vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

The good news is that muscle cramps can be prevented, depending, of course, on their cause.

Avoiding dehydration

Adequate and regular body hydration helps muscle cells to maintain their plasticity and react much better to external stimuli.  This is even more important when our body loses fluids due to exercise, illness or high weather temperatures. It is estimated that their daily equivalent is 11.5 cups of water for a woman and 15.5 for a man.

Mind your diet

As we said, when there is a pre-existing nutritional deficiency in the body, the risk of cramps is higher. This is why it is of structural importance to regularly take electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium, and reduce the consumption of caffeine-containing foods and drinks, such as non-organic tea, soft drinks and, of course, coffee. So include in your daily diet bananas (rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium), sweet potatoes (with six times more calcium than bananas), pumpkins and watermelons (which help the body to hydrate), avocados (impressive potassium content), legumes (best thing for magnesium and fibre intake), milk (for natural muscle tissue rebuilding), green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli), oranges (which combine nutrients with hydration), salmon (which treats poor blood flow) and, of course, tomatoes (a great source of potassium and hydration).

Daily exercise

Frequent and reasonable exercise may intervene proactively and prevent cramps, although many people mistakenly believe that it may aggravate the area where they occur.  Exercise helps significantly in proper blood circulation. This, in turn, helps the muscles work better and maintain their shape. 

Therefore, muscle cramps are not something you must simply accept in your life. You can prevent them by improving your diet and daily habits.