Anybody found they suffer from restlessness and leg cramps? I already suffer from restless leg syndrome and am on medication for it. I take magnesium, in addition and make sure I drink my two litres a day. The leg cramps have really got worse since I’ve started the diet. Anybody else found this? Any ideas?

Hi Jennyeb Ok, no laughing now but here is the cure. Put a small piece of soap in your bed near your legs. You know the ones you get in hotels or even cut up a bigger one. I dont know how or why but it works for both cramps and restless legs. When I told my doctor and my chiropodist I had cured my cramps they both said ‘with soap’. The science is unknown but it is something to do with changing the electrical charge that can build up when you are in bed covered over, the soap neutralises the charge. I have recommended this to many people on this site and they have all come back and said it works.

Thank you, will give anything a go! Just eaten something very salty too, I’m not used to drinking so much water, so I might be flushing out salt. Who knows….anyway, 9lbs Down, so there’s that!

Copying and pasting a chunk of what I wrote on another message board very recently …..

“I have had Restless Legs Syndrome on and off for decades, much worse in my right side than my left side. I worked in and studied human healthcare for just as many decades, which has helped me understand RLS somewhat.

A balance of various minerals/ electrolytes/ salts are needed in the body for nerves and muscles to work ‘normally’. Calcium balances magnesium, sodium balances potassium and so on. Although magnesium is very important in healthy nerves (inc. the brain) as your doctor says, magnesium is also important in muscle relaxation after contracting, in building strong bones and other stuff.

Very few people’s diets are properly balanced and varied. Furthermore when we are very active, sweat or get dehydrated we lose or ‘use up’ more of these minerals/ electrolytes/ salts. Overconsuming table salt (NaCl) can dehydrate us, which potentially causes us to also lose other minerals/ electrolytes/ salts. So I can see why a high intake might worsen RLS for some individuals.

Successful self treatments for me include eating more mineral-rich foods (ground flaxseeds, pumpkin or chia seeds, cocoa powder/ low sugar dark chocolate) or taking a magnesium citrate supplement (the ones I have now are MAHOOSIVE so I hate taking them).”

Jennyeb: I wonder if your overall electrolyte/ body salts/ mineral balance might be off at present, not just the magnesium? Are you eating plenty of mineral-rich foods every day? As above certain seeds, nuts, cocoa powder and cacao nibs all fit well with this way of eating.

HTH.

Thanks for the responses! I’ll certainly try eating more mineral rich food……Pumpkin seeds are so easy to add to salads and I have good quality cocoa powder – dark chocolate is not a hardship! I’m a good cook so enjoy experimenting. I’ve ordered some electrolyte supplements too.
I actually put a bar of soap in the bed…….yep, slept 8 hours straight……weird.

Our bodies need to store water to help in processing carbs. So when you move from a high carb to a low carb diet your body will release that water. Resulting in a weight loss too rapid to be just fat burning. – When the kidneys release water, they also release electrolytes. So at the start you are more likely to need to supplement electrolytes than normal.

I went through some strange periods of cramping, such as aches specifically around the tops of my ankles. – But booking back I think it was related to swelling going down and fluid from that area being drawn away by the body.

I do get strange times when leg muscles lock into position and its really painful to reset them. Occasionally In a morning when I first get out of bed, or if I have been sitting for a while my leg gets locked with the feet pointed, and it takes pressure to move the foot back into 90 degrees to the leg. I do have a bag of the expensive pink Himalayan salt to dip a licked finger into to increase salt intake which I bought following articles about how important the trace elements are and that does help to clear the cramps. But having read online recently that the fancy salts are 98% chemically the same as table salt I wouldn’t bother buying expensive salt again.

I have seen articles that a long soak in the bath with magnesium salts is the best way of getting enough to balance and prevent cramps as it is absorbed through the skin.

Hi there,
I had bad cramps whilst driving, my leg and ankle being set in a certain position over the accelerator. So painful! But the night-time one is the most frustrating. Glad that there is relief and that there are ideas to try!

morning Jennyeb, glad it worked for you. Amazing isn’t it. Yes you need to keep up your salt intake if you are drinking lots and peeing lots but I would advise against Magnesium supplements. My doctor recommended these before I found the soap trick and forgot to tell me that they cause bloating by fluid retention. I thought I had gained 3lbs in a week until I asked Mr Google who put me right. One thing I didn’t ask is do you take statins as they can cause cramps. That is what I put my cramps down to and have since reduced from 40mg to 10mg. My cholesterol had gone right down with the diet so really dont need them now but still take a very small dose as, with diabetes I am high risk for stroke and heart disease.

Glad to hear you’ve been able to reduce your medication.
I fast during the day and have my one meal at around 6:00pm. I find I can do this comfortably. What nearly undoes me is the evening restlessness – I just feel like running for carbs….well, I wouldn’t run, I’d waddle! But anyway help is at hand and I’ve lost 9lbs in three weeks which is spectacular for me! I have NEVER tried and STUCK to another diet so easily.
I love cooking and find it’s a delicious challenge to come up with new things. Yesterday we ate homemade roast chicken satay served in romaine lettuce wraps….I put thinly sliced cucumber and radish in the leaves with loads of chopped coriander and lime juice. It was heaven!

Grinning in delight for you!

That sounds delicious, Jenny! I love Asian flavors, too 🙂

Hi Jennyeb, just wondered how your cramps are doing. Has the soap worked.

Hi there,
All part of my arsenal! It makes the bed smell pretty, too!

I’ve started taking electrolytes when needed, and making sure I drink two litres. It’s a balancing act but I’m getting there and there’s been a big improvement. Thank you so much for asking.
Perhaps losing just over 11lbs has helped. My knees certainly feel less sore and getting out of a chair is more comfortable. I’ve also noticed I’m wheezing less. I’ve bought all new make-up and have actually started wearing it, just like I used to.
I won’t be sacrificing all this well-being for a plate of pasta, I can tell you!
Have a lovely Sunday
Jx